BPC-AE: An Extended CAHSI Alliance to Broaden Participation in Graduate Studies

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Texas, El Paso will lead and extend the work of the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance. CAHSI plays a pivotal role in addressing the underrepresentation of Hispanics in computing and developing future Hispanic leaders in computing with advanced degrees. This Alliance Extension aims to increase the number of students who pursue and complete graduate degrees in computing areas, in particular Hispanics and women. This goal will be realized by the addition of nine Carnegie-classified R1 (very high research activity) HSIs to the CAHSI network, increasing the number of doctoral-granting CAHSI institutions to 13. Specifically, the goal of the CAHSI BPC-AE project is to advance a research-based framework for attracting, preparing, and supporting female students and others from underrepresented groups, in particular Hispanic students who are citizens and permanent residents, in their trajectory toward completion of graduate degrees in computing areas. The objectives of the project are: (1) expand students’ research knowledge at participating CAHSI institutions through exposure to research as a career pathway; (2) involve upper division students in research experiences that prepare them for graduate-level research; and (3) build graduate program infrastructure through adoption and study of evidence-based, multi-institutional graduate support structures that lead to Hispanic students’ success in their graduate studies. The expected outcomes are a model of serving Hispanics in graduate computing education grounded in organizational contexts of HSIs that are transferable and adaptable to all institutions invested in broadening participation in computing; peer-reviewed publications on inclusive CS models for Hispanic students in graduate programs; an increase in the number of students from underrepresented groups, particularly Hispanic US citizens and permanent residents, who enter and are retained in computing graduate studies; extended partnerships with industry, national research labs, and non-profits that provide financial support for research preparation and studies. 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.