Promoting Health Research among Underrepresented Students through the HUI SRC

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Health Research Workforce Development
• Indigenous Knowledge in Science

Background:

• The Hawai'i Pacific University Undergraduate Infrastructure Student Research Center (HUI SRC) addresses the underrepresentation of Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders (NHPI), and Filipinos in biomedical and health research.
• The HUI SRC model is inspired by the Morgan State University ASCEND SRC and integrates Hawaiian cultural values like ho'oku'i, hui pu'ana, and lokahi.
• The center is committed to decolonizing research by incorporating Indigenous knowledge and practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the project and present evaluation findings of the HUI SRC's first year of implementation.
• To assess the impact of the HUI SRC on undergraduate students' engagement and competency in entrepreneurial biomedical and health research.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the HUI SRC in increasing science identity, academic and social self-concept, social support, peer support, and self-efficacy among participating students.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the HUI SRC program at Hawai'i Pacific University.
• Evaluation of the first year of the HUI SRC's activities and outcomes.
• Assessment of changes in students' science identity, self-concept, support systems, and self-efficacy.

Main Results:

• The HUI SRC was effective in enhancing undergraduate students' science identity.
• Participants showed improvements in academic self-concept, social self-concept, social support, peer support, and self-efficacy.
• The center successfully increased engagement and competency in biomedical and health research among students from historically underrepresented populations.

Conclusions:

• The HUI SRC demonstrates the potential of undergraduate Student Research Centers (SRCs) to broaden the pipeline of biomedical and health researchers.
• The findings highlight the positive impact of the HUI SRC on key psychological and social factors crucial for research career development.
• The HUI SRC model offers a framework for engaging Indigenous knowledge and promoting diversity within the scientific research workforce, particularly for NHPI and Filipino students.