STEM Context Matters: An Inaugural Conference of the DMV MSI STEM Alliance

Morgan State University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Researchers from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are seriously under-represented in NSF funded research activities. This is a serious problem given the increasing diversity of the US workforce and the need to expand the STEM workforce. This proposed founding conference will bring researchers from 12 MSIs in the DMV area to form a research alliance among researchers in these institutions, discuss obstacles to increased research output and how best to improve STEM research and education in these institutions. The conference will discuss and establish a research coordination platform across these institutions with advisory board and a management committee. The conference will also establish collaborative research teams across these institutions. The organizers plan several follow-up conferences to evaluate progress as well as adjust strategies to get to their objectives. This conference will not only help increase the participation of MSI researchers in NSF funded SBE research activities; it will also help to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, thus increasing economic growth. This conference proposal responds to NSF Social Behavioral and Economics (SBE) Directorate’s Build and Broaden initiative to increase participation of researchers from MSIs in NSF funded STEM research and educational activities. The proposed founding conference will bring researchers from 12 MSIs together to form a research alliance and discuss current obstacles to research productivity in their institutions and how best to increase research activities and improve STEM education in these institutions. The proposed conference will discuss new ideas and solutions to low research productivity in MSIs and could have transformative effects on research and STEM education in these institutions. The alliance to be formed at the conference as well as solutions to research problems could also serve as a blueprint for other groups of MSIs to follow to increase research productivity as well as improve STEM education. This conference will help increase the participation of MSI researchers in NSF funded SBE research activities as well as help to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, thus increasing economic growth. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.