The Edwards Lifesciences Foundation Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center (CIRC) has recently established the Engineering eQUITable Innovations Summer Undergraduate Research Program (EQUITI-SURP) to provide training on the contributors to and consequences of cardiovascular health disparities as well as a hands-on, mentored summer research experience. With funding from the American Heart Association and the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, this program is designed to serve as a vehicle for your professional development and stimulate your interest in graduate school and pursuit of a career in cardiovascular science and engineering.

EQUITI-SURP is a 10-week summer training program with three goals: to build general research skills; to provide an individualized, hands-on, mentored research experience; and to educate regarding structural racism and discrimination, social determinants of health, and the ways in which these societal factors affect to cardiovascular health.

Do you love science? • Have you ever wanted to see and work with a live cell? • Do you find yourself asking questions beyond the scope of your classes? • Would you like to know what it is like to work in a tissue-engineering laboratory? • Do you want to experience the awe of discovery? • Then you are the right person for the CardioStart program!

Our newly developed online workshops with interactive assessments will enrich students’ knowledge of tissue and cardiac engineering. The workshops and assessments will be available 24/7 making this enhanced learning platform convenient for all students. To supplement the workshops, graduate students will be available to answer questions throughout the duration of the program and will be holding weekly office hours via Zoom to facilitate discussion and interaction between students. Students who have participated in the CardioStart Program have been accepted to universities such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, University of Chicago, and Rice University.