PRISM: CSUSB Strengthening the Scientific Workforce

该项目将通过增加STEM学科毕业生的数量来加强科学队伍。它将通过早期的研究经验吸引有前途的学生进入STEM学科，通过指导和建议留住PRISM学者，并将他们纳入整个科学界。这个项目的智力内容是丰富的。化学、计算机科学、地质、数学和物理等学科的教师之间将建立持久的合作伙伴关系。在接下来的五个夏季里，学者们将被招募进行研究，随后将在他们的本科生涯中接受广泛的指导和建议。夏季研究部分将邀请PRISM学者进行为期三周的住宿早期研究体验。每个合作学科将提供一个由经验丰富的教师导师设计的项目，向学者介绍科学发现的兴奋和数学在应用领域的中心地位。参加者将积极参与研究，发展有效的团队合作和沟通技巧，同时受到启发，坚持不懈地追求科学事业。该项目的住宿方面，加上社会活动，将形成一种同伴支持团体，这对持续成功至关重要。学年研究将得到该计划的支持，利用学者们对科学的新热情。我们将尽一切努力，不仅要留住学者，还要让他们取得成功。在最初的研究组成部分之后，PRISM学者将接受严格的建议和指导。学者将每季度与顾问会面，讨论课程选择，当前课程和学术/职业机会。由于该项目与几个现有项目的合作，PRISM学者将参加五个职业教育研讨会，一个科学网络和招聘论坛，关于研究和研究生入学机会的研讨会，以及GRE准备课程。这些指导和建议活动将确保更多地留住PRISM学者，并使其更多地融入科学界。课程变化包括开设非微积分的数学入门课程，以及辅修应用数学。课程变化、指导活动、跨学科合作伙伴关系和学生研究经验相结合，创造了一个充满活力的学术氛围，将有效地为PRISM学者的科学事业做好准备。该计划将显著加强科学队伍的发展，并对整个科学界产生持久的影响。该项目坚持多元化的原则，积极招收来自CSUSB的多元化学生。CSUSB是一所服务于西班牙裔和少数族裔的大学。PRISM学者将通过在校园的演讲和领导角色，以及通过演讲、后续研究、实习和最终的职业选择，对CSUSB的地区高中和STEM学科产生积极影响。因此，该计划将使大量在科学领域未被充分代表的人接触到科学努力的兴奋，并将通过培养训练有素、准备更充分的年轻科学家，显著促进人力资源开发。未来几年，PRISM项目的学者也将继续为科学界做出贡献。到毕业时，他们将通过参加会议成为活跃的社区成员，成为当地社区的领导者，并在化学、计算机科学、地质、数学和/或物理方面进行进一步的研究。随着PRISM项目的学者在他们选择的职业生涯中逐渐成熟，这种影响只会继续增长，这表明该项目对科学的潜在影响是真正重要的。此外，该方案有一个积极的广泛传播计划，以加强科学认识。传播途径包括项目网站、支持在会议上发言、适当时出版、分享最佳实践、开发的实验室/课程材料以及教育进展。因此，该计划所产生的活动和研究将很好地服务于整个科学界的更广泛框架。

This project will strengthen the scientific workforce by increasing the number of well-prepared graduates in STEM disciplines. It will attract promising students to STEM disciplines through an early research experience, retain PRISM scholars through mentoring and advising, and incorporate them into the scientific community at large. The intellectual content of this project is substantial. Lasting partnerships between faculty in Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics and Physics will be developed as a result of this project. For five summers scholars will be recruited for a research experience, which will be followed by an extensive mentoring and advising process for the duration of their undergraduate careers. The summer research component will engage PRISM scholars in a three-week residential early research experience. Each partner discipline will offer a project designed by experienced faculty mentors to introduce scholars to the excitement of scientific discovery and the centrality of mathematics in applied fields. Participants will actively engage in research, developing effective teamwork and communication skills while being inspired to persevere in the pursuit of a scientific career. The residential aspect of the program, together with social activities, will develop the kind of peer-support group that is critical to continued success. Academic year research will be supported by the program, taking advantage of scholars' new-found enthusiasm for the sciences. Every effort will be made to not just retain scholars, but to have them succeed. Following the initial research component, PRISM scholars will undergo rigorous advising and mentoring. Scholars will meet quarterly with advisors to discuss course selection, current coursework, and academic/career opportunities. As a result of this program's partnerships with several existing programs, PRISM scholars will participate in five Career Education Workshops, a Science Networking and Recruiting Forum, workshops on research and graduate school opportunities, and GRE preparation courses. These mentoring and advising activities will ensure greater retention of PRISM scholars, and increased incorporation into the scientific community. Curricular changes include developing a non-calculus introductory course in mathematics, as well as a minor in Applied Mathematics. The curricular changes, mentoring activities, interdisciplinary partnerships and student research experiences combine to create a vibrant intellectual atmosphere that will effectively prepare PRISM scholars for scientific careers.This program will significantly enhance the development of a scientific workforce, and have a lasting impact on the scientific community at large. Committed to the principle of diversity, this program aggressively recruits from the diverse student population at CSUSB, a Hispanic-Serving and Minority Institution. PRISM scholars will positively influence area high schools and STEM disciplines at CSUSB through presentations and leadership roles on campus, as well as the broader scientific community through presentations, subsequent research, internships, and ultimately career choices. Hence this program will expose a large population of those underrepresented in the sciences to the excitement of scientific endeavor, and will significantly enhance human resource development by producing well-trained and better-prepared young scientists. PRISM scholars will also continue to contribute to the scientific community for years to come. By graduation, they will already be active community members through conference participation, being leaders in their local communities, and producing research that furthers knowledge in Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Math, and/or Physics. As PRISM scholars mature in their chosen careers this influence will only continue to grow, indicating that the potential impact of this program on the sciences is truly significant. Further, the program has an aggressive plan for broad dissemination in order to enhance scientific understanding. Avenues for dissemination include the program's website, support to present at conferences, publication when appropriate, as well as sharing best practices, developed lab/course materials, and educational advances. The activities and research resulting from this program, then, will well serve the broader framework of the scientific community at large.