STEM Through Authentic Research Training (START) Program for Underrepresented Communities

摘要/项目摘要 技术在当代社会的重要性与日俱增，这就需要有一批懂STEM的人。 这对传统上代表性不足的人群(有色人种、 (残疾人、不太富裕社区的个人)影响向上的社会流动。通常情况下， 这些群体处于双重不利地位，因为少数成为第一代大学生的人往往缺乏 通过家人、同龄人和潜在导师取得成功的路线图。这群人的成功， 代表着一个积极性很高的群体，需要培养他们接受和推进STEM纪律， 在他们到达大学教室之前。这不仅需要对学生进行教育，而且需要对他们的 教师，在教与学方面提供协同效应，使学生能够利用所感知的机会 因为这超出了他们的能力范围。我们假设，弥合这一不断扩大的差距需要一个综合计划 汇聚学术、社会和现实世界的专业经验，建立一条连接 从初中/高中的成功到第一代大学生及以后的成功。这样的管道将 不仅培养精通STEM的公民，而且培养一支近距离同行的干部队伍，以身作则。有了这个 中心前提我们已经通过可信的研究和培训(START)计划TOT形成了STEM 通过提供全年真实的 高中生(9-12年级)和初中生的研究机会和专业发展 中等STEM教师(5-12年级)。START代表着肯塔基大学与 为STEM研究提供机会，列克星敦学院与费耶特合作 县公立学校-专注于改变STEM教学的传统教学模式，KY-WV LSAMP计划由英国牵头的NSF资助的财团，包括10多个不同的学术机构 支持本科生研究，旨在增加传统的代表性和总体成功 在STEM学科中代表不足的人群。START建立了一条通往大学的天然管道 由于与KY-WV LSAMP及其成员机构结成联盟，LSAMP的水平得到了提高。最后，我们招募了太空 Tango，一家列克星敦STEM初创公司，为科学和生物医学构建和集成系统 国际空间站微重力条件下的研究。因此，一系列研究 机遇，从参与英国STEM实验室的分子和微观水平到浩瀚 太空探戈提供的空间本身提供了令人兴奋的机会 代表不足的学生和负责其STEM教育的教师。我们相信， 将真实世界的真实研究机会整合到整个STEM教育的背景下，通过独特的 学术界、教育和商业实体之间的伙伴关系将激励代表性不足的学生 达到他们通常认为超出他们视线的成就水平。

Abstract/ Project Summary The increasing importance of technology in contemporary society necessitates a STEM literate population. This represents a challenge for traditionally underrepresented populations (people of color, individuals with disabilities, individuals in less affluent communities) impacting upward social mobility. Often, members of these groups are doubly disadvantaged, as the few who become first generation college students often lack a roadmap for success through family, near peers and potential mentors. Success for this population, representing a highly motivated group, needs to be nurtured to embrace and advance STEM disciplines, before they reach their college classrooms. This necessitates the education not only of students, but their teachers, providing synergies in teaching and learning to empower students to avail of opportunities perceived as being beyond their reach. We hypothesize that bridging this expanding gap requires an integrated program bringing together academic, social and real-world professional experiences to establish a pipeline linking success in middle/high school to success for first generation college students and beyond. Such a pipeline will generate not only STEM-proficient citizens but also a cadre of near peers to motivate by example. With this central premise we have formed the STEM Through Authentic Research and Training (START) Program tot identify recruit and retaining traditionally underrepresented populations by providing year-round authentic research opportunities and professional development for high school students (grades 9-12) and middle and secondary STEM teachers (grades 5-12). START represents a partnership between the University of Kentucky providing opportunities for STEM research, The Academies of Lexington, a partnership with the Fayette County Public Schools- focused on changing the traditional didactic model for STEM instruction, the KY-WV LSAMP program an NSF funded consortium led by UK including over 10 diverse academic institutions supporting undergraduate research aimed at increasing the representation and overall success of traditionally underrepresented populations in STEM disciplines. START establishes a natural pipeline to the collegiate level by virtue of the alliance with KY-WV LSAMP and its member institutions. Finally, we have recruited Space Tango, a Lexington STEM start-up company which builds and integrates systems for scientific and biomedical research under microgravity conditions on the international space station. As such, a spectrum of research opportunities, from the molecular and microscopic level in participating UK STEM laboratories to the vastness of space itself afforded by Space Tango provide an exciting palate of opportunities for traditionally underrepresented students and the teachers responsible for their STEM education. We believe that the integration of real world authentic research opportunities in the context of overall STEM education via a unique partnership between academia, educational and commercial entities will motivate underrepresented student populations to levels of achievement they often believe are beyond their horizons.