New Futures in Science and Mathematics: Supporting Engagement, Retention, Graduation, and Entry of Women into STEM Careers

在科学，技术，工程和数学（S-STEM）计划的NSF奖学金的资助下，该项目将支持在Alverno学院（一所全女性机构）表现出经济需求的高成就，低收入学生。 在五年的资助期内，该项目将为40名攻读生物学、分子生物学、数学、化学、宽领域科学和环境科学学士学位的本科生提供奖学金。 除了奖学金支持，该项目还将为学者提供紧密结合的咨询，指导，辅导和专业发展。 该项目将以经过检验的战略为基础，增加低收入、高成就妇女的参与、坚持和毕业，以解决在外地长期任职人数不足的问题，并提高就业率。该项目强调发展学生和科学教师之间的密切联系，这是留住STEM领域学生的关键因素，特别是留住妇女和来自STEM代表性不足的其他群体的学生。 作为一所女子学院和西班牙裔服务机构，在威斯康星州最贫穷的县有很高比例的有色人种学生，Alverno学院有一个独特的机会来扩大STEM的参与。由于Alverno College在将实习生和毕业生安置在区域STEM雇主方面有着良好的记录，因此该项目有可能加强区域STEM劳动力。该项目是Alverno College以前成功的S-STEM项目（DUE-0850288）的扩展版本。 此次扩建将在五年内为40名学生的更大群体增加新的课程，增加对早期参与（第一年）的关注，并提供更长的每位学生参与时间。该计划强调频繁的互动（学生对学生和学生对教师）和积极参与，借鉴本科STEM教育中低收入，高成就学生的最佳实践，并从以前的S-STEM奖中取得成果。国家研究表明，预测妇女在STEM领域取得成功的最重要因素是积极的科学/数学身份和大学生社会化的发展。与这一结果相一致，在Alverno学院以前的工作评价支持社会活动，本科研究活动和专业会议的价值。通过扩大和整合这些经过验证的活动与新的方法，如包括第一年的研讨会和支持学生在大学的所有年份与教师和专业顾问的双重建议，该项目旨在提高保留率和毕业率。该项目将调查参与项目活动的数量和类型与Alverno学院STEM专业的持续性和毕业之间的相关性。该项目将通过新闻稿、网站和传统出版物与公众分享这些研究成果。 此外，它将在科学和教育学会的全国会议上展示结果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With funding from the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, this project will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Alverno College, an all-women institution. Over the five-year funding period, this project will provide scholarships to forty undergraduates who are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in biology, molecular biology, mathematics, chemistry, broad-field science, and environmental science. In addition to scholarship support, the project will also provide Scholars with closely integrated advising, mentoring, tutoring, and professional development. The project will build upon tested strategies for increasing engagement, persistence, and graduation among low-income, high-achieving women to address persistent underrepresentation in the field and increase employment rates. The project emphasizes development of close bonds between students and science instructors, which is known to be a key factor in retention of students in STEM fields, especially retention of women and students from other groups that are underrepresented in STEM. As both a women's college and Hispanic Serving Institution with a high percentage of students of color in Wisconsin's poorest county, Alverno College has a distinctive opportunity to broaden participation in STEM. Because Alverno College has a strong track record of placing interns and graduates at regional STEM employers, this project has the potential to strengthen the regional STEM workforce.This project is an expanded version of the previous, successful S-STEM project at Alverno College (DUE-0850288). This expansion will add new offerings for a larger cohort of 40 total students over five years, increase focus on early engagement (first-year), and provide longer per-student involvement. The program emphasizes frequent interaction (student-to-student and student-to-faculty), and active participation, drawing on best-practices in undergraduate STEM education for low-income, high-achieving students and building results from the previous S-STEM award. National research indicates that the most important factors for predicting success of women in STEM are the development of a positive science/mathematics identity and undergraduate socialization. Consistent with that result, evaluation of prior work at Alverno College supports the value of social events, undergraduate research activities, and professional conferences. By expanding and integrating these proven activities with new approaches, such as including a first-year seminar and supporting students throughout all years in college with dual advising by faculty and professional advisers, the project aims to improve retention and graduation rates. The project will investigate the correlation between the amount and type of participation in the project activities and persistence and graduation in STEM majors at Alverno College. The project will share these research results with the public via press releases, websites, and traditional publications. In addition, it will present the results at national meetings of scientific and educational societies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.