Bridge to the Doctorate: Greater Philadelphia Region Cohort XV Project - Drexel University

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through the development of highly competitive students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The goal of the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity is to increase the quantity and quality of STEM graduate students from underrepresented populations, with emphasis on Ph.D. matriculation and completion. BD programs implemented in the nation's institutions of higher education contribute to addressing one of the objectives in NSF's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, namely to "integrate education and research to support development of a diverse STEM workforce with cutting-edge capabilities." The vision of this grant is to provide a national model to produce underrepresented scientists and engineers with doctoral degrees in STEM. Drexel University (DU) serves as host of a Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) project within the Greater Philadelphia Region Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. The DU BD activity employs a multifaceted model that integrates research, education, and mentoring to address challenges underrepresented students face in doctoral programs. As such this project seeks to (1) recruit twelve students into Ph.D. degree programs at Drexel University; (2) develop each student in their science or engineering discipline through individual and group mentorship and graduate professional development activities; (3) engage and retain these students through the completion of the Ph.D., and (4) monitor all student progress through Ph.D. completion into the professoriate and/or industry. The program components are executed via academic coursework for scientific and technical competency that prepares BD students for the doctoral degree qualifying and candidacy examinations; substantive cutting-edge laboratory research experiences beginning in the first-year to expose fellows to research that can form the basis for their doctoral dissertation; professional development experiences such as workshops, seminars and/or conferences to help students to develop the ancillary skills needed for personal and professional success; facilitated interaction with faculty and peers to fully integrate students into research groups; opportunities for students to present their research nationally and/or internationally to promote their engagement with the larger scientific and technical community; and opportunities for student reflection, and the development of coping skills to contextualize the pressures and challenges associated with graduate study.