Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: The gap in educational attainment separating underrepresented minorities from Whites and Asians remains wide. Such a gap has significant impact on workforce diversity and inclusion among cross-cutting Biomedical Data Science (BDS) research, which presents great opportunities as well as major challenges for addressing health disparities. This article provides a brief description of the newly established National Institutes of Health Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) diversity initiatives at four universities: California State University, Monterey Bay; Fisk University; University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus; and California State University, Fullerton. We emphasize three main barriers to BDS careers (ie, preparation, exposure, and access to resources) experienced among those pioneer programs and recommendations for possible solutions (ie, early and proactive mentoring, enriched research experience, and data science curriculum development). The diversity disparities in BDS demonstrate the need for educators, researchers, and funding agencies to support evidence-based practices that will lead to the diversification of the BDS workforce.
Source: Ethnicity & Disease
DOI: 10.18865/ed.27.2.107
Language: English
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Awards: Innovative Research Education and Articulation in the Preparation of Under-represented and First Generation Students for Careers in Biomedical Big Data Science, Big Data Discovery and Diversity through Research Education Advancement and Partnerships (BD3-REAP), UPR/MDACC: Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research (2 of 2), Increasing Diversity in Interdisciplinary BD2K (IDI-BD2K), Fisk University/UIUC-Mayo KnowENG BD2K Center R25 Partnership, Advancing Competitive Biomedical Research in Puerto Rico
OpenAlex ID: W2605740302