Bridge to the Doctorate (BTD): Texas A&M University System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TAMUS LSAMP) BTD Cohort XII (2016-2018) Program

路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟（LSAMP）项目帮助大学和学院通过培养具有高度竞争力的学生，使STEM劳动力多样化，这些学生来自历史上在STEM学科中代表性不足的群体。LSAMP通往博士学位的桥梁（BD）活动的目标是增加来自代表性不足人群的STEM研究生的数量和质量，重点是博士学位的入学和完成。拟议的第十二队列德克萨斯a&m大学系统路易斯斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟（TAMUS LSAMP）博士学位桥梁（BTD）计划的主要目标是在德克萨斯a&m大学（TAMU）中代表性不足的少数民族（URM）群体中增加科学，技术，工程或数学（STEM）博士的数量，并在大学内创建一个跨不同学科的研究生凝聚力社区。目标是通过培养他们的准备和鼓励他们完成STEM博士学位的渴望，并为他们成为跨学科研究和学术界的领导者做好准备，从而促进第一批URM STEM研究生的学术成功。TAMUS LSAMP BTD的广泛意义在于通过在研究生层面提供机会和活动来提高URM群体在STEM中的参与度，从而提高URM研究生的教育和职业水平。从2008年到2018年，STEM领域的工作岗位数量预计将从764万个增加133万个，增长17%（美国劳工统计局，2009年11月每月劳工评论）。通过增加最终进入STEM劳动力的URM学生数量，TAMUS LSAMP BTD能够增加国家的经济，繁荣和福利。实施该计划的目标包括(1)在完成NSF BTD项目后，在获得资助的情况下将研究员保留到博士项目中；(2)准备迎接完成博士项目的挑战，并为可能的高等教育学术生涯做好准备；(3)在完成博士项目后，作为URM年轻专业人员取得成功所必需的领导技能发展。这将通过TAMU的科学学院（COS）， Dwight Look工程学院（COE），农业与生命科学学院（coal）和地球科学学院（COG）之间的合作来实现。12名来自URM小组、5个COS系、14个COE系、14个coal系和4个COG系的首次研究生将被选为BTD研究员。这些研究员将在两年的时间里作为一个群体受到培养，从学术和个人发展活动以及社会支持项目中受益，以维持他们对学位课程的承诺和成功，并在第二年结束时进入博士课程。BTD的学生有着不同的STEM学科和共同的目标，他们将彼此分享协调的资源和丰富的智力小组活动，并与TAMU的STEM，少数民族和其他研究生群体共享，以造福所有人。除了BTD的智力影响之外，该计划还将通过推进对STEM研究生和博士学位的追求来加强研究和教育的基础设施。

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through the development of highly competitive students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. 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. The primary aim of the proposed Cohort XII Texas A&M University System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TAMUS LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BTD) program is to increase the pool of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) PhDs among underrepresented minority (URM) groups at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and create a cohesive community of graduate students across different disciplines within the university. The goal is to foster academic success in a cohort of first-time URM STEM graduate students, by developing their readiness and encouraging eagerness to complete STEM doctoral degrees and by preparing them to take their place as leaders in interdisciplinary research and in academia. The broad significance of TAMUS LSAMP BTD is to increase participation of URM groups in STEM by providing opportunities and activities at the graduate levels that lead to educational and career enhancements of URM graduate students. Between 2008 and 2018 the number of jobs in the STEM field is expected to increase by 1.33 million from 7.64 million which represents a growth of 17% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nov. 2009 Monthly Labor Review). By increasing the number of URM students that ultimately enter the STEM workforce, TAMUS LSAMP BTD is able to increase the economy, prosperity, and welfare of the nation. Objectives to carry out the program's goals include (1) retention of fellows into doctoral programs with funding after completion of the NSF BTD program, (2) preparation to meet the challenges of completing doctoral programs of study and for possible academic careers in higher education, and (3) leadership skill development necessary to succeed as young URM professionals upon completion of doctoral programs of study.This will be achieved through collaborations among the College of Science (COS), the Dwight Look College of Engineering (COE), the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (COALS), and the College of Geosciences (COG) at TAMU. Twelve first-time graduate students from URM groups, in five departments in COS, fourteen in COE, fourteen in COALS, and four in COG will be selected as BTD Fellows. The Fellows will be nurtured for two years as a cohorted community benefiting from a program of academic and personal development activities and social support, to sustain their commitment and success to their degree programs and advancement toward doctoral programs by the end of their second year. The BTD students, with differing STEM disciplines and a common purpose, will share coordinated resources and intellectually enriching group activities with each other, and also with the larger population of STEM, minority and other graduate students at TAMU, to the benefit of all.Beyond the intellectual impact of BTD, the program will enhance the infrastructure of research and education by advancing pursuit of graduate and doctoral STEM degrees.