This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Michigan State University will provide scholarships for talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing STEM degrees. The project includes areas of applied biology with a focus on food, energy, and the environment (STEM-FEE) to address critical global problems related to food security, clean water, environmental sustainability, soil health, malnutrition, invasive species, biofuels, and biotechnology. These disciplines include the applied biology fields of entomology, animal science, crop and soil sciences, forestry, fisheries and wildlife, food science, and horticulture. The project is responding to the needs of industry citing thousands of unfilled jobs for plant scientists, food scientists, sustainable biomaterials specialists, and water resource scientists. Talented low-income students pursuing these applied biology programs will also receive academic support to achieve success in required coursework that includes mathematics, statistics, inorganic and organic chemistry, biology, physiology, biochemistry, and genetics. Disciplines related to food security, energy, and the environment are vital to national security and the unmet demand from industry for qualified scientifically trained graduates represents attractive career paths for talented low-income students. Scholarships and support for low-income and academically talented students, who may not otherwise be able to obtain STEM degrees, will help to produce a well-trained workforce that will contribute to the economic well being of the nation.
Applied biology disciplines with a focus on food, energy, and the environment seek to solve global problems related to food security, soil quality, climate disruption, environmental sustainability and related biologically based issues that directly impact quality of life. Despite this, insufficient numbers of graduates from these STEM-FEE disciplines exist to meet research and workforce demands, resulting in growing concern by affected industries. The applied biology disciplines at Michigan State University include significant foundational coursework in related fields of mathematics, chemistry, and biology. For students from such science-based fields, career opportunities are excellent and paid summer internships are readily available. Too few students recognize the opportunities available in STEM-FEE disciplines. The project will address this problem and study how to effectively recruit academically talented and low-income students into applied biological fields. This project will recruit high school, community college, and university students from undeclared majors using a multifaceted program that engages potential students at the indicated academic levels utilizing different experiential, interactive programming to introduce students to applied biology disciplines and the national and global problems they encounter. Scholars will work closely with a mentor, be part of a cohort that meets with scientists from on- and off-campus, visit research sites, and have opportunities for undergraduate research and for paid summer internships with STEM-FEE industry collaborators. The findings from the program will be disseminated widely to the STEM education community.
