Collaborative Research: Human-Centered Computing Scholars: Need-based, Extensive Support Through Degree Completion

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Development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce remains an important national priority. At present, this need is especially pressing in the areas of computer/ information science and engineering. Research has shown that, in comparison to students in other STEM fields, more computing/information science students are from families with incomes in the bottom 25% of the population. This five-year project will address the need for highly-qualified computer/information professionals by supporting thirty high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing doctorate degrees in computing fields. By providing up to five years of scholarship support, as well as mentoring and professional development support, the program aims to overcome four barriers faced by low-socioeconomic status students in PhD programs: (1) financial concerns; (2) negative psychological effects; (3) inadequate advisement; and (4) unequal socialization efforts. The project expects that the graduates will enter STEM jobs in industry, government, or academia within 12 months of graduation. Thus, this project will help to develop a diverse, highly-qualified computing workforce.The project builds upon previous NSF awards and existing resources for student recruitment, community building, and STEM workforce development. This project includes newer programming in which Scholars will form a unified cohort as the backbone of their support, supplemented by faculty mentoring, relevant academic and professional development workshops, external support, demographic-specific support for intersectional identities, and sustained engagement past the PhD through an online career tracking portal. Faculty development activities are also included to help improve the climate for diverse students and faculty within the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Department. The objectives of the project are to 1) improve the retention and graduation rates of low-income students in PhD programs in the CISE Department, 2) equip Scholars to obtain STEM employment within 12 months of graduation, and 3) improve the culture and climate for diversity and inclusion for PhD students within the CISE Department. The project will advance knowledge concerning computer science identity and research identity, while also addressing gaps in the literature regarding the measurement of computer science identity of graduate students. This project will also generate new knowledge concerning how graduate students' economic status and college campus climate relate to both computer science and research identities. This information can help institutions better understand associations between these critical factors and student outcomes to improve graduate education in computer/information science and engineering. This project is funded by NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future scientists, engineers, and technicians, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.