Transcript Document
NSF Center for Biophotonics Science & Technology
(CBST)
Creating Positive Interactions
Between URG’s and STC’s
Marco Molinaro, Ph.D.
And all class of 2000 and 2002 Education and Diversity
Directors
STC Broadening Participation Meeting San Francisco
March 2007
http://cbst.ucdavis.edu
Work supported by the National Science Foundation
Cooperative Agreement No. PHY-0120999
CBST Education
Outline for Session
Systematically Improve STC - URG connections
Overview of STC/URG project (Oct 2004 - now)
Big Picture: Models Tried and Lessons Learned
Outreach/Recruitment projects
Faculty Development
Course Development and Experimentation
In-Depth Examples
Keith Oden - STC-GEM partnership, NSU PhD program, HOFT2
Kyle Frantz - Summer Undergraduate Research Study
Noureddine Melikechi - Faculty/Student exchange
Hands-On FutureTech 1 and 2
Best Practices/Lessons Learned/Recommendations
CBST Supplement to Enhance STC Interactions With
Under-represented Groups
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
WHAT: A one time CBST-led STC-wide competitive program to enhance
the interactions among under-represented groups and STC’s. Very quick
turnaround encouraging entrepreneurial approach.
WHO IMPACTED: All 11 STC’s (2000/2002) participated; 9 proposals
including 10 centers received over $885k. 3 proposals were multi-STC
collaborations.
NOTE: Proposals reviewed (F’04) by an external review committee
composed entirely of URG faculty from community college to Ph.D.
granting institutions.
CBST Supplement to Enhance STC Interactions With
Under-represented Groups
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
FUNDED ACTIVITIES
Inquiry-based training for graduate students to create hands-on workshops to
recruit students with emphasis on URG [CfAO/CBST] $42.6k
URG student/Faculty development at DSU (Delaware State) [CBST] $81k
STC GEM partnership to expand pipeline - STC focused GEM fellowships
[MDITR, NCED, CISM, CBST, NBTC, SAHRA, WaterCAMPWS] $100k
Outreach and research experiences at Clark Atlanta and Howard Universities
[NBTC] $167.1k
Hands-on workshop featuring the latest technologies from 4 STC’s. Over half
URG participants to attend [CBST, NBTC, CENS, MDITR] $96.3k
Structured research experience versus traditional REU experience - focus on
women [CBN] $149.7k
REU plus joint activities with NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers)
[NBTC] $122.9k
Community College Curriculum Development [CfAO] $40.5k
New PhD development at Norfolk State [MDITR] $47.9k
Student Recruitment and Outreach - Models Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Small, all day inquiry workshop (Saturday Open Lab) $/student,
small numbers (<10), focused
Graduate students learned inquiry techniques
Several URG students as interns and/or applying for graduate school
Larger, Interactive Conference (Hands-On Future Tech Conference
1,2) $$/student, larger numbers (60-120), broad net
Several students interested in internships, attending STC institutions
Second time (Nov’06) easier, much less expensive, held at NSU (HBCU)
Partnering with existing conferences/advocacy organizations for
exposure/recruiting low cost, broad net
4000 attended NBTC talk at NSBE, 65 applied for 15 summer internship
positions
Partnering with existing Fellowship Program (GEM), $$$$/student,
long time investment
4 new GEM-STC supported graduate students at STCs
Matchmaker database - encourage faculty participation in student
recruitment
Student Recruitment and Outreach - Summary
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Solid administrative and staff support critical to success
Need longitudinal evaluation structure to monitor impact beyond initial STC
contact
Project catalyzed strong relationships between multiple STC’s leading to
continued cooperation (SOL, HOFT 2)
Evaluator’s Comments
Regional recruiting proved valuable according to students [SOL, HOFT]. A
strong facilitator, consistent, regular communication about available
opportunities and interaction with role models is essential.
Establishing regional STC recruiting networks used across multiple years
will increase impact and sustainability while reducing long-term recruiting cost.
NBTC’s presentation at NSBE national conference and partnerships with New
York State NSBE chapters provides a positive model for low-cost, broad
spectrum marketing of STCs. The strategy could be easily extended to other
S&E professional organizations.
