About LSAMP BD

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is managed by the Division of Human Resource DevelopmentDivision of Human Resource Development (HRD), which is part of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The University System of Maryland’s LSAMP BD Program includes UMBC, the University of Maryland College Park, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Proposals for LSAMP BD programs are submitted to NSF by UMBC, UMD, and UMES in alternate years.

 

About the NSF LSAMP Program:

The LSAMP program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students successfully completing high-quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming STEM education through innovative recruitment and retention strategies and experiences in support of groups historically under-represented in STEM discipline: African-Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The knowledge generation portfolio of LSAMP supported activities contributes to the body of literature on successful practices in student recruitment, retention, persistence, and attainment of STEM undergraduate and graduate degrees, especially for the previously mentioned populations underrepresented in STEM disciplines.

(REF: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12564/nsf12564.htm)

 

The NSF Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity

Senior-level LSAMP alliances are eligible for Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) support. BD funding provides eligible students with financial support for two years of graduate study. [Both UMBC and UMCP are senior-level LSAMP alliances.] Programmatic activities for BD programs have recruitment and retention strategies in STEM graduate education. BD programs focus on retaining, graduating, and placing significant numbers of LSAMP graduates into STEM doctoral-degree programs. Projects partner with other NSF-funded programs, such as Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST), NSF research centers, Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT), or Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP). Successful BD projects must ensure that a substantive number of first-year BD participants apply to NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Highly valued activities include regular BD meetings, mentoring of students, resources to support annual student participation at professional meetings, seminars on productive academic efforts, demystifying degree programs, and available career options. A critical mass of twelve (12) LSAMP STEM graduate students is required under this activity. The NSF contribution to graduate student stipends is $60,000 over two years for each of twelve students.

(Adapted from http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12564/nsf12564.htm)

About UMBC’s BD Program

  • Freeman Hrabowski, President –  (Principal Investigator)
  • Sundiata “Sunji” Jangha – Director of Pipeline Programs-  (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Janet Rutledge, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School –  (Co-Principal Investigator)

 

 

UMBC’s Colleges and STEM Graduate Programs for 2015-2017 BD Fellows

Engineering and Information Technology Natural and Mathematical Sciences
§  Chemical, Biochemical, Environmental Engineering

§  Electrical & Computer Engineering

§  Computer Science

§  Human-Centered Computing

§  Information Systems

§  Mechanical Engineering

§  Applied Molecular Biology

§  Applied Physics & Atmospheric Physics

§  Biological Sciences, Molecular and Cell Biology

§  Chemistry & Biochemistry

§  Applied Mathematics & Statistics

§  Neuroscience and Cognitive Science

2015 Statement:

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce through the development of highly competitive students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The goal of the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity is to increase the quantity and quality of STEM graduate students from underrepresented populations, with emphasis on Ph.D. matriculation and completion. For the U.S. to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. BD programs implemented in the nation’s institutions of higher education contribute to addressing one of the objectives in NSF’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, namely to “integrate education and research to support development of a diverse STEM workforce with cutting-edge capabilities.” The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), lead institution of PROMISE: MD’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and the University System of Maryland (USM) LSAMP, will be the host site for the 2015-2017 USM BD Program. The activities of UMBC’s program provide BD Fellows with a positive doctoral experience that includes meaningful initiatives such as professional leadership, community networking, and improved discipline-specific group and individual mentoring that have demonstrated positive impact on retention and successful graduation. Therefore, the efforts at UMBC will continue to contribute to increasing the diversity and representation in academia and the STEM workforce, thereby increasing the nation’s competitiveness.

The proposed training for the 2015-2017 cohort of BD Fellows is extensive. The academic departments at UMBC have enthusiastically embraced the BD Program and are true partners in the success of the BD Fellows who will be heavily mentored to ensure they receive strong academic and professional preparation. UMBC’s BD Fellows are provided excellent training in core competencies in their disciplines. The BD Fellows will also have the opportunity, early in their academic careers, to conduct cutting-edge research with top research scientists on campus and at national laboratories located in close proximity to UMBC. The proposed activities such as the required university-wide and state-wide research presentations, and training for participation in national and international research efforts, provide the BD Fellows with creative ways to enhance their preparation for STEM careers. Furthermore, the planned training in leadership, teaching, and mentoring will position the fellows well for future faculty positions, or other areas of the STEM workforce. The team has worked cohesively to facilitate the success of BD Fellows since 2005 and Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) students since 2003. Since the first BD cohort matriculated at UMBC in 2005, 108 BD Fellows have enrolled in STEM graduate programs at UMBC and at the University of Maryland, College Park. USM BD Fellows have earned 9 STEM Ph.Ds. and 47 master’s degrees; 63 Fellows are currently persisting in an MS or Ph.D. program (17 students in master’s programs and 46 students in doctoral programs).

(NSF Reference: http://nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1500511)