Programs

Workforce Development

GRA's work already creates new jobs in university labs and startup companies to develop tomorrow's professionals. Added to this effort is our Workforce Development Initiative: it creates opportunities to introduce more students at Georgia colleges to STEMM through university research.

How It Started

To keep Georgia's economy strong and growing, Georgia students must gain the knowledge and experience that prepares them for careers in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM). These career areas factor prominently into Georgia's future.

The idea for the initiative originated with GRA's Eminent Scholars. At their annual gathering, the Scholars discussed the importance of engaging more undergraduate students in scientific research. Their dialogue that day resolved to explore a new opportunity to provide lab experience and mentorship, and the GRA Student Scholars program was born.

How It Works

GRA's Workforce Development Initiative has three components.

Lab Internships

GRA's Student Scholars program gives undergraduate and graduate students at colleges across the state the opportunity to work alongside a top scientist for an entire semester. Nearly 100 students from colleges and universities all over Georgia have participated in the program so far. Support from AT&T, Georgia Power Foundation and the Coca-Cola Foundation have made these immersive lab experiences possible.

STEMM Career Development

Academic conferences offer a valuable opportunity for students to learn about a field, present research and make connections to professionals. Attending such conferences, however, is often outside college students' budgets. Thus, GRA sponsors Georgia students who seek to attend select symposia and conferences in their field of study.

Postdoc Fellowships

In a three-year pilot project, GRA is partnering with Georgia State University and the Wilzynski Scholarship Fund to support a cohort of three postdoctoral students as they pursue research in neuroscience. The pilot project aims to demonstrate the fellowship model as a way to engage more post graduate researchers from different backgrounds, in hopes that they will pursue faculty positions at Georgia State.

GRA Student Scholars

What's it really like working alongside a world-class scientist? GRA helps undergraduate and graduate students across Georgia explore the answer to that question through the GRA Student Scholars program.

In the program, members of the GRA Academy of Scientists (and select GRA partners) recruit students from the state's colleges to gain hands-on experience in a university research lab.

Thanks to the support of private funding partners, GRA provides its Student Scholars with a monetary stipend as compensation and, in some cases, helps offset the cost of attending academic conferences. At the end of each semester, GRA administers a brief online survey to each participating student and host scientist. The information is used to improve the program and provide funding partners with assessments of the experience.

Student Scholars

Students who are selected as GRA Student Scholars:

Learn and perform protocols and tasks directly related to the research project's design
Confer with lab colleagues and the lead scientist on objectives and methods
Attend meetings and conferences pertaining to the research
Prepare a scientific poster of the research problem and process worked on (end of summer)
Prepare a brief report of the summer experience (in written or video form)

Host Laboratories

For their part, participating (host) laboratories:

Must engage students in meaningful work in the lab, meaning participation in funded research projects and inclusion in meetings and correspondence of the full lab
Must employ the student(s) for 25 to 40 hours per week
Are encouraged to provide additional opportunities for each Student Scholar to gain relevant experience: attending conferences and seminars, contributing to journal articles, creating research posters and other materials, and making presentations
Select students who have not previously worked in the host lab

If you'd like to support GRA's Workforce Development Initiative, or learn more about it, please contact Amanda Schroeder at GRA.