| NSF Org: |
EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 2, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 23, 2021 |
| Award Number: | 1906146 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Leroy Jones II
ljones@nsf.gov (703)292-4684 EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,075,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,075,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1400 J R LYNCH ST JACKSON MS US 39217-0002 (601)979-2008 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1400 John R Lynch Street Jackson MS US 39217-0002 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
Alliances-Minority Participat., EPSCoR Co-Funding |
| Primary Program Source: |
04001920DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
Bridge to the Doctorate: Mississippi-LSAMP, Cohort 15
The Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) program is a program that is committed and determined to aggressively answer the call for increasing the number of underrepresented minority PhD recipients in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The continued success of our LSMAMP-BD program is based upon the premise that the provision of adequate financial support for participants throughout their MS degree matriculation and purposeful mentoring will increase the likelihood that the BD Fellows will bridge to and complete doctoral studies. Funding for Cohort Fifteen (15) will provide the necessary resources to support an additional 12 BD Fellows to bridge to their STEM PhD program. The vision of the LSMAMP-BD program is to train BD Fellows who go beyond just gathering information and knowledge to applying that knowledge in innovative ways and contributing to the diversity of culture and ideas necessary for making innovative discoveries.
The Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP), led by Jackson State University (JSU), will support Cohort 15 of the Bridge to the Doctorate. The goal of the LSMAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) program focuses on increasing the quality and quantity of underrepresented minorities (URM) earning MS degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and bridging to PhD programs to pursue and earn PhDs in a STEM discipline. This goal is consistent with the vision of NSF. These students ultimately enter the workforce and contribute to the growth of the US economy. The LSMAMP-BD is privileged to make significant contributions in assisting the NSF in its goals of creating an inclusive workforce which is diverse in talent, skills, and in experience. This has been accomplished through the creation and utilization of a comprehensive program that develops a Cohort of BD Fellows to not only complete their MS degree requirements, but also the PhD. Furthermore, through the continual use of our "best practices" and "lessons learned," our BD program takes advantage of a two-pronged approach that combines rigorous training in the laboratory with compassionate and firm mentoring from research advisors and the BD Program's Principal Investigator and Director. Also, mentoring from invited experts, seminars, speaker series, journal club, and participation in scientific conferences contribute to the effectiveness and graduation of our students. Faculty who mentor our BD Fellows have external funding and they are actively engaged in research activities that boosts our student's readiness for PhD programs. Equally, our students are exposed to soft skills such as scientific writing, public speaking, creativity, innovation, determination, patience, confidence, focus, and adaptability. These qualities are more complex and challenging to quantify and develop in a laboratory or an environment that may not be inclusive. The LSMAMP-BD Program specializes in developing the "hard" and "soft" skills of our BD Fellows and at the same time takes advantage of the cohort concept of student engagement and development by creating a climate of community for all participants.
This project is jointly funded by the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
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.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Mississippi Alliance Bridge to the Doctorate
Cohort 15 Program Background
The 12 members of cohort 15 had undergraduate majors in different STEM disciplines. The Bridge to Doctoral Program (BD) at Jackson State University has evolved into a model program under the collaborative leadership of dedicated team members. The program has established activities for the transition of eligible students to reach enabling milestones and prepare them for admission and successful graduation at research-intensive institutions. First and foremost, the program has established a robust approach to disseminating information about the Bridge to the Doctorate (BD). A clear and concise brochure has been developed and distributed among all departments with potential graduating seniors applying to the program. Jackson State University has highly qualified research faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to provide research mentorship opportunities for the students in the BD program. A strong orientation program is established to facilitate students' transition to graduate-level academic work and learning about the expectations and demands of the BD program. The student assessment process is transparent and continuous. Each student's academic progress is evaluated twice each semester: at the midterm and the end of the semester. The student educational progress assessment is implemented rigorously and effectively. The leadership team reviews the students who are not performing well, and appropriate interventions are recommended and implemented. In addition, a well-developed educational alert system is in place. The students and their mentors are informed regularly about the ground for dismissal from the program at any time under the following conditions:
Cohort 15 Engagement Activities
The students have had access to advisors and mentors. The leadership team regularly inquire about the mentee and mentor interaction
Table 1: Assessment of Students by Mentors across Cohorts
Statements Rating*
Enthusiasm for Research 98
Punctuality in attending to lab activities 96
The rate of attendance in the lab 95
Level of ability to communicate research findings 100
Upkeep of research notebook 100
Accuracy/attention to detail 92
Dependability in the lab 95
Knowledge of advanced techniques 90
Takes their duties seriously 98
Organized in handling lab equipment 90
Ability to follow lab instructions 95
Working as a team player 100
Knowledge of the ethics of conducting research 90
Performs above the minimum requirements 100
*Percent rating good or excellent
All students participated in the summer research Internship, including some in the international research environment. They presented their research results at local, regional, and national professional meetings to their peers and research faculty from different institutions. The last activity is the essential pathway of socialization into the profession, and it expands networking and communication with peers and faculty from other institutions.
The students in cohort 15 benefitted from the exposure to role models and advanced researchers through the lecture series. The students reported enthusiastically about the scientific presentations and were encouraged through interaction with the presenters from diverse institutions and backgrounds.
Overall outcomes: Retention (100 %)
Cohort 15 has perfect retention. All students in cohort 15 completed their Master's program.
Grade Point Average 3:6
The participating students in cohort 15 completed their Master's degree with an average GPA of 3.6.
Summer Internships (100 %)
Despite interruption from the pandemic, members of cohort 15 completed their summer research internship, and some were able to attend international research activities.
Presentations at the Professional Meetings: The participating students reported an average of 2.5 presentations.
Graduation and Bridge to Doctoral Program
The goal of the BD program is speedy graduation and entering doctoral programs. Among cohort 15, 92 % (11) were admitted to doctoral programs. One student joined the STEM workforce at Nissan Company.
Current distribution of students Table 2
Table 2: Trajectory of Members of Cohort 15 Toward Doctoral Degree Attainment
Retention of members of cohort 15 100 % (12)
Completion of Master's Degree 100 % (12)
Doctoral Program Placement 92 % (11)
Doctoral Institutions Distribution
American University 1
Jackson State University 4
Mercer University 1
Tufts University 1
The University of Illinois at Chicago 1
University of North Carolina 1
Wayne State University 1
William Cary 1
Transition to Industry
Working (Nissan Company) 1
Last Modified: 10/21/2022
Modified by: Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe
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