Louis Stokes STEM Pathways and Research Alliance: Texas A&M System LSAMP-RA
Grant
Overview
Affiliation
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
Louis Stokes STEM Pathways and Research Alliance: Texas A&M System LSAMP-RAThe Texas A&M System LSAMP Research Alliance (TAMUS LSAMP-RA) is comprised of the original members, Texas A&M University at College Station, Prairie View A&M University (a Historically Black College or University [HBCU]), and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (a Hispanic Serving Institution [HSI]), plus a new member, Texas A&M International University (HSI). TAMUS LSAMP-RA will 1) implement programmatic initiatives to increase engagement and enhance the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and 2) conduct research to explore the impact of research mentoring, grit, and persistence on URM student success in STEM. A research team will investigate the impact of various factors, including the quality of research mentoring relationships on URM students'' grit, persistence in STEM, and likelihood of pursuing graduate study. Research results will inform evidence-based practices in design and implementation of strong mentoring of URMs in undergraduate research. Broad dissemination of results will ensure that lessons learned and best practices will be communicated to provide URM students the information they need to succeed and to aid colleges and universities in more effectively engaging and mentoring URM students.Programmatic initiatives will include the following: a robust academic-year undergraduate research program; international research experiences, including an introduction-to-research learning community for first-year students and a short-term team-based international research experiences for third-year students; community building and professional development activities; and a multi-pronged mentoring strategy. This project builds on a 26-year track record of success by TAMUS LSAMP, and will continue the program''s role as a central resource for broadening participation across the Alliance through extensive collaborations with externally funded programs as well as with institutionalized initiatives.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.
