Engaging Undergraduates in Science Communication to Support Persistence, Graduation, and Development of Scientific and Professional Skills

NSF科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金（S-STEM）计划支持具有经济需求的高成就，低收入学生的保留和毕业。 罗杰威廉姆斯大学的S-STEM项目旨在提高低收入学生的保留率，持久性，毕业和职业安置。 在五年的时间里，该项目将为20名攻读应用数学、生物学、生物化学、化学、计算机科学、工程学、环境科学、法医学、海洋生物学或数学学士学位的学生提供68个年度奖学金。该项目旨在教育学生成为批判性思考者，他们可以收集，解释，翻译和分享对明智决策至关重要的科学信息。该项目将对奖学金学生进行科学传播方面的培训，利用流行的平台强调STEM问题的个人和社会相关性。该项目旨在研究科学传播作为一种潜在的高影响力的实践，以提高学生在STEM职业中的持久性，参与度和安置。虽然科学传播已经成为研究生和专业发展的一个重要因素，但相对较少的项目强调这种培训，主要是本科院校。一个夏桥项目将通过针对传统学术环境之外的社区的项目向学生介绍科学传播倡议。公共演讲和写作研究的普通教育课程将包括科学传播的增强。为了促进学生在STEM中的参与和成功，该项目将实施早期干预计划，以确定潜在的学术和个人挑战。此外，研究经验，行业实习，教师指导，辅导和其他学生支持服务将促进坚持和学生在STEM领域的成功。学生将在会议和会议上与学术和专业网络互动，以加强他们对STEM社区的自我认同感。项目评估和评价研究将探讨参与该计划是否会增加：1）学习成绩，保留和职业或研究生院的安置; 2）自我认同和自我效能作为STEM从业者;和3）交流STEM知识的能力。这个项目有潜力教育STEM毕业生谁可以为STEM劳动力和不断增长的STEM为基础的经济做出贡献，以及增加有关高影响力的做法，支持低收入STEM学生的成功知识。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准进行评估的支持。

The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program supports the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need. This S-STEM project at Roger Williams University aims to increase the retention, persistence, graduation, and career placements of lower income students. Over a five-year period, this project will provide 68 annual scholarships to 20 students who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in applied math, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, forensic science, marine biology, or mathematics. The project aims to educate students to become critical thinkers who can collect, interpret, translate, and share scientific information critical to informed decision making. The project will train the scholarship students in science communication, using popular platforms to emphasize STEM issues of personal and societal relevance. The project aims to investigate science communication as a potential high-impact practice for increasing persistence, engagement, and placement of students in STEM careers. Although science communication has become a crucial element of graduate and professional development, relatively few programs emphasize this kind of training at primarily undergraduate institutions. A summer bridge program will introduce students to the science communication initiative via projects that target communities outside of traditional academic environments. The general education courses in public speaking and writing studies will incorporate science communication enhancements. To promote student engagement and success in STEM, the project will implement an early intervention program to identify potential academic and personal challenges. In addition, research experiences, industry internships, faculty mentoring, tutoring, and other student support services will promote persistence and student success in the STEM fields. The students will interact with academic and professional networks at meetings and conferences to strengthen their sense of self-identification with the STEM community. The project assessment and evaluation studies will explore whether participation in the program increases: 1) academic performance, retention, and career or graduate school placement; 2) self-identify and self-efficacy as STEM practitioners; and 3) the ability to communicate STEM knowledge. This project has the potential educate STEM graduates who can contribute to the STEM workforce and to the growing STEM-based economy, as well as increase knowledge about high impact practices that support the success of lower income STEM students.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.