Letter from the Director
Our RISE (Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement) Community at New Mexico State University is committed to scientific research that will increase human health and reduce illness and disabilities. RISE is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative that supports student scientific development activities in minority-serving institutions through awards from the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) program. The goal of NIH-RISE is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who complete Ph.D. degree programs in biomedical and behavioral research. New Mexico State University is a RISE eligible minority-serving institution that also is classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Of the over 300 HSIs in the continental United States, less than a dozen offer doctoral degrees. As a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University, NMSU is an HSI that is uniquely positioned to contribute to the NIH-RISE mandate.	Elba Serrano RISE Program Director
The NMSU-RISE Program unites talented and highly motivated undergraduate and doctoral students with distinguished faculty scientists in shared research endeavors. The program offers challenging training activities such as research internships, summer externships, workshops, and tutorials that aim to promote student professional achievement and completion of the doctorate degree. Former NMSU RISE participants have embarked on successful careers and have achieved recognition as scientists and as faculty members who are training the next generation of biomedical researchers. We welcome you to our website and invite you to learn about the research that is undertaken by some of the finest NMSU students and their dedicated faculty mentors in their search for biomedical discoveries. Elba Serrano, Ph.D. RISE Program Director Professor of Biology & Affiliate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering More information about the NIH RISE program can be found on the agency website: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Mechanisms/MBRSAwards.htm#RISE