Tribal Colleges and Universities STEM Leaders' Forum 2010

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) requests support to conduct the 2010TCU STEM Leaders? Forum (Forum) for the National Science Foundation/ Tribal Colleges and UniversitiesProgram (TCUP) awardees and for the presidents at each of the nation?s 33 accredited TribalColleges and Universities (TCUs). The Forum will focus on strategies and best practices forsuccessfully recruiting and retaining American Indian students in science, technology, engineeringand mathematics (STEM).During the 2-day TCU STEM Leaders? Forum participants (including TCUP principal investigatorsand project directors, TCU presidents, and NSF representatives) will discuss issues and participatein formal sessions during which they will share and explore best practices and innovativeapproaches to strengthening the American Indian STEM pipeline. The Forum will provide a opportunityfor tribal colleges to engage in and contribute to the national discussion on broadening participationin STEM.A key outcome of the proposed Forum will be increased success in recruiting and retainingIndian student in STEM programs at TCUs, as effective practices are identified and implemented.Intellectual MeritThe proposed Forum will promote a community of practice among NSF TCUP managers and faculty,facilitating the exchange of best practices and strategies for achieving the common goal ofimproving STEM participation and achievement among American Indian students. The proposedForum will engage national STEM leaders, including the leadership at NSF and tribal colleges,in a critical dialogue focusing on the current state of knowledge and understanding of broadeningparticipation strategies as they are applied by tribal colleges.Broader ImpactThe Forum will make an important contribution to the ongoing debate on how best to promotebroader participation of the nation?s underserved and underrepresented minorities in STEMeducation and professions. It will promote the exploration and greater understanding of state-of-the-artbroadening participation strategies not only by tribal college faculty and administrators,but by the leadership at NSF and other federal agencies with science missions.