Students typically receive financial support for three or four years.
The central feature of the program is appointment as a Graduate Research Assistant. The Graduate Research Assistantship Faculty mentoring of the trainees is an essential part of the program. As Graduate Research Assistants, supported students are paired with a faculty mentor in the student's department. Faculty mentors help guide trainees successfully through their graduate careers. Mentors interact regularly with doctoral students, focusing on skill development in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, scientific writing, manuscript preparation, proposal development, and oral presentations.