Program Administration
Dr. Linda Tunstad
Program Director
Physical Sciences 517
(323) 343-2148
e-mail: l[email protected]
Bridges to the Future Community College Coordinators
Pasadena City College
Marilyn Johnson
Bridges Coordinator
(626) 585-7813
[email protected]
Dr. Khuloud Sweimeh
Bridges Coordinator
[email protected]
Los Angeles City College
Professor Kim Dinh
Bridges Coordinator
(323) 953-4000 ext.1602
[email protected]
East Los Angeles City College
Dr. Armando Rivera Figuerao
Bridges Coordinator
323-780-6730
[email protected]
What is the Bridges to the Future?
The Bridges to the Future Program is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health ( NIH) to develop the pool of talented minority students who will eventually become leaders in biomedical research. This grant specifically targets community college students. This program is funded by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences ( a division of the NIH) and is a collaboration among four schools: East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles City College, Pasadena City College, and California State University Los Angeles.
Who is eligible to participate?
- Freshman or Sophomore community college students in good academic standing who desire a career in the bionedical sciences and are a member of an underrepresented group including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, or Pacific Islanders.
- Students who have demonstrated an aptitude for high school or college math and science courses.
- Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
What is involved in being a participant?
The goal of the two year program is to prepare community college science students for transfers to a four-year university where they will successfully complete the bachelor's degree and be prepared to enter advanced degree programs in the biomedical sciences.
The biomedical sciences are broadly inclusive of those disciplines necessary to understand human health and disease: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Microbiology , Biophysics, Biomathematics, and others.
How to Apply?
Interested students will be required to submit an application form and required to contact their Community College Coordinator. Online forms are available at Bridges to the Future Application.
Research Training Faculty
Twenty-five laboratories under the direction of the training faculty are available for the conduct of research. A list of these research principal investigators and a brief description of their research interests is given at Bridges Research Training Faculty. These faculty members are among the best teacher-scholars at the University.
Biomedical Sciences Seminars
The MBRS-RISE Program, MARC-U*STAR, and both Bridges to the Future Programs jointly host a weekly seminar series each Friday afternoon of the academic year. The schedule of seminars during the current term are presented online at the Biomedical Sciences Seminars. Bridges to the Future Participants are welcomed to attend.