California LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Cohort VI - UC Santa Cruz

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

The University of California System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) will sponsor its 6th Bridge to the Doctorate Program (BD)at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC). This cohort of 12 students from underrepresented minority populations in science, technology, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) will increase the number of talented students who will obtain doctoral degrees in the STEM disciplines. Upon completion, these Ph.D. graduates will either enter the technical workforce or choose a career in academia becoming role models for other URM students in the future. The program will build on the experiences gathered from previous BD cohorts at other University of California System campuses (Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego, Davis, Santa Barbara). Students and faculty will engage in a focused program of intensive mentoring, communication skills and professional development to prepare participants for a highly competitive doctoral environment and ultimately for academic research positions. Broad institutional support will be provided through the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, the Jack Baskin School of Engineering, the Division of Graduate Studies, and the Office of the Chancellor. By increasing the success of underrepresented graduate students, the program will create a stronger campus wide research environment that welcomes diverse approaches to scientific discovery. UCSC will disseminate the results of this initiative within the University and through a diverse array of publications and presentations at national venues in order to advance the understanding of the necessary components to achieve success in STEM academic careers. The long-term impact of the BD activity will be reflected in America's STEM workforce, both in academia and in industrial research and development. By nurturing the future professoriate, as well as the scientific workforce, the value added will be seen in the visibility of minorities in science and engineering, increasing representation and providing role models and motivation for the next generation.