AGEP-KAT: Adopting Evidence Based Strategies to Improve Academic Climate and the Success of Underrepresented Doctoral Students in Engineering

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This project is supported by the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program and is a Knowledge Adoption and Translation (AGEP-KAT) award. The AGEP program funds KAT projects to expand the adoption and/or adaptation of research findings and evidence-based strategies and practices related to the participation and success of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education. This award funds activities at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering to adopt and adapt strategies and practices employed by the University of Maryland Baltimore County's (UMBC) Meyerhoff Scholars Program and the NSF-funded PROMISE AGEP Maryland project. This KAT project is designed to improve the transitions of URM students, who are US citizens, into doctoral engineering programs at the University of Pittsburgh and to ensure their successful completion by employing evidence-based strategies for student and faculty engagement and fostering an inclusive academic climate for URM doctoral students. The success of the adoption and adaption process will directly benefit a cohort of US citizens who are URM doctoral students majoring in engineering fields. Results from this KAT will also inform engineering graduate programs across the nation about how to adapt effective strategies for faculty engagement, for improving academic climate change, and for ensuring URM doctoral student success.The project team will explore the following faculty-specific objectives as they work to address the project goal: Improving faculty engagement with students, advancing their awareness of the barriers and problems the student experience, and developing a shared vision regarding the success of URM graduate students within the school of engineering. Student-focused objectives include: Adapting and implementing the evidence-based strategies being adopted, enhancing professional and educational skills, and increasing the number of students who are retained and graduated in engineering doctoral programs. The team will consult with administrative leaders from UMBC and The Pennsylvania State University who, as part of the project's evaluation process, will provide feedback regarding the adoption, adaption, implementation and assessment of the faculty and student strategies. Products are expected to include publications in peer-reviewed journals.