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

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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.