ABSTRACT

To continue to remain competitive in the global economy, the U.S. must utilize its diverse talents to advance scientific knowledge and technological innovation. This project aims to increase the diversity of STEM researchers and professoriate. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) will continue the Lighting the Pathway (LTP) program, started in August 2014, to increase the representation of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in STEM faculty positions at colleges and universities across the country. The LTP program provides mentorship, professional development, community, and network-building opportunities year-round, both in-person and virtually, to facilitate LTP students successfully completing their degrees, advancing to the next academic stage, and persisting along the STEM academic career path. Planned activities will reinforce Native cultural identity, leverage existing resources, and create a network of Native STEM scholars and faculty. The LTP program helps scholars to overcome feelings of isolation both socially and culturally by connecting them with Native peers and mentors and with their broader STEM community. An evaluation component will be used to understand which critical elements of the LTP program are most effective in retaining students in STEM. The evaluation will assess the impact of the program on scholar persistence in STEM. Knowledge gained from this evaluation can inform the design of training programs for other underrepresented groups.

The project will recruit Native undergraduate, graduate and postdoc students whose major field of study is in the biosciences, engineering and/or geosciences. Over the course of 5 years, AISES will recruit a total of 72 students with interest in a career in academia. Each cohort group of 18 students will engage in the program for a period of two years, with possibility of staying in the program for continued mentoring and career guidance. Each LTP student will be matched with a senior faculty mentor, who will provide guidance in the student's academic endeavors and help in navigating the STEM career path. LTP participants will be encouraged to present their research work at a relevant scientific conference in their field of study. Students and mentors will also attend the AISES National Conference with a specific day dedicated to faculty career development. Additionally, the LTP students will receive professional development and coaching through webinars, assistance with applying for fellowship, and other activities relevant to success in a STEM career. The program will assist undergraduate participants in securing research experiences, provide training in leadership and other professional skills that will help them advance to the next academic level. These findings will serve as a guide for future, expanded-scale projects and will also inform application to other underrepresented groups.

This project is supported by the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Engineering (ENG) and Geosciences (GEO).

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.

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