Welcome | CUSP

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside is pleased to announce the continuation of CUSP. This program, funded by the UC-HSI Doctoral Diversity Initiative (UC-HSI DDI), provides mentoring and career development to graduate students who are interested in becoming professors and are from groups typically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). All PhD students advanced to candidacy in a CNAS, Biomedical Sciences, or Bioengineering Program are welcome to apply.

One-on-one career development mentoring from a UCR faculty member outside of your home program
Participation in CUSP professional development workshops
Support in developing your Individual Development Plan (IDP) using MyIDP
$3000 stipend to support living expenses while doing research in the summer

$500 travel award to present your research and network with faculty and peers at the scientific conference of your choice
Opportunities to connect with other PhD candidates at UCR who are interested in a career in the professoriate
Join the growing network of CUSP Scholars and Faculty Career Mentors
Become a near-peer mentor for a BB2P scholar

Scholar Eligibility

CNAS graduate students in good standing who are advanced to candidacy by January 1 and will be enrolled full-time for the duration of the program can apply for the 2025 cohort.

While the intent of the UC-HSI DDI grants program is to enhance faculty pathways for domestic historically underrepresented groups, particularly Latinx, African Americans, American Indians/Native Americans, Filipinx and Pacific Islanders in all disciplines; women in STEM; and Asian Americans in the humanities and social sciences, UC-HSI DDI is designed to support students irrespective of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, or gender identity. For the purposes of this fellowship, AB540 students are eligible. International students are not eligible.

Scholars Apply here

The Scholar Application is available here: https://forms.gle/gBamEMYYqAQi7g4v8

The application is due December 15th, 2024

Faculty Career Mentor Information

We seek faculty who want to inspire the next generation of professors. Mentors from all STEM fields are welcome; experience mentoring underrepresented students is desirable but not required. The program features a year-long program of one-to-one career mentoring for a student outside your own graduate program, helping the student develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP), and attending/presenting in a professional development seminar series in Spring Quarter.

Click here for resources for CUSP Faculty Career Mentors.