9450503 Brett The Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network's Science Student Internship Program (SSIP) project will enable five minority mathematics, science, or engineering (MSE) majors to participate in a ten-week summer internship at NSF and in an academic year outreach project based at each student's home institution. The students will be exposed to decision-making and policy formulation in science and engineering fields; provide agencies with high ability students who can make contributions to existing programs; prepare students for future MSE leadership positions; enhancing the students' awareness of MSE educational policy issues impacting minorities; and reinforcing the importance of community service. NSF staff will gain valuable insights from the student interns into the obstacles preventing minority students from pursuing MSE careers and possible strategies for significantly increasing the participation of minority students in MSE fields.
