STEM Through Authentic Research Training (START) Program for Underrepresented Communities

摘要/项目摘要 技术在当代社会中的重要性日益增加，需要有一个STEM识字的人口。 这对传统上代表性不足的人群（有色人种， 残疾人、不太富裕社区的个人），影响社会向上流动。通常，成员 这些群体处于双重不利地位，因为成为第一代大学生的少数人往往缺乏 通过家庭、近同事和潜在导师获得成功的路线图。对于这群人来说， 代表一个积极性很高的群体，需要培养，以拥抱和推进STEM学科， 在他们到达大学教室之前。这不仅需要学生的教育， 教师，在教学中发挥协同作用，使学生能够利用所认为的机会 是他们无法企及的我们假设，弥合这一不断扩大的差距需要一个综合方案 汇集学术，社会和现实世界的专业经验，建立一个管道连接 从初中/高中的成功到第一代大学生的成功。这样的管道将 不仅要培养精通STEM的公民，还要培养一批同龄人，通过榜样来激励他们。与此 核心前提是，我们已经形成了通过真实的研究和培训（START）计划， 通过全年提供真实、可靠、可靠和有效的信息， 为高中生（9-12年级）和初中生提供研究机会和专业发展， 中学STEM教师（5-12年级）。START代表了肯塔基州大学 为STEM研究提供机会，列克星敦学院与费耶特学院合作， 县公立学校-专注于改变STEM教学的传统教学模式，KY-WV LSAMP计划是由英国领导的NSF资助的联盟，包括10多个不同的学术机构 支持本科研究，旨在提高传统的代表性和整体成功 在STEM学科中代表性不足的人群。START建立了一个通往大学的天然管道 通过与KY-WV LSAMP及其成员机构的联盟，最后，我们招募了Space Tango是一家列克星敦STEM初创公司，为科学和生物医学领域构建和集成系统。 在国际空间站上进行微重力条件下的研究。因此，一系列的研究 机会，从参与英国STEM实验室的分子和微观水平到广阔的 空间探戈提供的空间本身提供了一个令人兴奋的味觉的机会， 代表性不足的学生和负责STEM教育的教师。我们认为 通过独特的方式，在整体STEM教育的背景下整合真实的世界真实的研究机会。 学术界、教育界和商业实体之间的伙伴关系将激励代表性不足的学生 人们往往认为，他们的成就超出了他们的视野。

Abstract/ Project Summary The increasing importance of technology in contemporary society necessitates a STEM literate population. This represents a challenge for traditionally underrepresented populations (people of color, individuals with disabilities, individuals in less affluent communities) impacting upward social mobility. Often, members of these groups are doubly disadvantaged, as the few who become first generation college students often lack a roadmap for success through family, near peers and potential mentors. Success for this population, representing a highly motivated group, needs to be nurtured to embrace and advance STEM disciplines, before they reach their college classrooms. This necessitates the education not only of students, but their teachers, providing synergies in teaching and learning to empower students to avail of opportunities perceived as being beyond their reach. We hypothesize that bridging this expanding gap requires an integrated program bringing together academic, social and real-world professional experiences to establish a pipeline linking success in middle/high school to success for first generation college students and beyond. Such a pipeline will generate not only STEM-proficient citizens but also a cadre of near peers to motivate by example. With this central premise we have formed the STEM Through Authentic Research and Training (START) Program tot identify recruit and retaining traditionally underrepresented populations by providing year-round authentic research opportunities and professional development for high school students (grades 9-12) and middle and secondary STEM teachers (grades 5-12). START represents a partnership between the University of Kentucky providing opportunities for STEM research, The Academies of Lexington, a partnership with the Fayette County Public Schools- focused on changing the traditional didactic model for STEM instruction, the KY-WV LSAMP program an NSF funded consortium led by UK including over 10 diverse academic institutions supporting undergraduate research aimed at increasing the representation and overall success of traditionally underrepresented populations in STEM disciplines. START establishes a natural pipeline to the collegiate level by virtue of the alliance with KY-WV LSAMP and its member institutions. Finally, we have recruited Space Tango, a Lexington STEM start-up company which builds and integrates systems for scientific and biomedical research under microgravity conditions on the international space station. As such, a spectrum of research opportunities, from the molecular and microscopic level in participating UK STEM laboratories to the vastness of space itself afforded by Space Tango provide an exciting palate of opportunities for traditionally underrepresented students and the teachers responsible for their STEM education. We believe that the integration of real world authentic research opportunities in the context of overall STEM education via a unique partnership between academia, educational and commercial entities will motivate underrepresented student populations to levels of achievement they often believe are beyond their horizons.