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 under-represented 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.
The University of South Florida (USF) is the host site for the 2014-2016 (Cohort XII) BD program for the Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation under the leadership of Florida A&M University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The program supports a graduate student cohort of 12 underrepresented minority (URM) STEM Ph.D. students from LSAMP campuses across the nation. This BD Activity provides extensive training in specific STEM disciplines, particularly physics, as a new American Physical Society (APS) Bridge Program site. Over a two-year period, the program provides professional development and guidance that promote peer mentoring and leadership in the scientific community. Students receive rigorous academic and research training experiences that support completion of the Ph.D. and the transition to a competitive career in academia and industry. Fellows also engage in mentoring and K-12 outreach to expand the potential pipeline of underrepresented minority students pursuing STEM careers and STEM graduate education.
Over the duration of the project and beyond, the BD program at USF serves to increase the number and quality of students from underrepresented groups completing STEM Ph.D. degrees and entering post-graduate employment in STEM careers. It enhances partnerships, research collaborations, and articulation strategies between an HBCU (FAMU) and several major majority-serving research institutions, including national laboratories.
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 alumni from historically minority populations, the value added is seen in the diversity of STEM disciplines in the nation, increasing representation at the doctoral level and providing role models and motivation for the next generation.
