The Pacific region has a deep cultural history of scientific endeavors, as witnessed by the astounding navigation feats that permitted colonization of the Pacific and the subsequent development of technologies for resource extraction that include intensification of agriculture and aquaculture. The diverse Pacific peoples have potential to be scientific leaders for the nation, but are currently underrepresented in the STEM fields. Barriers to STEM careers include isolation, inadequate resources for secondary science education and for mathematics and science skills remediation in colleges, and a resulting "leaky pipeline" of students that would lead to baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields. The Islands of Opportunity Alliance (IOA) was established in November, 2006 to enlarge the pipeline and plug its leaks. There is evidence the Alliance has had marked initial success in increasing numbers of students declaring STEM majors, and initial data reveal that considerable progress has been made in increasing matriculation to four-year institutions and attainment of baccalaureate degrees. The IOA has increased the number of STEM graduates from underrepresented groups by 81% in the first three years of the project, and therefore is on target for meeting our goal of a 100% increase in these graduates at the end of the five years. The primary goal for the proposed project is to increase the number of STEM graduates from underrepresented groups by an additional 75%. This goal will be met through four objectives: improving instruction in STEM courses, particularly gateway courses; expanding research and internship opportunities for STEM students by 50%; expanding IOA partnership activities designed to recruit community college students into baccalaureate STEM degree programs, increasing the transfer rate by 50%; and improving retention and graduation rates to meet the program goal through enhancement of student support services and the creation of learning communities that foster academic excellence. Intellectual Merit The IOA builds upon its successes and on the experience of past and current LS-AMP Programs throughout the country, utilizing approaches identified as best practices to accomplish the overarching goal of increasing the number of students from underrepresented minority groups graduating with baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields. The Alliance has adapted these best practices to the unique cultural and geographic setting of the Pacific region, utilizing the extensive scholarship on cross-cultural communication and learning styles of islander peoples, and proposes enhanced communication structures to allow the proposers to span the vast distances between islands. Broader Impact The Pacific region, including Hawaii, spans a vast geographic area that is of strategic, cultural, and economic importance to the United States. Pacific peoples are an important resource with potential for greater contributions in scientific and economic growth of the region and nation. The proposed Alliance will build on the past technological accomplishments of Pacific peoples to develop the region's workforce in STEM fields. The IOA will utilize multiple strategies for disseminating the results of the project, including use of e-newsletters, the IOA website, the LSAMP magazines, conference presentations, webcasts, and annual meetings of IOA personnel to communicate best practices and lessons learned. The increased numbers of Pacific Islander citizens with STEM degrees will serve as a model for other indigenous groups to likewise increase recruitment and retention in the STEM disciplines.
