Our Mission
Our Mission
BUMP Biology strives to support Black students interested in STEM throughout their undergraduate careers with mentorship, research opportunities, and monetary compensation in the form of a stipend, in order to ameliorate some of the barriers that Black students face in pursuing and retaining careers in science and medicine.
Our History
Our History
The BUMP Biology program emerged in August 2020 from a collaboration between the Research Cluster on Science and Subjectivity, Biological Sciences Department at Columbia University, the Black Alumni Council at Columbia University, and Biology Trainees Against Exclusion (BTAE).
The mentorship program officially launched in January of 2021 with Mentee, Research Mentor, and BAC Career Mentor applications.
The first BUMP Mentee cohort consisted of 29 Black undergraduates from Columbia. The second BUMP Mentee cohort consisted of 64 Black undergraduates from Columbia. The Career Mentors were sourced from STEM professionals in the Black Alumni Council (BAC). The Research mentors were sourced from graduate students and postdoctorates from the Biology Department and the Zuckerman Institute.
Through the mentorship program, BUMP Mentees were assisted with applications for summer internships and research programs and given career-related and personal mentorship. The BUMP mentees and mentors were provided with a code of conduct, a mentee training guide, and a mentor training guide. The BUMP Mentors participate in an annual virtual mentorship training session with an emphasis on cultural competency led by Dr. Dana Crawford.