The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming STEM education through innovative recruitment and retention strategies and experiences in support of groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity provides support for postbaccalaureate studies in STEM programs leading to the STEM doctoral degree.
Northeastern University (NU) is the host site for the 2018-2020 BD program for the Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NE-LSAMP) under the leadership of the University of Connecticut. Strategic Advancement of Rising Scholars (STARS) is the first post-baccalaureate program at NU that supports a student cohort of 12 underrepresented minority (URM) STEM graduate students from LSAMP campuses across the nation.
The STARS program incorporates a six Rs model of recruitment, reflection, resources, recourse, retention, and rise. Students receive rigorous academic and experiential research training that support completion of the STEM Ph.D. and the transition to a competitive career in academia and industry. Faculty STEM mentor training and development along with culturally relevant STEM mentoring and evaluation are prominent features of the program that includes linkages to the National Mentoring Research Network (NMRN). Formative and summative evaluation activities include evaluation and assessment of the project's implementation and student outcomes. Project results and annual evaluation reports will be disseminated through the Northeast Alliance and NU's website and at STEM professional conferences. In conjunction with NU's Department of Computer Sciences, a new on-line long-term system is proposed for development to track students during and after participation in the program.
The long-term impact of the BD activity is reflected in America's STEM workforce, both in academia and in industrial research and development. By nurturing future STEM leaders, the value added is seen in the visibility of underrepresented minorities in science and engineering, increasing representation and providing role models and STEM leadership for the next generation.
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.
