9450254 Foster Research Careers for Minority Scholars Program at Prairie View A&M University The College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) proposes a five-year Research Careers for Minority Scholars (RCMS) program which is focused towards increased participation of African Americans in manufacturing related SEM disciplines. This project will be operating in conjunction with a major funded program at PVAMU - the Center for Manufacturing Technologies (CMT). The RCMS project will select twenty-five African American SEM students annually to work with CMT faculty and staff. The goal of the RCMS program will be to act as a feeder of high quality, research-experienced African Americans into Ph.D. programs in those manufacturing disciplines defined as critical technologies of the 21st century. The fundamental mission of the CMT-based RCMS program is to ensure that African Americans participate fully in those critical and emerging technologies related to the U.S. manufacturing effort. The program will have direct impact on students in the discipline areas of engineering computer science, chemistry and physics at PVAMU. RCMS students will be encouraged upon completing their undergraduate degree to take part in the ongoing M.S. to Ph.D program between PVAMU and Texas A&M University. RCMS students will be involved with the following activities: i) academic year projects, ii) summer research internships, iii) annual manufacturing conference, iv) M.S. and Ph.D. pipeline forum, v) manufacturing curriculum development, vi) manufacturing technology transfer, vii) manufacturing student outreach, and viii) manufacturing student recruitment. The Center for Manufacturing Technologieq is led by Prairie View A&M University in partnership with Texas A&M University System. The Center for Manufacturing Technologies was officially recognized as a center for research development, technology transfer and industrial extension by the Texas A &M University System Board of Regents in May of 1993. In July of 1993 the U.S. Army Material Command made a five year, $10.6 million commitment to CMT to conduct research on electronics manufacturing and dual-use technologies, provide technology transfer ad industrial extension services to the consumer and defense electronics industry, and to initiate an M.S. to Ph.D. Pipeline program for African Americans in the manufacturing disciplines. The five-year performance goal of the pipeline program is to graduate five African Americans each year with a Ph.D. in one of the CMT-sponsored manufacturing disciplines. It is expected that 25 African Americans will be in the M.S. to Ph.D. Pipeline at any one time, either at PVAMU or TAMU. Institutional commitment to the CMT RCMS program is a dollar for dollar match for all student scholarships and support costs. The program will be evaluated both internally and externally. Internal evaluation will take place on a semiannual basis through a CMT advisory panel. External evaluation will occur on an annual basis through the National Science Foundation. The methods of evaluation would entail the success record of RCMS students moving into Ph.D. tracks at other institutions.
