California LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Program at the University of California-Irvine (2015-2017)

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The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce through the development of highly competitive students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The goal of the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity is to increase the quantity and quality of STEM graduate students from underrepresented populations, with emphasis on Ph.D. matriculation and completion. BD programs implemented in the nation's institutions of higher education contribute to addressing one of the objectives in NSF's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, namely to "integrate education and research to support development of a diverse STEM workforce with cutting-edge capabilities." For the U.S. to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. The University of California-Irvine (UCI), lead institution of the California LSAMP (CAMP), will serve as the host site for the 2015-2017 cohort of BD Fellows. The BD Program at UCI will employ creative strategies and best practices for recruitment and retention of diverse graduate student researchers through completion of the Ph.D. The efforts to invest in doctoral students underrepresented in STEM should result in the production of well-trained scientists and engineers who would support NSF's Mission to promote the progress of science. Ultimately, the CAMP BD Program will positively impact diversity and inclusion in the national scientific and engineering workforce, thereby ensuring our nation's future prosperity and competitiveness.The BD Program at UCI will enhance the diversity of STEM graduate education on the Irvine campus by recruiting, enrolling, training, and graduating a cohort of 12 talented doctoral students. Best practices employed for recruitment and retention are built upon lessons learned from previous LSAMP BD host sites. The program will provide a robust set of graduate student opportunities that promote mentorship and leadership in STEM communities. These include workshops on such topics as writing technical reports and papers, learning the culture of the laboratory, building peer and professional relationships, planning for advancement to candidacy, successful grant writing, and presenting your work. Collaborations between UCI-LSAMP, the Graduate Division, and STEM departments will ensure the success of the BD Program. To date, the California LSAMP BD has supported 105 underrepresented students in STEM disciplines across all campuses of the University of California.