ICE-TI: PRoject to Initiate the Master of Science in Engineering (PRIME)

部落学院和大学计划(TCUP)的一个目标是提高服务于国家土著学生的特定高等教育机构的科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教学和研究能力。在这些机构扩大STEM课程的范围，可以扩大学生在STEM领域追求富有挑战性和回报的职业的机会，提供在可能具有文化意义的领域进行研究的机会，并鼓励社区和世代对科学和数学教育的欣赏。通过留住有资格证书的STEM教员的人才，显著提高了能力增长的可持续性。纳瓦霍技术大学(NTU)正在通过开发和提供工程学硕士学位来改变其STEM课程和TCU研究生机会的格局。除了为技术劳动力培养工程师外，该项目还将为学生提供完成研究生教育的途径，并可能在STEM打开更多的职业选择。在TCU和其他为土著服务的高等教育机构中，本地教师的数量略有增加，将促进本地学生对工程学科的兴趣和成功的显著和积极的增长。这个项目的活动是设计和提供一个专注于电气和工业工程的工程学硕士(MSE)，同时开发一个结合基于经验的问题学习和本地知识方式的研究生教育教学模式。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。

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the nation's Indigenous students. Expanding the STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands their students' opportunities to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be culturally significant and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. The sustainability of capacity gains is significantly enhanced by retaining the talent of credentialed STEM faculty. This project aligns directly with that goal.Navajo Technical University (NTU) is transforming its STEM programs and the landscape of TCU post-graduate opportunities by developing and offering a Master of Science degree in engineering. In addition to preparing engineers for the technical workforce, this project will provide students a pathway to complete graduate education, and may open more career options in STEM. A slight boost in the numbers of Native faculty in TCUs and other Native-serving institutions of higher education will catalyze significant and positive growth in the interest and success of Native students in engineering disciplines. The activities of this project are to design and offer a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) with concentrations in electrical and industrial engineering, accompanied by the development of a pedagogical model for graduate education incorporating experiential problem-based learning and Native ways of knowing.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.