Louis Stokes Renewal STEM Pathways and Research Alliance: New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation (NM AMP)

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

Continued increases in the number of degrees earned by all students are essential if the United States is to meet current demands of the nation’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. The New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation (NM AMP) is designed to inspire students to recognize the potential impact of their education and experiences with a unique emphasis on exploring critical 21st century challenges associated with Climate, Resilience, and Sustainability. Project activities and approaches build on previous successful NM AMP models, an extensive network of affiliated faculty, and collaborating projects and programs, including other NSF-funded efforts. With a goal to further develop this unique ecosystem for STEM education statewide, the STEM Pathways and Research Alliance (SPRA) project will deepen collaborations across and within institutions, support a multi-disciplinary community of researchers focused on some of today’s most pressing challenges, and provide students with experiential learning opportunities that support retention and graduation in STEM disciplines. Activities include: 1) undergraduate research experiences; 2) support for pre-transfer students statewide; 3) mentoring from accomplished and passionate faculty in STEM; 4) extensive collaboration with national laboratories, other federally-funded programs, and private industry; 5) social science research to stimulate and disseminate new learning on broadening participation in STEM disciplines; and 6) an ongoing assessment of progress toward institutionalization and sustainability. The Alliance supports a multi-disciplinary community of researchers at New Mexico State University (Lead Partner), University of New Mexico, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Northern New Mexico College, New Mexico Highlands University, Western New Mexico University, and Eastern New Mexico University. Additional partners include industry and multiple national laboratories. NM AMP’s goals are two-fold, to increase the quantity of students who complete high quality STEM baccalaureate degrees and to prepare undergraduate students to enter the STEM workforce and/or pursue graduate education. The project’s Research will advance and test a comprehensive theory of how students navigate toward academic success in STEM by exploring the ways in which interactions in educational environments shape student pathways and identities differently based on students’ social positions. This work is unique in that it uses quantitative and qualitative data to follow students' STEM identity longitudinally. The research contributes new knowledge and understanding of student success by developing and disseminating models that support the academic and professional development of all students in STEM. The research will also provide a qualitative understanding of the NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program’s impact on alumni in New Mexico and beyond. The insights gained are invaluable for the continuous improvement of NSF’s LSAMP program and for understanding the broader implications of similar initiatives in STEM education. Economic impacts of the program include increased wage earnings and improved living conditions for the citizens of New Mexico. Evidence-based project outcomes of the Research activities and summative evaluation data, will be disseminated to local, regional, and national audiences to share promising directions for the improvement of STEM education. 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.