Science and Mathematics Attraction, Retention, and Training for Texas (SMART Texas)

美国国家科学基金科学、技术、工程和数学（S-STEM）奖学金项目由斯蒂芬·奥斯汀州立大学（SFASU）设立，将为大约20名具有高学术潜力的数学和生物学专业学生提供学术、社会、职业准备和奖学金支持。德克萨斯州科学和数学吸引、保留和培训（SMART Texas）计划的目标是：(1)增加进入和完成数学或生物专业的学生人数；(2)为数学和生物专业的学生准备工作或研究生学习；(3)调查并确定STEM学生成功的可复制模式的关键要素，特别关注第一代低收入和其他代表性不足的本科生群体。这个SMART Texas项目将结合创新和已建立的最佳实践策略，以增加招聘和保留，并提高学生的成功率和毕业率。获得奖学金的学生将参与一个STEM生活学习社区，在那里他们将在学术和非学术环境中与STEM同行和STEM教师接触。S-STEM学生将有机会获得队列指导，由其学科的教师提供专门的学术指导，实习和本科研究机会（包括实验室研究），以及各种网络机会，包括支持参加和参与学科会议。计划的策略组合将被实施和调查，以确定学生面临的障碍和最佳实践，以帮助克服这些障碍，增加参与、保留、毕业和整体学生的成功，特别是对代表性不足的群体。将进行一项成对的纵向研究，以检查这些干预措施随着时间的推移与未参与STEM专业的学生相比的影响。结果将在整个STEM社区传播。

This NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) will provide academic, social, career preparation, and scholarship support to approximately twenty (20) financially deserving mathematics and biology majors with high academic potential. The goals of the Science and Mathematics Attraction, Retention, and Training for Texas (SMART Texas) program are to: (1) increase the number of students entering and completing a mathematics or biology major; (2) prepare mathematics and biology majors for the workforce or graduate study; and (3) investigate and identify key elements of a replicable model for STEM student success with a special focus on first generation low-income and other underrepresented groups of undergraduate students.This SMART Texas project will incorporate a combination of innovative and established best practice strategies to increase recruitment and retention, as well as improve student success and graduation rates. The scholarship students will engage in a STEM living learning community where they will be involved with STEM peers and STEM faculty in both academic and non-academic settings. S-STEM students will have access to cohort mentoring, dedicated academic mentoring by faculty in their discipline, internships and undergraduate research opportunities (including laboratory research), and a variety of networking opportunities including support to attend and participate in discipline conferences. The planned combination of strategies will be implemented and investigated to determine obstacles students face and best practices to help overcome these obstacles to increase participation, retention, graduation, and overall student success, especially for underrepresented groups. A paired longitudinal study will be conducted to examine the effects of these interventions over time when compared to nonparticipating STEM majors. Results will be disseminated throughout the STEM community.