CLIMB@WPI

Welcome to the CLIMB@Wπ

The goal of the CLIMB (Coaching for Leadership, Innovation, and Mentoring in Biomedical Research) is to guide our undergraduate students towards successful biomedical research careers with a cohesive structure and supportive research ecosystem. We will improve the retention and graduation rate of students by creating small teams of undergraduate researchers, each with a faculty Coach dedicated to each student’s success. Research, like sports, requires dedication, perseverance, and conditioning to improve skills and feelings of self-efficacy. The best way to retain players is to promote a fun, supportive culture and invest in player skill development, regardless of their incoming skill level or prior experience

Climb Program Overview

CLIMB Support

1. Engagement in undergraduate research increases academic success and self efficacy
2. Unclear how to get involved
3. How to decide which research to do?
4. Low engagement from students from UR groups

Approach

Start with biomedical-related research – NIH grant
(don’t need to be BME, BBT, BCB, anyone with interest in biomed research)

Create integrated system of courses, training, and building a community

Coaching model – to support the “whole” student – mentoring – start 1st year!

Start with Connections!

Draft Year

Coach: a dedicated professor

Commitment ~ 1 hr/wk:

- monthly meetings with coach and cohort (w/food)

- individual monthly meeting with your coach

– develop your game plan

- monthly “Scouting Snack” (meet potential research advisors)

- ”How Research Works” seminars 1x/term

- Lab shadowing

– hands-on learning with UG/MQP

Training Team

- each Trainee will be on a team including a Peer Coach (upperclass student) and 3-4 Teammates
- provide many perspectives and to build community.
- help deal with challenges that particularly impact UR students (e.g. imposter syndrome),
- provide support during difficult times and to celebrate everyone's successes.

If Selected: Mentorship for Research

All CLIMB Scholars will participate in a faculty research group led by a CLIMB Faculty Advisor (Preceptor/Mentor) throughout their training, beginning in the summer following their first year or beginning of sophomore year.

Questions?

Email gr-climb@wpi.edu

CLIMB Programming and Events

To learn more please follow this link

Climb Coaches

Would you like to have a dedicated professor that coaches you about undergraduate research and who cares about your overall success at WPI?

Our biomedical-related professors have developed a personalized Coaching Model to support you and a cohort of students in your research interests as you begin your WPI educational journey through:

Group Meetings with Coach & 5-student Cohort (monthly)
Individual meetings with Coach to develop your Game Plan
Scouting Lunches to meet with potential research
Advisors (monthly)
”How Research Works” Seminars (once a term)
Lab Crawl for hands-on learning

The time commitment is ~1hr per week. Fun food will be provided at most meetings.

Coaches will help foster your well-being, retention, and success and are specifically trained to advocate for you. Coaches will build relationships with you over the first two terms of your first year as you participate in program activities, self-reflections, and individual game plans (IGP). They will also help you develop your application for the CLIMB@WPI program.

As Draftees (first-year students), you will have the opportunity to view videos of Draft Year Coaches and list your top three match preferences. Draftees will be matched to Draft Year Coach and the CLIMB Coach will set up Coaching meetings to set goals for the year, help advise on introductory chemistry sequence, guide you in completing your individual game plan, and connect you with wellness and academic supports as needed.

Scouting & Snacks

B-Term

To build community and enhance networking skills, accepted Draftees will have informal events two times per term with participating faculty members. At each event, faculty will talk about their research in an approachable way. The goal is to introduce Draftees to research options on campus and to meet faculty to broaden their feelings of community with other participants and faculty on campus.

How Research Works

D-Term

How Research Works talks focus on speakers sharing their lived experience in research, the hurdles they experienced, and how they overcame them. The talks are about both the research and the researcher.

Calendar

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