HRD-0639735 University of Montana Penny Kukuk
There is a need to increase the numbers of graduate degrees in science and engineering obtained by students from underrepresented groups in order to maintain science excellence in the United States (Nat. Acad. Sci, 2000). American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN), especially those in science and engineering fields, are severely underrepresented among faculty in academia, government and industry. Effective programs specifically focused on the members of the varied and unique tribal nations are desperately needed. Therefore, The University of Montana (UM) and The University of Arizona (UA) are collaborating with the All Nations Lewis Stokes Alliance for Minority Progress (ANLSAMP), Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in Arizona and New Mexico, plus the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to propose the "Student to Academic Professional for American Indians" (SAPAI) initiative. This consortium proposes to work with AIAN graduate students to increase graduate degree completion and facilitate their transition into the professoriate, particularly at TCUs. Specifically, the consortium aims to increase rates of degree completion for AIAN students in STEM fields who have completed all requirements for their graduate degrees with the exception of their dissertation or thesis and increase AIAN representation in STEM faculties at TCUs. The consortium proposes to accomplish these goals by conducting 8 week intensive Writing Retreats and through a program that matches the science faculty needs of TCUs with appropriate SAPAI Scholars and providing support for the scholars for their first year at the TCU. The consortium also proposes to prepare scholars to enter the TCU professoriate during an 8 week, intensive TCU Training Program.
Intellectual Merit... This award has the potential to significantly impact science higher education for Native American students and to bring this cultural perspective more effectively to the overall STEM research agenda. The process for doing this, which includes a substantive writing workshop to help ensure dissertation completion and a carefully crafted training and matching process designed to increase STEM faculty at tribal colleges is impressive. The endorsement of the Sloan Foundation and the involvement on ANLSAMP also make this a very compelling project.
Broader Impact... This program will address the deficiency of AIAN science educators in tribal colleges and universities. Because SAPAI scholars will be trained (TCU Training) to become excellent grant writers the potential for them to bring external support for research and science education into the TCU communities is high and could have important economic impacts on these communities.
The SAPAI (Student to Academic Professoriate for American Indians) program was designed to increase the numbers of graduate degrees in science and engineering obtained by students from one underrepresented groups in order to maintain science excellence in the United States (Nat. Acad. Sci, 2000), American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN). Over the last 30 years, Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) have played an ever-increasing role in attracting and retaining AIAN students into higher education. AIAN science faculty are in great need at TCUs to serve as role models and guides along the path through the socio-cultural maze that mainstream science education can often be for indigenous students and also to strengthen ties between TCUs and mainstream institutions. Therefore, The University of Montana (UM) and The University of Arizona (UA) collaborated with the All Nations Lewis Stokes Alliance for Minority Progress (ANLSAMP), TCUs in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, for the SAPAI initiative. From 2008-2013, this consortium worked with AIAN graduate students, tribal college faculty and administration, and numerous mentors throughout Indian Country to meet 2 major goals: 1) to increase graduate degree completion in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and 2) to increase the representation of AIAN scholars in STEM faculties at TCUs. Strategies for reaching these goals included a three-step program that provided a pathway from studentship to professoriate at TCUs: Step 1, Writing Retreat: A 6- week, intensive Writing Retreat supporting dissertation and thesis completion. The retreat provided participants with an opportunity to fully engage in writing without distraction and with the support of a writing coach, teaching assistant and peer group. Step 2, TCU Faculty Preparation: A 3-week training opportunity to prepare participants for assuming a faculty position at a TCU. Training offered an enhancement of skills and knowledge useful for TCU STEM faculty. Step 3, TCU Faculty Placement: SAPAI Faculty Placement scholars were provided with the first year of salary at a TCU. During this first year, the SAPAI scholar had reduced teaching assignment and will be expected to prepare a major search grant proposal with the support of a transition team, comprised of the scholar’s major faculty advisor, a TCU faculty mentor, and the SAPAI Director. Step 3 helped facilitate the transition of the SAPAI TCU Faculty scholar into a new professional position, providing a pathway for the student into the professoriate. To be eligible for SAPAI, scholars had to be: American Indian or Alaska Native A U.S. Citizen A graduate student who has completed all degree requirement with the exception of their thesis /dissertation Must be in STEM related field Program Outcomes Step 1, SAPAI Writing Retreats. Of the 6 Writing Retreats hosted by the SAPAI program, most were held at Salish Kootenai College located in Pablo, Montana between mid-June and early August. Retreats involved writing assistance and feedback to each participant. Approximately 5-8 American Indian graduate students attended each summer from 2008 to 2013 for a total of 36 Writing Retreat participants. Overall, 67% of all retreat participants successfully finished and defended their theses/dissertations and were awarded graduate degrees prior to the summer 2013. Eight participants working on Master’s degree programs (57%) successfully completed and defended their Master’s theses and graduated, and six participants working on PhD or EdD degree programs (88%) completed their dissertations and graduated. Step 2, Faculty Preparation. A total of 22 Native scholars participated in the Faculty Preparation training from 2009-2012. All Faculty Preparation training took place at Salish Kootenai College so that participants would gain training and knowledge directly from TCU faculty and administrators. Training activities included the history of TCUs and their relationship to the place and the communities they serve, the use of a Native perspective in science, and incorporating culture into the curriculum. The last 2 weeks of the 3-week training was dedicated to grant writing and proposal development. Training participants were tasked with researching a funding source for a potential projects and complete a proposal draft, complete with a budget, by the end of the workshop. Scholars interested in engaging in the SAPAI Step 3, TCU Faculty Placement opportunity were required to participate in the Step 2, Faculty Preparation training. Step 3, TCU Faculty Placement. A total of five Step 3 scholars were placed in TCUs on 1-year faculty appointments with the support of SAPAI funding. Of these five, 3 still remain in their TCU faculty positions. Two SAPAI faculty placement scholars wrote grants and worked with their TCU faculty and administration to initiate a 2-year and 4-year Hydrology degree program at Salish Kootenai College. This is the only TCU in the nation with this particular degree offering. In total, the five Step 3 scholars submitted 32 grants requesting over $26 million to expand STEM capacities at TCUs. Of this, almost $14 million was successfully funded.
