This project provides support for thirty (30) students in the following disciplines civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical, computer, metallurgical and materials engineering, computer science The objectives are: Continue support for current NSF CSEMS scholars. Provide scholarship support for an increasing number of students over the course of the grant period by identifying new recipients to replace those graduating and/or moving on to advanced degree programs at other institutions. Include a special emphasis for supporting El Paso Community College CSEMS scholars transferring to UTEP. Support an infrastructure that enriches scholars' experiences and professional development, creating opportunities for broad interaction and mentoring among UTEP faculty, undergraduate, masters, and doctoral-level students. Intellectual Merit. This project builds on its current efforts having funded a total of 84 Scholars since 2000. Of these, 34 have completed their degree programs. A well articulated infrastructure is in place to recruit and identify 30 CSEMS scholars 15 undergraduates, 15 graduates drawn from the pool of eligible computer science, civil, electrical and computer, mechanical and industrial, and metallurgical and materials engineering, and mathematical sciences majors. Students identified through a pool drawn from the UTEP Scholarship Office's database as well as those suggested by faculty, receive a letter inviting them to apply to the program. A committee of faculty representing the targeted disciplines assesses the applicants against outlined standards, selecting those who most closely match the criteria. Scholars benefit from participating in University and College of Engineering sponsored job fairs, other employer sponsored venues and a range of professional training activities to enhance their overall development and ensure their advancement. Broader Impacts. In an environment focused on providing both access and quality education to the largely under-educated population of the region, UTEP CSEMS is poised to make a significant contribution to creating a diversified scientific and engineering workforce. No more is that evident but in the caliber of students having already participated in the program, young men and women who clearly have within them the potential for providing the leadership that industry and research need to effectively provide for the future of this country.
