This National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship (NRT) Program grant award of $3,000,000 to the University of California Irvine (UC Irvine) aims to develop a new graduate education model that integrates biomedical engineering, behavioral science, and psychological science. The goal is to train a next-generation workforce capable of addressing cardiovascular health disparities through technological solutions.
The 5-year project will provide interdisciplinary training to 30-40 doctoral students from the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Health, Society, and Behavior, and Psychological Sciences. Key components include interdisciplinary workshops, courses, and a summer research internship in a community care center. Trainees will learn to use new and existing technologies to understand root causes of cardiovascular health inequities, develop tools and systems to improve cardiovascular health and care access, and study barriers to technology adoption. The program will also provide team science skill training to support collaborative problem-solving. Outcomes will include an evaluated model for transformative graduate training to address health disparities through technology.