2008 PR-LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Initiative: Diversifying the STEM Workforce by Providing Fellowships to the LSAMP Graduates to Continue and Complete a PhD Degree

波多黎各大学(UPR)路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟(PR-LSAMP)通往博士学位的桥梁(BD)计划是国家科学基金会、高等教育和其他合作伙伴共同努力的项目，旨在提高被录取完成科学、技术、工程和数学领域(STEM)博士学位的少数民族的质量和数量，特别是纳米科学和纳米技术领域。波多黎各-里约热内卢大学皮德拉斯分校的这一项目为学生准备迎接完成博士课程和高等教育学术生涯的挑战。此外，该项目还培养在国内和国际STEM员工队伍中取得成功所必需的领导技能。结合研究和教育，BD研究员将在两年内被培养为一个队列社区，将受益于一项学术和个人发展活动以及社会支持计划，以维持他们对末期博士学位的承诺和成功。计划活动包括与波多黎各教授研究生教育联盟(阿拉巴马州AGEP)的联系，通过功能纳米材料研究所(IFN)刺激竞争性研究的实验计划，以及其他由NSF资助的研究和教育项目，包括为本科生提供指导机会的计划。在2009-2010学年期间，共有12名来自STEM领域代表性不足的少数族裔的学生将参加UPR的这项计划。这种支持的结果将扩大非洲裔美国人、西班牙裔美国人、美洲原住民和太平洋岛民在STEM管道、美国劳动力和海外的参与。对该项目进行严格评估的结果将增加关于招收和留住STEM领域中代表性不足的少数族裔学生的文献。

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PR-LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Program is a collaborative effort between the National Science Foundation, higher education and other partners to increase the quality and quantity of underrepresented minorities matriculating to completion of the doctoral degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM) fields, particularly nanoscience and nanotechnology fields. The program at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras prepares students to meet the challenges of completing doctoral programs of study and for academic careers in higher education. In addition, the program develops leadership skills necessary for success in the STEM workforce nationally and internationally. Integrating research and education, the BD fellows will be nurtured over two years as a cohorted community that will benefit from a program of academic and personal development activities as well as social support to sustain their commitment and success to the terminal Ph.D. STEM degree. Program activities include linkages to the Puerto Rico Alliances for Graduate Education in the Professoriate(Alabama AGEP), the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research through the Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (IFN) as well as other NSF-funded research and education projects, including programs that provide mentoring opportunities for undergraduate students. A total of 12 students from underrepresented minority populations in STEM fields will participate in the program at UPR during the 2009-2010 academic years. Results from this support will broaden the participation of African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific-Islanders in the STEM pipeline, U. S. workforce and abroad. Results from rigorous evaluation of the project will add to the body of literature in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields.