Alabama LSAMP Research Project

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Abstract

The Alabama Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ALSAMP) proposes to engage in a research project on departmental/institutional factors which promote retention and baccalaureate degree attainment in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM) fields and persistence to graduate study by members of underrepresented minority populations at urban institutions. The Alabama Alliance, established in 1991, is one of the six oldest National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliances in the nation and has been in the forefront of efforts to increase the quantity and the quality of underrepresented minorities receiving baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields. Thus, because of this successful experience in developing and implementing programs that promote retention and baccalaureate degree attainment of minorities, Alabama is uniquely qualified to engage in a research project of this nature. While the Westat Study (March 2000) did an outstanding job of identifying LSAMP programs that work, the questions of why they work has not been addressed. This project will be a follow-up the Westat Study and will provide a complete and comprehensive picture of LSAMP program activities. The goal is to generate general information that builds on the Westat Report and logically extend this work in order to efficiently and logically guide effective implementation of best practices in diverse institutions. The objectives include the following: 1. To determine departmental and institutional factors facilitating undergraduate access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, including baccalaureate degree attainment and persistence to STEM graduate study by members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups ( specifically the keys to LSAMP success cited by the Westat Study), and 2. To generalize these factors and disseminate resulting findings and measures to the scientific and education communities. The Alliance will employ the services of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Center for Educational Accountability to assist with the research. The Center is uniquely positioned to conduct the research activities of the proposed project. The Center has a number of ongoing projects that relate directly to the goals of the project. The project will begin with an in depth review and evaluation of 1. All LSAMP activities at each of the twelve ALSAMP institutions, and 2. Student performance data in SEM courses. Appropriate surveys and interviews will be conducted, data will be analyzed, and research findings will be published in an appropriate Educational Research Journal. Intellectual Merit - The project is an important step in advancing knowledge and understanding of why the LSAMP programs for underrepresented minorities in science technology, engineering, and mathematics are successful. Education faculty will work with mathematics and science faculty in this educational research project to find answers to these important questions by collecting and analyzing data resulting from surveys and individual interviews. The research results will add to the knowledge base in educational research and evaluation. Broader Impacts - The project broadens participation of underrepresented groups by the inclusion of a large number of African American students in the target population for the research surveys and interviews. In addition, a large number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities are included in the Alabama Alliance and the research efforts will involve a diverse pool of students and faculty. Discovery and understanding are advanced by the collaboration between disciplines and institutions. Evaluation and assessment findings will be documented and disseminated to other researchers in education and at national meetings.