About Us

West Virginia University’s RaMP program spans across three universities.

West Virginia University (WVU)
Marshall University (MU)
West Virginia State University (WVSU)

We have 10 mentors from WVU, 3 mentors from MU and 3 mentors from WVSU.

WVU’s RaMP program is a yearlong program for recent graduates that come from underrepresented communities, schools with limited resources, and first generation college students that want to continue their education in research.

The mission behind our program is to provide our 10 mentees with skills in research they would not have before the program to allow them to progress in the field of STEM. Mentees should have a passion for helping to solve the societal need for young, educated individuals in the three different One Health themes.

Together we want to build a community of dedicated researchers to help create solutions to societal struggles we face in the three core sections of One Health.

RaMP Objectives

Stem Recruitment

Offering rigorous mentee training in scientific research areas related to One Health. A total of 10 mentees per year will work with faculty mentors in full-time, 12-month positions to explore issues in water use and quality, environmental contamination, and biological correlates of disease.

Stem Retention

Establishing a pipeline for mentees to transition successfully into academic, corporate, non-governmental organization (NGO), and governmental employment. Throughout the program there will be opportunities to meet with future employers, potential for peer-reviewed publications and presenting at regional and national meetings.

Research in Interdependent Health of Humans, Animals and the Ecosystem

During the course of this program, mentees will acquire training in ethical and safe research conduct, effective experimental design, and scientific writing. Mentees will acquire skills in laboratory, field and data analysis techniques that are immediately applicable in the current STEM workplace (academic or otherwise).