S-STEM: Training Future Environmental Leaders of the U.S. Virgin Islands

S-STEM：培训美属维尔京群岛未来的环境领袖

• 批准号: 0850083
• 负责人: Camille McKayle
• 金额: $ 27.6万
• 依托单位: University of The Virgin Islands
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0850083&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STEM; Training; Future; Environmental; Leaders

This project is increasing the success rate of financially needy students in the Master of Marine and Environmental Science (MMES) program at the University. The MMES program serves an environmentally fragile and economically disadvantaged region whose residents are predominantly racial minorities. The S-STEM project's objectives are to (1) eliminate barriers that hinder financially needy students from participating in the MMES program and (2) increase participation by students from under-represented groups. Academically talented and financially needy undergraduates or working professionals, especially Virgin Islanders, black and Hispanic students, and women, are recruited through seminars, opportunities for assisting in hands-on research, and financial support once enrolled. To guide students from acceptance to graduation and career placement, a dedicated S-STEM Faculty Mentor is working with students. S-STEM Scholars have access to tutoring, the opportunity to participate in paid internships, and financial support for completing their Masters thesis research. The intellectual merit of the project is the contribution that the students make to scientific knowledge through their original thesis research within the context of a tropical island ecosystem. The intellectual challenge for the students is to approach environmental issues through a joint scientific and management perspective. The broader impacts of this proposal are that the MMES program is training the next generation of diverse environmental leaders to respond to the need for creative, well prepared managers and scientists to address Caribbean and global environmental crises. There is a clear benefit to society as people depend on the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs and the other systems of the Virgin Islands.

该项目正在提高经济困难的学生在海洋和环境科学硕士（MMES）计划在大学的成功率。 MMES计划服务于一个环境脆弱和经济落后的地区，其居民主要是少数民族。S-STEM项目的目标是：（1）消除阻碍经济困难学生参加MMES方案的障碍;（2）增加代表性不足群体的学生的参与。学术上有才华和经济上有需要的本科生或工作的专业人士，特别是维尔京群岛人，黑人和西班牙裔学生和妇女，通过研讨会，机会，协助动手研究，并在入学后提供财政支持招募。为了指导学生从接受到毕业和就业安置，一个专门的S-STEM教师导师正在与学生合作。S-STEM学者可以获得辅导，有机会参加带薪实习，并为完成硕士论文研究提供财政支持。该项目的智力价值是学生通过在热带岛屿生态系统范围内进行原始论文研究对科学知识做出的贡献。对学生的智力挑战是通过联合科学和管理的角度来处理环境问题。这项建议的更广泛的影响是，MMES计划正在培训下一代不同的环境领导人，以应对创造性的，准备充分的管理人员和科学家的需要，以解决加勒比和全球环境危机。由于人们依赖珊瑚礁和维尔京群岛其他系统提供的生态系统服务，这对社会有明显的好处。