STEM Education Innovation Programs
Submit a Program Description » The goal of this database is to serve as a searchable collection of effective practices and programs that support improving undergraduate STEM education. Use the text search and the boxes at the right to narrow the collection based on particular aspects that you are interested in.
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First Generation College Students
17 matchesPoint of Intervention
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Pathways to Career Success: A STEM Career Mentorship Program
Jeffrey Jones
The Pathways to Engineering Success Program focuses on guiding undergraduate STEM students toward thriving careers in chosen fields. This mentorship initiative pairs students with experienced professionals to provide practical insights, career guidance, and leadership development. Through hands-on learning, resume coaching, and exposure to real-world challenges, the program equips participants with the tools and confidence to excel in specialized engineering fields, while promoting diversity and inclusivity in STEM careers.
Program Components: Institutional Systems:Interdepartmental Collaboration, Strategic Planning, Supporting Students:Bridge Program, Mentoring Program, Professional Preparation, Quantitative Skills, Professional Development:Advising and Mentoring
Target Audience: Undergraduate Non-Majors, First-year College Students, Graduate Students, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
CCHF Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Program (CSURP)
Travis York, APLU
CSURP is a program for undergraduate students, majoring in chemistry or chemical engineering, interested in conducting supervised summer research. The program is supported by the Center for Selective C-H Functionalization (CCHF), which is a network of 23 academic and industrial research laboratories at 15 partner institutions throughout the country. The CCHF is one of eight National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Centers for Chemical Innovation.
Target Audience: First Generation College Students, Undergraduate Majors, Underrepresented Minority Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
Engineering Career Awareness Program (ECAP)
Travis York, APLU
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, K12 Students, First-year College Students, First Generation College Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors
Point of Intervention: College/School
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Highest Research Activity
UC Davis Bridge to the Doctorate Program
Travis York, APLU
The UC Davis Bridge to the Doctorate program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The LSAMP program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences in support of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Tutoring, Learning Communities, Academic Support, Mentoring Program, Scholarships, Grants, Workstudy, Outreach:Public Outreach
Target Audience: Graduate Students, First Generation College Students, Undergraduate Majors, Underrepresented Minority Students
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
Creative Scientific Inquiry Experiences
Ellene Tratras Contis, Eastern Michigan University
The Creative Scientific Inquiry Experience (CSIE) is a STEM-related program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that connects students with faculty and with community projects through an integrated science curriculum. We specialize in creating learning experiences for students in STEM fields through innovative courses and student events. Our courses are 1-2 credit hours, and faculty work with community partners to develop coursework that allows students to work on real-world problems.
Program Components: Outreach:Inter-Institutional Collaboration, Student Recruiting, Presentations/Talks, Professional Development:Student Assessment, Institutional Systems:Incentive/Reward Systems, Professional Development:Curriculum Development, Pedagogical Training, Advising and Mentoring, Diversity/Inclusion, Outreach:Marketing Campaign, Institutional Systems:Interdepartmental Collaboration, Supporting Students:Clubs/Social Activities, Outreach:Informal Education, Supporting Students:Mentoring Program, Student Engagement, Bootcamp, Tutoring
Target Audience: Institution Administration, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty, Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, First-year College Students, Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Institution
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Moderate Research Activity
Academic Investment in Mathematics & Science (AIMS)
W. Robert (Bob) Midden, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
This is a comprehensive scholarship and support program designed to enhance the success of under-represented minority students and women in earning undergraduate degrees in STEM fields.
Target Audience: Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Majors, First-year College Students, First Generation College Students
Point of Intervention: Institution
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Higher Research Activity
Enabling Faculty to Adopt Deliberative Democracy Pedagogy: a tool to broaden and engage
Gwen Shusterman, Portland State University
This project has been focused on catalyzing pedagogical innovation in introductory science courses. In particular, structures have been put in place to facilitate the implementation of the model of Deliberative Democracy Pedagogy (DDP). DDP is an active learning strategy, based on deliberative democratic models of citizen engagement in science policymaking. This integrative pedagogical approach, revises the delivery of conventional introductory science content around modules that engage students with current science policy controversies. Teaching teams of faculty and graduate students have attended summer pedagogical workshops, developed curricular modules, implemented the modules and participated in regular Communities of Practice meetings.
Program Components: Professional Development:Student Assessment, Curriculum Development, Pedagogical Training, Diversity/Inclusion, Institutional Systems:Incentive/Reward Systems, Interdepartmental Collaboration, Outreach:Outreach to K12 Teachers and Students, Supporting Students:Student Engagement, Outreach:Presentations/Talks, Supporting Students:Professional Preparation
Target Audience: Undergraduate Majors, First-year College Students, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty, Transfer Students, Non-tenure Track Faculty, Teaching/Learning Assistants, Underrepresented Minority Students, First Generation College Students, Graduate Students
Point of Intervention: Course
Institution Type: Doctorate-granting Universities:Higher Research Activity
LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research
Travis York, APLU
LAUNCH is an acronym that stands for Learning Communities (L), Academic Excellence (A), Undergraduate Research (U), National Fellowships (N), Capstones (C), and Honors (H). LAUNCH is a unit of Undergraduate Studies housed in Academic Affairs under the Provost at Texas A&M University. LAUNCH: UGR promotes, coordinates, creates, and assesses undergraduate programs involving creative scholarship, inquiry, and research in all academic disciplines at Texas A&M. The programs serves as an introduction for first generation, low income, and/or under-represented students in STEM research through first year research teams, summer research programs, research presentations, and research and graduate program informationals.
Target Audience: Undergraduate Majors, Transfer Students, First Generation College Students, First-year College Students, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, Underrepresented Minority Students, Non-tenure Track Faculty, Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty
Point of Intervention: Major/Department
LAUNCH: Learning Communities
Travis York, APLU
Learning communities (LCs) are opportunities for students to actively participate in their education. Learning communities connect students with others of similar interests or backgrounds, enrich the learning process and promote greater student success. Creating a rich learning environment, learning communities emphasize relationships and community building among students, faculty and staff. LCs usually feature small group interaction, common intellectual experiences, and mentorship from peers and/or faculty. Students gain insight into the context for course material, develop a social network and support, are exposed to new experiences and develop their critical thinking skills.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Academic Support, Learning Communities, Mentoring Program
Target Audience: Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students, First-year College Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors, Underrepresented Minority Students
Point of Intervention: Institution
Purpose + Reach = Individuals Measured for Excellence (PRIME) STEM Project
Travis York, APLU
PRIME STEM/Student Support Services is a federally-funded TRiO program (U.S. Department of Education). The program supports college students pursuing STEM majors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) who are first-generation, demonstrate a financial need, and/or have a documented disability.
Program Components: Supporting Students:Learning Communities, Mentoring Program, Academic Support
Target Audience: Undergraduate Majors, First Generation College Students, Underrepresented Minority Students, Undergraduate Non-Majors
Point of Intervention: Major/Department