Facilitating Undergraduate Success and Professional Development of Talented, Low-Income Students in Chemistry and Biochemistry

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at the University of Illinois Chicago. A total of 44 scholars pursuing bachelor's degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry will receive scholarships of up to $15,000 per year for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty mentoring, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through student success workshops and courses and a suite of career development opportunities. Professional development activities for the scholars will include mentored research, internships, providing academic support to peers, and participating in faculty-supervised projects to build their scientific writing or communication skills. The overall goal of this Track 2 Scholarships in STEM project is to increase STEM degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the STEM workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting STEM student success, which will strengthen the workforce in chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, and other key areas of need. As future professionals, many project scholars will play an active role in the translation of innovations in the chemical sciences to economically viable, market-driven products and services. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income students in STEM. This project is funded by NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. 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.