Tribal Colleges and Universities STEM Leaders' Forum 2010

American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Alexandria VA

Investigators

Abstract

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) requests support to conduct the 2010 TCU STEM Leaders? Forum (Forum) for the National Science Foundation/ Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) awardees and for the presidents at each of the nation?s 33 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). The Forum will focus on strategies and best practices for successfully recruiting and retaining American Indian students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). During the 2-day TCU STEM Leaders? Forum participants (including TCUP principal investigators and project directors, TCU presidents, and NSF representatives) will discuss issues and participate in formal sessions during which they will share and explore best practices and innovative approaches to strengthening the American Indian STEM pipeline. The Forum will provide a opportunity for tribal colleges to engage in and contribute to the national discussion on broadening participation in STEM. A key outcome of the proposed Forum will be increased success in recruiting and retaining Indian student in STEM programs at TCUs, as effective practices are identified and implemented. Intellectual Merit The proposed Forum will promote a community of practice among NSF TCUP managers and faculty, facilitating the exchange of best practices and strategies for achieving the common goal of improving STEM participation and achievement among American Indian students. The proposed Forum will engage national STEM leaders, including the leadership at NSF and tribal colleges, in a critical dialogue focusing on the current state of knowledge and understanding of broadening participation strategies as they are applied by tribal colleges. Broader Impact The Forum will make an important contribution to the ongoing debate on how best to promote broader participation of the nation?s underserved and underrepresented minorities in STEM education and professions. It will promote the exploration and greater understanding of state-of-the-art broadening participation strategies not only by tribal college faculty and administrators, but by the leadership at NSF and other federal agencies with science missions.