Integrated Mathematics and Science Scholars (iMASS) Program

在美国，有一种既定的需要，那就是显著增加接受跨学科培训的美国科学家的数量。田纳西州李大学的科学、技术、工程和数学（S-STEM）项目将支持35名学者完成数学、生物学、化学或生物化学的本科学位。学生们将参加一个强化课程，旨在让他们沉浸在一个有凝聚力的STEM社区中。通过大二和大三的研讨会课程，学生将获得丰富的资源，包括密集的教师指导，正式的点对点互动，职业服务和服务学习机会。实验设计和统计分析课程将使学者在大四之前接触跨学科研究。该机构已将“职业道路的不确定性”确定为挽留STEM学生的障碍。该项目通过建立一系列与职业相关的经验（与现实世界应用的跨学科小组项目，与田纳西大学和橡树岭国家实验室的本科研究合作，以及实验方法的早期课程）和通过实习和工作见营机会增强的职业服务来解决这个问题。作为一个顶点体验，数学和科学专业的学生将合作进行合作项目，旨在引导科学专业的学生更深入地理解数学的应用和验证，并将数学专业的学生引入科学实验和数据分析。评估工作将处理项目对关键干系人的质量、有效性和影响。形成性评价将关注学生和导师对学业和社会支持的满意度（调查和焦点小组）以及学业进展。总结性评价将包括对从项目各方面吸取的经验教训的分析。将通过东南TN STEM创新中心（K-12）和克利夫兰联合工业公司的会议向区域利益相关者进行传播。项目成果将在学科会议（工业与应用数学学会和美国化学学会等）和阿巴拉契亚学院协会（ACA）年度峰会上发表。这种积极的传播工作有望增加有关设计和实施成功的STEM专业招聘和保留策略的知识库。

There is an established need in the United States to increase significantly the number of American scientists with interdisciplinary training. This NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Lee University in Tennessee (TN) will support 35 scholars as they complete undergraduate degrees in mathematics, biology, chemistry, or biochemistry. Students will participate in an enhanced curriculum designed to immerse them in a cohesive STEM community. Through a sophomore and junior year seminar course, students will be provided with an abundance of resources including intensive faculty mentoring, formalized peer-to-peer interactions, career services, and service learning opportunities. An Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis course will expose scholars to interdisciplinary research before their senior year.The institution has identified "uncertainty about career paths" as a barrier to retention in STEM. This project addresses this issue by establishing a range of career-related experiences (interdisciplinary group projects with real-world applications, undergraduate research collaborations with the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Labs, and an early course on experimental methods) and enhanced career services with internship and job shadowing opportunities. As a capstone experience, mathematics and science majors will be partnered for collaborative projects designed to lead science majors to a deeper understanding mathematical application and validation and to introduce mathematics majors to scientific experimentation and data analysis. Evaluation efforts will address the quality, effectiveness, and impact of the project on key stakeholders. Formative evaluation will focus on student and mentor satisfaction with academic and social supports (surveys and focus groups) and academic progress. Summative evaluation will consist of an analysis of lessons learned from all aspects of the project. Dissemination to regional stake holders will occur through meetings of the Southeast TN STEM Innovation Hub (K-12) and the Cleveland Associated Industries. Project results will be presented at disciplinary meetings (Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and American Chemical Society among others) and the Appalachian College Association (ACA) Annual Summit. This active dissemination effort is expected to add to the knowledge base about design and implementation of successful recruitment and retention strategies for STEM majors.