Collaborative Research: HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Developing a Wastewater-based Epidemiology Student Training and Education Program at CUNY

在改善本科STEM教育：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划）的支持下，这个第二轨项目旨在在纽约城市大学建立一个基于废水的流行病学培训计划，以应对STEM少数民族学生保留率和毕业率下降的问题。这些下降阻碍了迫切需要STEM人才的行业的劳动力发展，最终影响了美国在新兴技术领域的竞争力。该项目将培训学生掌握基于废水的流行病学技术和能力，为下一代工人应对新出现的传染病带来的挑战做好准备。据推测，鼓励社区大学的学生在新兴技术领域（如基于废水的流行病学）拥有职业前景，并从他们可以认同的榜样中提供学术、研究和社会指导，将提高学生的保留率、毕业率和职业成功。该项目将引起人们对以废水为基础的流行病学作为职业选择的兴趣，从而加强美国的流行病防范。该计划还将在社会的不同领域产生连锁反应，如水管理、医疗保健、公共娱乐和健康、监管政策、科学教育以及该计划毕业生及其家庭的经济流动性。通过参加培训计划，学生将为公共和私营部门的高薪工作或研究生院做好准备。该项目的具体目标是：目标1-通过评估和评估提高STEM教育和劳动力发展计划、活动和外展的有效性；目标2-通过多种途径获得教育和职业机会，吸引和培训国家未来的STEM劳动力；目标3：增加服务不足和代表性不足的群体参与STEM教育和劳动力发展计划、活动和外展；目标4-激励社区参与STEM教育项目和活动，为学生和教育工作者提供有意义的基于废水的流行病学学习机会。评估将包括使用调查、访谈、观察和职业跟踪来确定该计划对学生的影响。教学活动和实践体验教育的结合，包括实习和就业培训，将为学生提供毕业后开始STEM职业的机会。我们的工作成果将通过出版物、会议报告和纽约市立大学内部网络传播。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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 2 project aims to establish a wastewater-based epidemiology training program at The City University of New York to respond to declining minority student retention and graduation rates in STEM. These declines hamper workforce development in industries clamoring for STEM talent and ultimately U.S. competitiveness in emerging technologies. The project will train students with wastewater-based epidemiology technologies and competencies, preparing the next generation of workers to face challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases. It is hypothesized that inspiring community college students with career prospects in an emerging technology, such as wastewater-based epidemiology, and providing academic, research, and social mentoring from role models that they can identify with will improve student retention, graduation rates, and career success. The program will generate interest in wastewater-based epidemiology as a career option, thus enhancing US pandemic preparedness. The program will also have ripple effects in different areas of society, such as water management, healthcare, public recreation and health, regulatory policy, science education, and economic mobility for graduates of the program and their families. By participating in the training program, students will be well-positioned for high-paying jobs in the public and private sectors or for graduate school.The specific aims of the project are: Aim 1- Advance the effectiveness of STEM education and workforce development programs, activities, and outreach through evaluation and assessment; Aim 2- Attract and train the Nation’s future STEM workforce through multiple pathways to educational and career opportunities; Aim 3- Increase participation of underserved and underrepresented groups in STEM education and workforce development programs, activities, and outreach; and Aim 4- Inspire community engagement in STEM education programs and activities to provide meaningful wastewater-based epidemiology learning opportunities for students and educators. The evaluation will include the use of surveys, interviews, observations, and career tracking to determine the impact of the program on students. The combination of pedagogical activities and hands-on experiential education, including internships and job training, will provide students with opportunities to commence STEM careers following graduation. The results of our work will be disseminated through publications, conference presentations, and through CUNY internal networks. 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.