PR2EPS: Preparation, Recruitment, Retention & Excellence in the Physical Sciences

物理与天文、化学与生物化学系正在开展一项多管齐下的计划，以大幅增加这两个系和3+2合作工程学位项目未来学生的入学率、留校率和成功率。该项目首先积极招募参加夏令营的学生，重点是使用多学科方法和一套技术和团队建设社交技能来解决问题，建立技能和信心。随后进入奥尼昂塔大学并主修目标课程的学生有资格获得适度的经济奖励。该项目的留用部分主要针对大一新生，以及已建立的高级专业，包括(1)大一第一年的跨学科、研讨会和技能培养课程，这些课程将强调基本的数学和解决问题的技能，并提供对物理科学潜在职业的见解；(2)物理科学步入式辅导中心，由教师监督，由高级专业人员组成，提供同行指导和辅导。(3)由一名在教育和科学方面都合格的指导老师定期指导新生。学生也有机会在随后几年的夏令营中担任同伴领导或与教师一起进行研究。教师顾问还负责向学生提供有关参加外部研究项目和国家科学会议的信息，以便与其他机构的同行和资深科学家会面。该项目设定的目标是每年在上述学科专业吸引16-24名新生，其中物理科学或相关专业的保留率为60-75%。招生工作包括针对纽约州立大学奥内昂塔分校周围经济条件较差地区的学生。

The departments of Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry & Biochemistry are engaging in a multi-pronged program to substantially increase enrollment, retention, and success of future students in both of these departments and the 3+2 cooperative engineering degree program. The program starts with a pro-active recruitment of students who attend a summer camp that focuses on skill and confidence building using multi-disciplinary approaches and a set of both technological and team-building social skills to solve problems. Students subsequently attending Oneonta and majoring in the targeted programs are eligible for a modest financial incentive.The retention component of the program focuses on freshman, as well as established upper-level majors and includes (1) a freshman year, interdisciplinary, seminar and skill-building courses that will emphasize fundamental mathematical and problem-solving skills, as well as provide insight into potential careers in the physical sciences, (2) a physical science walk-in tutoring center overseen by faculty and staffed by upper level majors that provides peer-led mentoring and tutoring, and (3) regular freshman guidance by a single faculty advisor who is qualified from both the educational and scientific perspectives. Opportunities are also available for students to work during subsequent years' summer camp as peer-leaders or to conduct research with faculty members. Faculty advisors are also responsible for providing students information about participation in external research programs and national scientific meetings to meet peer and senior scientists from other institutions.This program has set a goal of attracting16-24 new freshman majors in the aforementioned disciplines during each year of the program with a retention rate of 60-75% remaining within a physical science or related major. The recruitment efforts include targeting students from economically disadvantaged geographical areas surrounding SUNY Oneonta.