Transfer Student Research and Integration Program: A Model for Strengthening Student Success in STEM

从国家科学基金会的科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金（S-STEM）计划的资助下，转学生研究和整合计划（TRIP）正在为低收入学生提供支持，这些学生表现出经济需求和学术承诺，以在中央佛罗里达大学的STEM学科取得成功。 该项目在五年内资助72名攻读生物学和生物技术学士学位的学者。 STEM领域对我们国家的基础设施和经济至关重要。 不幸的是，STEM项目的高流失率导致了STEM教育工人的短缺。缓解这一问题的一个快速和具有成本效益的方法是降低现有学生群体的自然减员率。转学生（即，那些在进入四年制大学之前获得副学士学位的人），学生人口中的一个庞大且不断增长的部分，表现出异常高的自然减员率。研究表明，这些学生的流失往往是由于缺乏（一）本科研究经验，（二）融入重要的社区，促进同行网络，（三）专业发展，（四）财务偿付能力。虽然许多学生遭受这些赤字，转学生特别容易受到影响，因为他们进入4年制机构晚到他们的学术研究和大于平均需要工作，而追求学士学位。为了最大限度地减少这些问题，TRIP学者将进入一个为期2年的计划，让他们参与以团队为导向的原创性研究，将他们融入学术和科学界，并促进他们的专业发展。一直以来，TRIP学者将获得奖学金，使他们能够通过最大限度地减少工作需求，更充分地开展研究和教育活动。TRIP的短期使命是提高这些学生在STEM专业的保留率，同时提供成功所需的硬技能和软技能。TRIP的长期目标是增加这一多样化群体在科学劳动力中的代表性，包括在地方、州和联邦政府、学术机构、非政府组织和私营企业中的职位。重要的是，TRIP代表了一种可以被其他STEM课程（如化学，物理和数学）以及其他机构采用的模式，特别是那些缺乏经济独立的天才学生的灯塔，以及那些负担着高师生比例的学生。我们的目标是创建一个基于教学科学的可持续发展模式，可以解决一系列剥夺学术天赋的学生进入科学职业的制度障碍。TRIP的全球目标是增加生物学和生物技术毕业生作为转学生进入中央佛罗里达大学的人数。为此，每年将根据经济需要和学术潜力选择18名转学生参加TRIP。TRIP的核心是解决学生在攻读STEM学位的同时获得原创研究经验的迫切需求。不幸的是，由于缺乏可用的教师导师，大多数学生在没有参与科学过程的情况下穿越他们的本科生涯。TRIP通过让学生参加研究入门课程来解决导师短缺问题，然后是小组努力应用研究（GEAR）4学分实验室。GEAR课程提供概念驱动的讲座，再加上嵌入在教师讲师的研究计划中的真实的，以团队为导向的研究。在GEAR之后，学生参加独立研究课程，将他们的努力转化为科学海报和/或手稿。虽然在他们的三个研究课程注册，学生将通过众多的社区融合和专业发展活动，包括社交活动，团队建设练习和职业研讨会进行互动。这些活动加强了同行网络，并提供了成功所需的额外技能。课程完成后，TRIP学者将通过在两个科学会议上展示他们的工作，融入更大的科学界。

With funding from the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, the Transfer Student Research and Integration Program (TRIP) is providing support to low-income students with demonstrated financial need and academic promise to success in STEM disciplines at the University of Central Florida. The project is funding 72 scholars over five years who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in Biology and Biotechnology. Fields within STEM are critical to our nation's infrastructure and economy.  Unfortunately, high rates of attrition from STEM programs have produced a shortfall of STEM-educated workers. A fast and cost-effective way to alleviate this issue is to reduce attrition rates in existing student populations. Transfer students (i.e., those who obtain an Associate's degree prior to matriculating into a 4-year institution), a large and growing segment of the student population, exhibit unusually high rates of attrition. Research suggests that attrition for these students often results from a lack of (i) undergraduate research experiences, (ii) integration into vital communities that facilitate peer networks, (iii) professional development, and (iv) financial solvency. Although many students suffer from these deficits, transfer students are particularly susceptible due to their entrance into a 4-year institution late into their academic studies and a greater than average need to work while pursuing a Bachelor's degree. To minimize these issues, TRIP scholars will enter a 2-year program that engages them in team-oriented original research, integrates them into academic and scientific communities, and facilitates their professional development. All the while, TRIP scholars will receive a scholarship that allows them to more fully pursue their research and educational activities by minimizing their need to work. TRIP's short-term mission is to increase the retention of these students in STEM majors while providing the hard and soft skills necessary for success. TRIP's long-term goal is to increase the representation of this diverse group within the scientific workforce, including positions in local, state and federal government; academic institutions; non-government organizations; and private industry. Importantly, TRIP represents a model that can be adopted by other STEM programs (such as Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics) as well as other institutions, especially those that are beacons for talented students lacking financial independence and that are burdened with a high student to faculty ratio. It is our goal to create a sustainable model grounded in the Science of Teaching and Learning that can address a litany of institutional barriers that deprives academically talented students access to a career in science.The global objective of TRIP is to increase the number of Biology and Biotechnology graduates who enter the University of Central Florida as transfer students. To this end, 18 transfer students per year will be selected for TRIP, based on financial need and academic potential. At its core, TRIP addresses the pressing need for students to acquire original research experience while pursuing a STEM degree. Unfortunately, most students traverse their undergraduate careers without engaging in the process of science due to the scarcity of available faculty mentors. TRIP alleviates the mentor shortage by engaging cohorts of students in an Introduction to Research course, followed by a Group Effort Applied Research (GEAR) 4-credit laboratory. The GEAR curriculum provides concept-driven lectures coupled with authentic, team-oriented research embedded within the research program of the faculty instructor. After GEAR, students enroll in an Independent Study course where they transform their efforts into a scientific poster and/or manuscript. While enrolled in their three research courses, students will interact through numerous community integration and professional development activities, including social events, team building exercises, and career workshops. These activities strengthen peer networks and provide additional skills needed for success. After the courses are complete, TRIP scholars will integrate into the larger scientific community by presenting their work at two scientific conferences.