** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PROJECT'S OBJECTIVES ARE: (I) PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH FACULTY-GUIDED RESEARCH TO 45 ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED, UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERGRADUATES FROM TWO EACH TEXAS HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS (HSI) AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU); (II) TRAIN STUDENTS IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, FROM QUESTION FORMULATION TO RESULTS PRESENTATION; (III) EMPOWER STUDENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE STEM-INTENSIVE CAREERS THROUGH HANDS-ON PARTICIPATION IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, ENGAGEMENT IN CREATIVE AND ANALYTICAL THINKING- AND DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WORKSHOPS, AND; (IV) CREATE A SUSTAINED, STUDENT COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE OF SCIENCE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE: A) COACHING SESSIONS TO REFLECT ON AND MEASURE PROJECT IMPACTS; B) DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE WHERE STUDENTS WILL SHARE THEIR PROJECTS, AND; C) CREATION OF A WEBSITE TO SHARE STUDENT PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER PROJECT PRODUCTS. THE PROJECT'S IMPACTS WILL INCLUDE: (I) BROADENED THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS FROM TEXAS HSIS AND HBCUS TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES AT AN R1 RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, SUCH AS TAMU, AND; (II) INCREASED THE PRESENCE OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED, UNDERREPRESENTED GRADUATES IN THE STEM LABOR FORCE, AND COMPETITIVE GRADUATE PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT'S OBJECTIVES WILL BE MET LARGELY THROUGH THREE ACTIVITIES: FIRSTLY, DELIBERATE, ON-SITE RECRUITMENT, AND SUBSEQUENT SCREENING AND SELECTION OF APPLICANTS FROM TEXAS HSIS AND HBCUS, SO THAT 9 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE YEARLY IN THE PROJECT; SECONDLY, IMMERSION IN 10-WEEK RESEARCH-AND COACHING EXPERIENCES TO ENHANCE STUDENT SCIENTIFIC, COMMUNICATION, INTERCULTURAL, AND CREATIVE- AND ANALYTICAL THINKING SKILLS, AND; THIRDLY, POST-EXPERIENCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PRESENTATION AT A SCIENTIFIC MEETING, PUBLICATION OF A RESEARCH PAPER, AND A STUDENT COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE OF SCIENCE.