Presidential Awards For Excellence In Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Mentoring (Committee on Institutional Cooperation)

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) was created in 1986 to engage undergraduate minority students in research experiences with faculty members, to accelerate each student's socialization into the discipline, and to foster the sense of a community of scholars among all program participants. To date, 6,212 undergraduate students have participated in the SROP summer experience, including 2,734 science, mathematics and engineering (SME) majors. Students from 373 colleges and universities, including 73 minority-serving institutions, have participated. Of the SME alumni, 58% are women and 87% are from underrepresented minority groups. Ninety-seven percent of the SROP alumni have either graduated or are still enrolled. Of those that have received their bachelor's degrees, 77% are pursuing or have pursued advanced study. Eighty-six SROP alumni have already earned their Ph.D. degrees, including 28 majoring in SME fields.