The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for its Arkansas Technology and Data Science in Health and Medicine (AR TechDaSH) program.
The five-year grant from the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) will support an outreach program focused on technology and data science in health and medicine targeting high school students, teachers, and the community in Northwest Arkansas.
AR TechDaSH will incorporate imaging technologies and a data science curriculum through outreach programs, a 10-day summer camp, and community outreach events. These efforts aim to prepare high school students to serve as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) ambassadors. The program will also feature virtual STEM and data science outreach to students and teachers across the state.
Dr. Kevin D. Phelan, the program director, emphasized that the initiative could benefit every student in Arkansas, especially the underserved. Phelan stated, “The goal is to get students excited about STEM and data science careers,” adding that it is crucial for the future workforce to reflect the diverse U.S. population.
Arkansas faces challenges in education and income, making early exposure to STEM and data science essential for students’ future careers and lifestyle decisions affecting their health. The program will focus on three primary health concerns in the region: cardiovascular, obesity/diabetes, and immunology/cancer.
The initiative will involve visits to ninth-grade classes in rural and urban Northwest Arkansas, providing students with hands-on experience using various medical technologies and instruments. The 10-day AR TechDaSH camp will offer integrated exposure to medical skills, clinician-patient simulations, research, and case-based discussions on the primary health concerns mentioned.
Students who attend the camp will be designated as STEM ambassadors, tasked with organizing outreach events in their communities. These events will focus on the importance of health, medicine, and data science. Additionally, virtual outreach sessions and teacher training workshops will be provided to enhance the incorporation of imaging and data science into classrooms across the state.
Source: UAMS receives $1.3 million grant for high school-focused tech data science program.
