Alabama State University (ASU) will implement a five-year project to strengthen the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and research programs at ASU. Activities include the systematic revision of STEM courses, particularly gate-keeping bottleneck courses through inclusion of laboratory hands-on-experience and tutorial assistance. Student participation in research projects will be promoted by financial support and by summer internships at major research institutions. The faculty development program will support faculty via release-time, travel to scientific meetings, research opportunities at ASU and other universities, and summer research support. The expected project outcomes include: 1) increased STEM graduation; 2) increased faculty participation in research, publications, and grants writing; 3) enhanced quality of undergraduate research experiences; 4) strengthened partnerships with academic institutions and private companies; 5) increased use of technology in teaching and research in all STEM disciplines; and 6) increased numbers of STEM students completing the path from high school through college to graduate school.
Intellectual Merit: The project consists of a comprehensive cohesive set of activities. These activities will work in a synergistic way to strengthen overall STEM curricula at ASU. The development of research infrastructure and partnerships with other institutions and private companies will have an impact on the academic and research programs at ASU beyond the project period.
Broader Impact: The project will produce better prepared, competitive, students for the STEM workforce and establish a pipeline of students into graduate and professional programs. The project will advance the mission of ASU by providing quality education to a large minority population in Alabama. Additionally, this project will result in an increase in the number of minorities participating in the National STEM workforce. The results of the project will be disseminated through conferences, meetings and publications and will be available on the Internet.
