Multicultural Initiative in the Marine Sciences: Undergraduate Participation (MIMSUP)

摘要：该奖项为2008-2012学年的海洋科学本科生计划(MIMSUP)提供了新的资金支持。自1990年以来，MIMSUP在西华盛顿大学的香农点海洋中心(SPMC)运营，每年将为8名从全国各地招收的未被充分代表的少数族裔学生提供海洋教育。学生们将在住校度过两个季度，总共获得31个季度学分，这些学分可能会转移回他们所在的机构。在第一季度，学生们修读了一门海洋学实验室/实地课程，一门海洋科学的当前趋势课程，向他们介绍现代调查技术和潜在的职业机会，以及一门研究课程，在这门课程中，他们在教员的监督下计划和执行一个独立的项目。他们都参加了一项计划，该计划涉及对K-12学童进行海洋科学外展教育的培训和应用。在第二季度，学生将选修一门科学传播学课程和两门涵盖各种海洋科学主题的额外课程。学生获得全额学费、住房、旅费和津贴，以及参加地区和国家会议的支持。这笔津贴还支持学生在当地学校参加每周约10小时的K-12外展活动。在之前的135名参与者中，112人完成了本科学位，其中55%的人攻读了硕士、博士或专业学位。之前的参与者包括50%的拉美裔/西班牙裔，26%的非裔美国人，11%的太平洋岛民，13%的美洲原住民/阿拉斯加原住民学生。

Abstract: This award provides renewed funding for a program called the Multicultural Initiative in Marine Science Undergraduate Program (MIMSUP) for academic years 2008-2012. MIMSUP, operated at Western Washington University's Shannon Point Marine Center (SPMC) since 1990, will provide marine education to eight under-represented minority students annually who are recruited from around the nation. Students will spend two quarters in residence taking a total of 31 quarter-credits that may be transferred back to their home institutions. During the first quarter, students take a laboratory/field course in Oceanography, a Current Trends in Marine Science course that introduces them to modern investigative techniques and the potential professional opportunities that will be available to them, and a research course in which they plan and execute an independent project under the supervision of a faculty member. They all participate in a program that involves training in and application of outreach education in marine science to K-12 school children. During the second quarter, students will take a Scientific Communication course and two additional courses covering various marine science topics. Students receive full tuition, housing, travel costs, and a stipend, as well as support to participate in regional and national meetings. The stipend also supports the students' participation in K-12 outreach activities of about 10 hours per week in local schools. Of the prior 135 participants, 112 have finished their undergraduate degrees, and of those, 55% have pursued either a Master's, Doctoral, or professional degree. Prior participants have included 50% Latino/Hispanic, 26% African American, 11% Pacific Islander, and 13% Native American/Native Alaskan students.