Scholarships to Enhance Excellence in the Chemical and Biological Research Based Workforce (STEER)

Csu Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation, Fullerton CA

Investigators

Abstract

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at California State University at Fullerton (CSUF) is providing scholarships and support services to academically-talented students majoring in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry who demonstrate financial need. Abundant jobs are available for biology, chemistry, and biochemistry graduates in the bioscience industry, but a gap exists between the available, qualified talent and the burgeoning need for such personnel. CSUF's Scholarships To Enhance Excellence in the Chemical and Biological Research-Based Workforce (STEER) project is addressing this critical shortage by supplying highly-qualified graduates who are capable of functioning in the multidisciplinary, team-based environment that characterizes industry. In addition, a link to CSUF's NSF Noyce Teaching as a Primary Profession in Biology and Biochemistry project invites STEM teachers in preparation to STEER activities, which impacts the bioscience career awareness of future high school teachers and their students. STEER's overarching goal is to enhance the quantity and quality of CSUF STEM undergraduates who will join the biological and chemical research-based industry workforce. In addition to providing scholarships for at least 80 students, it is integrating new and existing campus activities for students in the targeted majors who wish to enter the biosciences workforce. STEER provides scholarships, support services, and opportunities to ensure students academic and personal support, as well as enrichment activities that enable them to learn, study, socialize, and work together from their scientific perspectives, improving retention, graduation rates, and job prospects. The project is adapting the curriculum to enable students to acquire knowledge, skills, and habits that are specifically tailored to industry careers and needs. Thus, it is establishing programs that will contribute to the knowledge base about ways to effectively educate a robust STEM industry workforce and about the educational practices and experiences that foster retention in STEM majors, completion of degrees, preparation for the workplace environment, and the habits of mind that lead to success in the industry workforce, particularly among underrepresented minorities.