2014 CSU-LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate at California State University, Los Angeles

University Enterprises, Incorporated, Sacramento CA

Investigators

Abstract

The performance site for the 2014 California State University-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity is California State University, Los Angeles. This BD activity will contribute to advancing NSF's FY 2011-2016 Strategic Plan, which aims to: "prepare and engage a diverse STEM workforce motivated to participate at the frontiers." Additionally it will increase the number of Ph.D. level scientists by identifying and developing the talent of students who would be unlikely to pursue graduate-level study at either the Master's or the doctorate level without NSF LSAMP support. California State University, Los Angeles provides a Master's level "bridge" to doctoral-level study for a cohort of 12 graduates of LSAMP undergraduate programs. These students are from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Although the American scientific research enterprise has been well-served by the intellectual diversity of its scientists and engineers, greater participation of women, persons with disabilities, and persons from racial/ethnic groups that have historically been underrepresented in STEM is essential to the continued health and vitality of science. These populations are largely untapped sources of intellectual talent and bring a diversity of insights and perspectives to the research enterprise. This BD activity will contribute significantly to broadening participation in academe and scientific research. The Master's-level experience at California State University, Los Angeles is designed to increase participant persistence and competencies in STEM and their advancement to Ph.D. programs. In addition to providing financial support to enable students to focus full time on a two-year Master's program, the project provides an integrated set of activities designed to advance BD students toward completion of doctoral level studies in STEM. In addition to engaging participants in formal course work, BD students will participate in a two-year mentored research experience. Faculty mentoring of participants is a major component of this BD Activity. CSU-LSAMP remains committed to the propositions that (1) given appropriate support, most students can be successful; (2) increasing the number of Ph.D. scientists and engineers requires that "additional" students (i.e., students who are not already admitted to and engaged in Ph.D. programs) be recruited to and prepared for doctoral-level study; and (3) broadening participation in the STEM professoriate and scientific leadership requires that a greater number of URGs be prepared for Ph.D. training at highly competitive research universities.