With funding from the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, the "Appalachian High Achievers in STEM" project will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Appalachian State University. Throughout its five years, this project will fund scholarships for 42 undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, or physics. This S-STEM Track 2 project will establish a simulation- and visualization-focused framework for interdisciplinary collaboration among the participating disciplines. Simulation and visualization are essential for understanding the vast amounts of data available now in STEM and other fields. Students from all STEM disciplines will use computer applications to simulate abstract models of systems or to visualize numerical information mathematical models. Scholars will be immersed in a supportive community as they engage in interdisciplinary research projects, mentored by faculty. The research projects will draw from multiple STEM areas. The Appalachian High Achievers project aims to increase understanding of how these activities produce social and academic benefits, and increase professional and workforce preparation. It also has the potential to prepare students for the technology industries in the Appalachian region.
This project aims to prepare students for future careers in data rich environments. Recruiting efforts will emphasize students from the Appalachian Mountain counties that surround the university, where poverty rates are among the highest in North Carolina. Mentoring clusters, a STEM Seminar, and peer-led study halls will support student success. Cohort cohesion will be strengthened through informal activities such as sports, participation in a simulation and visualization project, and work to develop a skill set that spans multiple disciplines. Leadership training and certificates will be used to incentivize participation in project activities. Local companies have committed to provide speakers who can link students with potential careers. This speaker program will be coupled with alumni mentoring to strengthen the scholars' ties to the local workforce. The PIs aim to establish a learning environment that mimics an interdisciplinary real-world experience. Teams of scholars from chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, and physics will examine interdisciplinary topics and investigate research problems that involve simulation and visualization. This focus has the potential to increase student preparation for jobs or graduate studies in multiple fields. The program is expected to have a broad impact as it generates knowledge about effective approaches to improve the recruitment and retention of the students it serves, and to contribute to the economic development of North Carolina and the Appalachian region.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
