This award provides support to the University of Memphis for an REU Site which offers students research experiences in sociology. Twelve students each year, over a three year period, will be selected for eight week sessions in the summer. The thematic research experience examines the issue of underrepresentation of women and African Americans in physical sciences and engineering majors and science careers. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, teams of students will approach the issue from three angles: (1) the process by which students commit to science majors, the factors in performance and persistence, and the process by which students commit to graduate study and careers in science; (2) the impact of a pilot curriculum transformation in the introductory physics course for science and engineering students on performance, persistence, and plans of women and African American students; and (3) science faculty attitudes toward science students and the teaching of science. The students will have access to research data generated by at least three ongoing research and intervention projects funded by NSF and NIH. Activities of the Site will include orientation seminars, research seminars, and graduate education/career planning seminars. This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences.
