9450482 Numbere This proposal seeks to establish a Senior Undergraduate Research Experience Program (SURE) at the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR). Junior and senior minority students majoring in engineering and science will participate in a comprehensive and structured program of quality research, mentoring and advising designed to expose and interest them in research careers in engineering and applied sciences. This 4-year project will handle 10 students annually. During the first 24 months, 10 UMR students will participate annually. The second 24 months will involve UMR students as well as minority students from traditionally Black universities in the Midwest and South that do not have graduate programs or research activities of the caliber offered at UMR. The program goal is to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority groups pursuing research careers in engineering and science. Our strategy is to maximize students' development of skills ranging from theoretical analysis to practical hands-on laboratory experience. Each month during the spring semester of their junior year, SURE students will tour major research facilities on campus and attend presentations made by research faculty. After that, the bulk of their activities will involve doing research in collaboration with a faculty mentor and graduate students, preparing a research paper, mentoring by a researcher, discussing career plans with mentor, receiving goal-setting training, and becoming familiar with careers in research. SURE participants will receive feedback on their performance monthly from their mentor. Research assistantships will be given. Students will be expected to fulfill all agreed- upon laboratory responsibilities, to submit a weekly electronic mail journal, to prepare and present results of their project, and to contribute to the evaluation of the program. To enhance to the impact of SURE, students will visit high schools from which UMR attracts m inority engineering students and present their research to a sophomore science class. The university has pledged to support the SURE program by cost-sharing in the amount of $127,768 over the 4 year period. Other forms of support include providing needed laboratory supplies, planning the continuance of the SURE activities following NSF support, pursuing private funding sources, and coordinating the activities. A separate team of evaluators including a psychologist and engineer will conduct the evaluation. It will include weekly feedback from participants in the form of journals, monthly reports from mentors, and follow-up of all participants three months following their participation. Students' academic performance during and their participation and their plans following graduation will be interviewed on an annual basis. Recommendations for improving will be made and implemented on an ongoing basis.
