NDSU CHANGE will provide mentored research experiences for post-baccalaureate (recent collage graduates) participants traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Mentees will engage in research projects across biological levels (e.g., molecules, cells, tissues, whole organisms, populations) exploring how organisms respond to rapidly changing environments. It is imperative to train future generations of biologists to be able to easily work and collaborate across different biological levels to build capacity for future discovery. The CHANGE network includes diverse experts from academia, non-governmental organization, government agencies and industry, as well as network members focused on enhancing professional development of trainees. 

Through participation in the CHANGE program, participants will be prepared to become leaders in a rural, EPSCoR state, capable of tackling basic biological questions, engaging with questions of importance for the Upper Midwest in a changing world.