RAPID: Understanding the Impact of the Alliance for the Advancement of African-American Researchers in Computing (A4RC)

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Wisconsin will evaluate the impact of the Alliance for the Advancement of African American Researchers in Computing (A4RC). A4RC was formed in Spring 2006 with the goal of increasing the number of African Americans obtaining advanced degrees in computing, particularly at the Ph.D. level, by establishing student pipelines from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to Research Universities that offer advanced degrees in computing. A4RC collaborations are centered around research pods that link students and faculty from HBCUs and research institutions on a particular area of computer science research. The A4RC Evaluation Team will examine the five years of A4RC evaluation data to determine what program attributes are best suited to serve as national models for creating a computing education pathway for African Americans. The project staff will utilize existing data and original data collection to assess the effectiveness of past and current A4RC initiatives. The PI will disseminate best practices and research results on increasing the participation of African Americans in computing.