9600115 Dale The Alabama Alliance for Minority Participation Program Phase I began in 1991, as a response to a national need to increase the number of underrepresented minorities receiving undergraduate degrees in science, engineering and mathematics (SEM). Initial Alliance Members included eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Miles College, Oakwood College, Stillman College, Talladega College, Tougaloo College, Tuskegee University, one majority institution, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and two businesses. The Coca-Cola Foundation and International Business Machines (IBM). Conceived and initiated by ten black faculty at these institutions with Ph.D. degrees in science and mathematics, Alliance programs were designed to attract minorities to careers in SEM disciplines, increase retention rates, and increase the quality and quantity of underrepresented minorities receiving degrees in SEM disciplines. These programs included: (1) AMP Scholars Program, (2) Summer Research Internships, (3) AMP Drop-In Centers, (4) AMP Mentoring Programs, (5) Faculty and Student Conferences, (6) Alabama AMP Retention Study, and (7) Alabama AMP Science Day. The Alliance was successful in increasing the number of graduates in SEM disciplines, improving the quality of science education at participation institutions, and increasing the student retention rates of program participants at participating institutions. AAMP Phase I built a solid foundation for AAMP Phase II. This foundation will allow the Alliance to affect minority student advancement through the critical decision points at the transition between high school and college, 2-year and 4-year colleges and undergraduate and graduate school. In addition, collaborations between the Alliance and National Laboratories and the Alabama DOE/EPSCoR Program are planned. Moreover, this foundation will allow AAMP Phase II to address the problem of underrepres entation of minorities in the mathematics and science teaching profession. AAMP Phase II will include the following additional programs: (1) A Graduate School Bridge Program - designed to ease the transition of minority students from college to graduate programs; (2) Summer Bridge Program - designed to ease the transition of minority students from high school and junior colleges to college; (3) AAMP Research Outreach Program - designed to provide research experience for minority students at National Laboratories and Research Clusters of the Alabama DOE/EPSCoR Program, and (4) AAMP Teacher Preparation Program - designed to attract minorities to the mathematics and science teaching profession, to prepare them for certification requirements, and to provide research experience in teacher education. During the last three years, all of the major state universities joined AAMP. This action will enhance the success of AAMP Phase II and its impact on the higher education system in Alabama. AAMP Phase II will expand and goal of AAMP Phase I to include graduate SEM degrees and undergraduate degrees in mathematics and science education. The project will provide significant cost-sharing, appropriate dissemination of activities, and employ evaluation and assessment activities.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Human Resource Development (HRD)
Type
Cooperative Agreement (Coop)
Application #
9600115
Program Officer
Dr. A. James Hicks
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1996-11-01
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1996
Total Cost
$5,061,881
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294