STEM Context Matters: An Inaugural Conference of the DMV MSI STEM Alliance

来自少数民族服务机构(MSI)的研究人员在NSF资助的研究活动中的代表性严重不足。鉴于美国劳动力的日益多样化，以及扩大STEM劳动力的必要性，这是一个严重的问题。这次拟议的创始会议将召集来自DMV领域12个MSI的研究人员，在这些机构的研究人员之间组成研究联盟，讨论增加研究产出的障碍，以及如何最好地改善这些机构的STEM研究和教育。会议将讨论并建立一个跨机构的研究协调平台，设有咨询委员会和管理委员会。会议还将在这些机构之间建立合作研究团队。组织者计划召开几次后续会议，以评估进展情况并调整战略，以实现目标。这次会议不仅将有助于增加MSI研究人员对NSF资助的SBE研究活动的参与，还将有助于扩大STEM劳动力并使其多样化，从而促进经济增长。这项会议提案响应了美国国家科学基金会社会行为和经济委员会(SBE)的建立和扩大倡议，旨在增加来自MSI的研究人员参与NSF资助的STEM研究和教育活动。拟议的创始会议将把来自12个MSI的研究人员聚集在一起，组成一个研究联盟，讨论目前他们机构的研究生产力所面临的障碍，以及如何最好地增加研究活动，改善这些机构的STEM教育。拟议的会议将讨论解决MSI研究生产率低下的新想法和解决方案，并可能对这些机构的研究和STEM教育产生革命性影响。将在会议上形成的联盟以及研究问题的解决方案也可以作为其他MSI团体的蓝图，以提高研究生产率和改善STEM教育。这次会议将有助于增加MSI研究人员对NSF资助的SBE研究活动的参与，并有助于扩大STEM劳动力队伍并使其多样化，从而促进经济增长。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Researchers from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are seriously under-represented in NSF funded research activities. This is a serious problem given the increasing diversity of the US workforce and the need to expand the STEM workforce. This proposed founding conference will bring researchers from 12 MSIs in the DMV area to form a research alliance among researchers in these institutions, discuss obstacles to increased research output and how best to improve STEM research and education in these institutions. The conference will discuss and establish a research coordination platform across these institutions with advisory board and a management committee. The conference will also establish collaborative research teams across these institutions. The organizers plan several follow-up conferences to evaluate progress as well as adjust strategies to get to their objectives. This conference will not only help increase the participation of MSI researchers in NSF funded SBE research activities; it will also help to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, thus increasing economic growth. This conference proposal responds to NSF Social Behavioral and Economics (SBE) Directorate’s Build and Broaden initiative to increase participation of researchers from MSIs in NSF funded STEM research and educational activities. The proposed founding conference will bring researchers from 12 MSIs together to form a research alliance and discuss current obstacles to research productivity in their institutions and how best to increase research activities and improve STEM education in these institutions. The proposed conference will discuss new ideas and solutions to low research productivity in MSIs and could have transformative effects on research and STEM education in these institutions. The alliance to be formed at the conference as well as solutions to research problems could also serve as a blueprint for other groups of MSIs to follow to increase research productivity as well as improve STEM education. This conference will help increase the participation of MSI researchers in NSF funded SBE research activities as well as help to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, thus increasing economic growth.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.