Reno Reporter

The first group of undergraduates for the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Nevada program is made up of four students.

The program is backed by The National Institutes of Health in order to cultivate a wide spectrum of undergraduate students looking in biomedical sciences for higher degree programs, according to a news release provided by the University of Nevada, Reno.

“If the program is able to recruit good trainees and fill all the slots, and the trainees are successful, there’s a greater chance to renew it and renew it and renew it,” Professor and Director of the Institute James Kenyon said in the release.

The objective of the program is to establish a varied pool of educated scientists to become principal investigators.

According to Associate Professor of Chemistry Wes Chalifoux: “For me, it’s good to have a program that’s really designated for students of underrepresented groups and give them opportunities like this to excel.”

Lauren Carriere, Jesus Diaz Sanchez, Jonathan Taasan and Kimberly Giannantonio make up the first cohort. The students will receive $13,920 yearly when they become juniors and seniors, along with access to other science-based endeavors to hone their skills.

“For me, it’s good to have a program that’s really designated for students of underrepresented groups and give them opportunities like this to excel,” Chalifoux added.