ASPiRE encompasses experiential and didactic research education, professional development coaching, academic success coaching and tiered mentorship to produce future scientists and physician scientists from backgrounds underrepresented in science who will thrive and persist in academia. ASPiRE is an educational grant awarded by the National Institute of Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. The program will train four scholars each year for the first three years, and five scholars in years four and five.
Message from the Program Directors of ASPiRE:
Welcome to the ASPiRE Program at Weill Cornell Medicine. At the heart of our mission lies an acknowledgment of longstanding inequities that have marked the history of our nation and persist in our society at large, as well as within academic and scientific spaces. Despite efforts to address these disparities, success to this point has been limited. We are delighted to utilize the platform available through the National Institutes of Health to confront these challenges head-on as a demonstration of our unwavering commitment to diversifying the scientific workforce. We are passionate about promoting science identity and professional self-efficacy. This new program aligns seamlessly with our personal and professional goals, as well as our commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and physician-scientists.
It is with great enthusiasm that we lead this impactful program, working alongside established and future biomedical researchers who will shape the landscape of scientific discovery. We extend a warm welcome to those who share our commitment and encourage you to explore the possibilities within the ASPiRE Program. Your interest and application are vital to the success of our mission, and we express heartfelt gratitude to everyone working to ensure the program's continued success.
Joy Howell, MD, PD/PI (Contact)
Dr. Howell is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Department of Pediatrics at the Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM). In Addition, she serves as the Vice Chair for Diversity in Pediatrics and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Student Life at the WCM. In this latter role she is the Director of the Travelers Summer Research Fellowship, the institution’s first and oldest pipeline program. She is uniquely suited to serve as the lead PD/PI for this project as she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience undergraduate and graduate medical education (UME and GME) education and professional development to this project.
Genevieve Fouda, MD, PhD, PD/PI and Mentor
Dr. Fouda is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Department of Pediatrics at the Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM). In Addition, she is the Director for Basic Science Mentoring, within the Department of Pediatrics, and the Assistant Dean of Faculty at WCM. Dr. Fouda is a well-established, NIH funded researcher with long standing interest and expertise in mentoring and professional development of junior investigators. She collaborates with the rest of the team and is also one of the Mentors. Her area of scientific inquiry is virology, specifically HIV.
Dr. Carrasco is the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at the Weill Cornell Graduate School, Co-Director of the Weill Cornell Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD), and the Director of the Advancing Cornell Career Experiences for Science Students (ACCESS) undergraduate summer program. Dr. Carrasco brings many years of experience designing, developing, implementing and supporting educational programs at the undergraduate, postbaccalaureate and graduate level, including recruitment.
