HSI Pilot Project: Developing an Inquiry-Based Research Module to Promote Academic Success in a Diverse Undergraduate STEM Student Population

该项目的重要性在于，旨在通过让学生沉浸在真实的研究体验中，提高STEM大二学生的学业成功率，缩小代表性不足的少数族裔（URM）或第一代（FG）与其他队列成员之间的成就差距。STEM学生在第二年的流失率很高，尤其是URM和FG学生。该项目支持学生在这一关键时期，他们将坚持STEM专业，并最终增加他们在劳动力中的代表性。休斯顿浸会大学（HBU）是一所四年制本科西班牙裔服务机构，位于美国最多元化的城市德克萨斯州休斯顿。哈佛大学科学与工程学院的学生中，非裔美国人占18%，西班牙裔占47%，FG占19%。导师和同行导师将指导学生通过一个研究项目，促进他们的研究和人际交往能力的发展，这在STEM劳动力中都是必不可少的。这项工作的预期结果是促进学生作为科学家的自我认同，这将最终导致增加的学术坚持。这个项目将运用学生在大二的细胞与分子生物学课程中所学到的知识，从而有望提高成功率。学生还将在研究技术和人际交往技巧方面接受有目的的指导，为他们未来的STEM职业生涯做好准备。该项目的短期和长期目标包括提高STEM课程的成功率，缩小URM/FG学生与其同龄人之间的成绩差距，提高毕业率，以及增加STEM社区的归属感。该项目的重点是学生驱动的研究，这是一种行之有效的方法，可以提高少数民族、西班牙裔和女性的科学参与度，并将提高STEM项目的总体学生保留率，并为年轻人进入STEM劳动力做好准备。HSI计划旨在加强HSI的本科STEM教育和能力建设。HSI计划支持的项目也将产生关于如何实现这些目标的新知识。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The importance of this project is that aims to increase the academic success rates of sophomore STEM students and narrow the achievement gap between under-represented minority (URM) or first-generation (FG) and other cohort members by immersing students in an authentic research experience. Attrition rates for STEM students in their second year are significant, especially for URM and FG students. The project supports students during this critical period, they will persist in STEM majors and ultimately increase their representation in the workforce. Houston Baptist University (HBU) is a four-year undergraduate Hispanic-Serving Institution in Houston, Texas, the most diverse city in the nation. HBU’s College of Science and Engineering student population is 18% African Americans, 47% Hispanic, and 19% FG. Instructors and peer-mentors will guide students through a research project which promotes the development of their research and interpersonal skills, both essential in the STEM workforce. The expected outcome of this work is to promote students’ self-identification as scientists, which will ultimately lead to increased academic persistence.This project will apply the knowledge students are learning in their sophomore-level Cellular and Molecular Biology course, which in turn is expected to increase success rates. Students will also receive purposeful instruction in research techniques and interpersonal skills, to prepare them for a future STEM career. Both short and long-term goals of this project include increased success rates in STEM courses, narrowing achievement gaps between URM/FG students and other members of their cohort, increased graduation rates, and an increase in sense of belonging within the STEM community. The project’s focus on student driven research is a proven approach for increasing science engagement of minorities, Hispanics, and women and will increase overall student retention in STEM programs and prepare young people for entry into the STEM workforce. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.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.