Increasing STEM Diversity through Engaging Undergraduate Student Research in Experiential and Innovative Forensic Science Contexts

通过让本科生参与体验式和创新法医学背景的研究来增加 STEM 多样性

• 批准号: 2310438
• 负责人: Michelle Rippy
• 金额: $ 34.99万
• 依托单位: California State University, East Bay Foundation, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2025-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2310438&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Increasing; STEM; Diversity; through; Engaging

This project aims to serve the national interest by utilizing experiential and innovative research in forensic science to increase student engagement and success in STEM. The Forensic Science Research Center at California State University East Bay is uniquely positioned to enable undergraduate students to gain experience, knowledge, and skills in forensic science required for most entry-level forensic science positions. California State University East Bay is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution, where most students identify as first-generation college students. The project goals are to engage diverse undergraduate students in forensic science and investigations through research with faculty and practitioners while providing the skillsets and experience needed for entry-level positions in forensic science and STEM. The project will also enhance partnerships with local criminal justice agencies to allow practitioners to work with students on research and create mentorship and networking opportunities. To create a continued interest and empower youth to consider STEM careers, students will also complete outreach to K-12 and community colleges through science fairs and community events promoting forensic science with age-appropriate experiments and hands-on activities. Forensic science is a unique, intersectional field that requires background and education in multiple areas of sciences including criminal justice. Classroom-based training, alone, is often not enough to prepare students for entry-level careers, as research and experiential learning, if present, do not equate to a year of experience needed to be hired. This project will fill a current gap of practitioner-involved forensic science research by providing undergraduate student researchers with real case experience prior to graduation. Twelve undergraduate student researchers will be exposed to cold cases, forensic science related research, conference attendance, and academic publications to ensure they are well-prepared for future careers or graduate school, ultimately diversifying the forensic science workforce and reducing evidence backlog. Evaluation of the project will include student success and retention of undergraduate student researchers, the expansion of institutional capacity to provide STEM education, the improvement of qualifications for students when entering the workforce, and the impact of outreach on enrollment to STEM majors. Foundational forensic science coursework will be developed for K-12 students that will be provided open-source to educators, allowing schools nationwide to incorporate vetted forensic science material into their classrooms. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. This project is also supported by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions program, which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs.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.

该项目旨在通过利用法医学领域的经验性和创新性研究来提高学生在 STEM 方面的参与度和成功率，从而服务于国家利益。加州州立大学东湾分校法医学研究中心具有独特的优势，可以帮助本科生获得大多数入门级法医学职位所需的法医学经验、知识和技能。加州州立大学东湾分校是一所西班牙裔服务机构以及亚裔美国人和美洲原住民太平洋岛民服务机构，大多数学生被视为第一代大学生。该项目的目标是通过与教师和从业人员的研究，让不同的本科生参与法医学和调查，同时提供法医学和 STEM 入门级职位所需的技能和经验。该项目还将加强与当地刑事司法机构的合作伙伴关系，使从业人员能够与学生一起进行研究，并创造指导和交流机会。为了培养持续的兴趣并让年轻人考虑 STEM 职业，学生还将通过科学博览会和社区活动完成对 K-12 和社区大学的推广，通过适合年龄的实验和实践活动来促进法医学。法医学是一个独特的交叉领域，需要包括刑事司法在内的多个科学领域的背景和教育。仅基于课堂的培训通常不足以让学生为入门级职业做好准备，因为研究和体验式学习（如果有）并不等于受聘所需的一年经验。该项目将通过在毕业前为本科生研究人员提供真实案例经验，填补当前从业者参与的法医学研究的空白。十二名本科生研究人员将接触悬案、法医学相关研究、参加会议和学术出版物，以确保他们为未来的职业或研究生院做好充分准备，最终使法医学劳动力多样化并减少证据积压。该项目的评估将包括学生的成功和本科生研究人员的保留、扩大机构提供 STEM 教育的能力、提高学生进入劳动力市场的资格，以及推广对 STEM 专业招生的影响。将为 K-12 学生开发基础法证科学课程，并将其开源给教育工作者，使全国各地的学校能够将经过审查的法证科学材料纳入课堂。 NSF IUSE：EDU 计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生 STEM 教育的有效性。该项目还得到了 NSF 改善本科生 STEM 教育：西班牙裔服务机构计划的支持，该计划旨在加强本科生 STEM 教育、扩大 STEM 的参与并建设 HSI 的能力。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。