Breaking the Silo - Mathematics as a Common Language in Science

该项目“打破筒仓-数学作为一种共同的语言在科学”在密西西比州立大学（MSU）将提供财政和学术支持，以学生在化学，数学，或物理在MSU。 在普通化学，微积分和物理等本科入门课程的早期阶段进行重点干预，可以在保留STEM领域的学生和提高学生学业成功的机会方面产生巨大的影响。该项目将侧重于以学生为中心的工具，学习方法和指导互动，可以在整个学生的四年制大学学位利用。这种综合方法将支持来自密西西比和美国东南部的优秀学生攻读和完成物理科学学位，并进入科学生涯。 招聘工作特别注意按族裔和性别划分的代表性不足的人口，这将促进一支多样化和有能力的劳动力队伍，该项目的具体目标将包括：（1）通过奖学金资助学生攻读物理科学学位;（2）在学术上支持学生完成化学、数学或物理目标专业的学士学位;（3）在教育上支持学生攻读物理科学学位。及（3）透过职业发展策略，支持学生投身物理科学事业。 学生支持将被开发为一个有凝聚力的综合计划，包括科学和数学课程的学术辅导支持，重点是学习技能和时间管理策略的发展以及在两个门户科学课程中的共同注册，以及1学分的数学课程作为奖学金队列的共同语言。 除了为本科生提供研究经验外，辅导讲习班和职业发展活动将继续成为重点。对项目的评估和评价将是形成性和总结性的。 一名外部评价员将协调和评价调查工具和成就，以评估预期成果和实现项目既定目标的程度。从项目评估数据中获得的经验教训和有效实践将广泛传播给STEM教育界，并有助于提高对成功学生奖学金和支持项目的属性和实践的广泛理解。

The project "Breaking the Silo - Mathematics as a Common Language in Science" at Mississippi State University (MSU) will provide both financial and academic support to students majoring in Chemistry, Math, or Physics at MSU. Focused intervention in the early stages of undergraduate gateway courses such as General Chemistry, Calculus and Physics can have enormous impact in retaining students within STEM fields and enhancing the chances of student academic success. This project will focus on student-centered tools, learning approaches and mentoring interactions that can be utilized throughout a student's four-year college degree. This integrated approach will support deserving students from Mississippi and the Southeastern United States to pursue and complete degrees in the physical sciences and enter science careers. Recruitment efforts with special attention paid to underrepresented populations, as defined by ethnicity and gender, will promote a diverse and capable workforce.Specific objectives of this project will include (1) Supporting students financially to pursue physical science degrees through scholarships; (2) Supporting students academically to complete a Bachelor's degree in the targeted majors of Chemistry, Math or Physics; and (3) Supporting students through career development strategies to pursue careers in the physical sciences. Student support will be developed as a cohesive, integrated plan that includes academic tutoring support for science and math classes, a focus on the development of study skills and time management strategies and co-registration in both gateway science courses, and a 1-credit hour course on Mathematics as a Common Language for the scholarship cohort. Mentoring workshops and career development activities will be a continued focus in addition to research experiences for undergraduates. Assessment and evaluation of the project will be both formative and summative. An external evaluator will coordinate and evaluate survey instruments and achievements to assess projected outcomes and the level of achievement of the stated goals of the project. Lessons learned and effective practices that emerge from the program evaluation data will be disseminated widely to the STEM education community and help increase widespread understanding of the attributes and practices of successful student scholarship and support programs.