About LSAMP BD

The University System of Maryland Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (USM LSAMP)

program is a partnership between the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UMES), and Towson University.

STEM students across the Alliance are provided the opportunity to engage in academic and professional development programming across campuses, secure funded research opportunities, and attend national and international conferences.

The LSAMP BD Program at UMBC is funded through an award from the National Science Foundation (Award #2404879). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

About UMBC’s BD Program

• Manfred H. M. van Dulmen, Provost –  (Principal Investigator)
• Sundiata “sunji” Jangha – Director of Pipeline Programs-  (Co-Principal Investigator)
• Jeff Halverson, Acting Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School –  (Co-Principal Investigator)

 

UMBC’s Colleges and STEM Graduate Programs for Potential BD Fellows

 

PROMISE @ UMBC

Building on a legacy of more than 20 years, PROMISE events are organized with minoritized scholars in mind – with input from students from underrepresented backgrounds in content and design,  PROMISE events build academic skills, social supports, and career networks. While there is intention in ensuring PROMISE events meet the needs of scholars from minoritized backgrounds, they are open to all graduate students and postdocs and PROMISE whole-heartedly welcomes participants from all backgrounds and disciplines. PROMISE at UMBC is a part of a PROMISE network across the University System of Maryland and hopes to provide a community of learning and support from the day you arrive on campus to the proud day you depart for your next career stage.

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: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/lsamp-louis-stokes-alliances-minority-participation/nsf24-563/solicitation)

 

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 $64,000 over two years for each of twelve students.

(Adapted from https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/solicitations/pubs/2020/nsf20590/nsf20590.pdf?VersionId=PYHN5i2Iz__aDakP5FxoE260LBLWFBCr)