As described in this video by iBiology, about 59 Hispanics, 33 African-Americans, and 0 Native Americans received a Ph.D. in neuroscience in the United States in 2012, compared with 600 white people. Changing this imbalance in the field is the goal of SPINES (Summer Program in Neuroscience, Ethics and Survival) at the MBL, which provides underrepresented minorities with training in research techniques as well as career survival skills.

In the video, SPINES co-director Keith Trujillo of California State University-San Marcos discusses the course’s approach.