Faculty Development/Research Connections - Models Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Shared Equipment/Resources
CAU utilized videoconferencing equipment to attend events, including regular
seminars, with NBTC partners
CAU made AFM available via the internet and working on sharing more
equipment (valuable for equipment poor HBCU’s)
Faculty - Student Education Conference
CBN brought 94 researchers, students and community members together for a
Best Practices in Science Education conference looking at active teaching and
learning, and diversity issues.
Faculty Visits and Research Collaborations
CAU and Howard with NBTC
Enhanced prior relationships with CAU faculty visits to Cornell starting 3 new
projects, sharing equipment and students, sharing a seminar via
videoconferencing
DSU with CBST
Mini sabbatical spawned several combined research projects, student participation
and winning of 2 grants (NIH and DoD investigator grants at DSU)
Faculty Development and Research Connections - Summary
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Developing meaningful relationships critical and time intensive. Can lead to:
Equipment and expertise sharing - bi-directional
Access to Online resources of larger universities
Broader perspective on URG and HBCU issues
Joint project development
URG institution faculty eager to collaborate and connect students
Issues: Many students interested in research not URG, poor access to journals, some
URG students do not want to travel too far or often take summer courses, HBCU
resources limited
Evaluator’s Comments
Sustainable partnerships between researchers at STCs and HBCUs require clear value
for, or commitment from the participating STC.
When properly planned and evaluated, sabbaticals at STCs and partnerships between
STCs and HBCUs have value. The chance to work and study in the rich environment of
an STC proved empowering for the students, established a teaching lab at HBCU and led
to additional external research funding at DSU.
The NBTC partnership with researchers and faculty at Howard and Clark Atlanta offers
a positive model for similar partnerships between STCs and other HBCUs.
CONNECT RESEARCHERS!!
Program/Model Projects Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Community College Course Development
Course developed at Maui Community College (CfAO) from a faculty
buyout and close collaborations with CfAO research and education staff
Funding faculty release time critical at Maui Community College.
Summer Research Educational Experiment
CBN Research project to compare REU methodologies (publication in Cell
Biology Education) - Georgia State added $30k for 5 year study of
participants. Raised awareness of educational and diversity issues in
science.
Helping Develop a New Program
MDITR expertise helped develop interdisciplinary PhD program at NSU
aimed at needs of industry and federal labs
Modest funding effectively leveraged the resources and practices of
tier-one universities for the benefit of HBCU’s.
Evaluator’s Final Statement…Spring 2006
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
“Together the nine projects directly served over 250
undergraduates and 40 graduate students, the majority
of whom are from URGs (including women). Faculty
development programs served 15 faculty members from
HBCUs. Up to 4,000 people, mainly from URGs, were
made aware of STC research through national and
regional conferences. “
EDU, Inc. External Evaluation Report
Since… several hundred more have been directly served through HOFT2,
GEM recruitment, and other avenues begun through the URG-STC
initiative
Keith Oden
STC-GEM partnership
NSU PhD program
HOFT2
Kyle Frantz
Summer
Undergraduate
Research Study
Faculty Development DSU with CBST
Faculty Development - DSU with CBST
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Student Summer Internships
New, external research and educational opportunities. “My students not only learned a
great deal about a new field (biophotonics) but also gained valuable research experience
as they were involved in their projects on a daily basis.”
Student interns from varied institutions. “…generated… a sense of belonging to a
community of scientists… important point because it tends … to “help” students from
small institutions, such as ours, to engage in graduate programs in sciences.”
For success need continuity in research experience. “It is important that
students continue their research (or engage in another project) at their own
institutions. Faculty receiving and providing the students need to collaborate on a
research project.
Limitations from my perspective:
Faculty members at major institutions are very busy with their own projects and therefore
it is difficult to collaborate with them.
We do not have the resources to contribute fully to a particular project (which often
explains the difficulty forming fruitful collaborations.)
Difficulties in using funds (URG grant funds) for research.”
Words of Noureddine Melikechi, DSU
Faculty Development - DSU with CBST
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Indirect and unexpected benefit - NEW PROJECT:
“While at CBST, I met Dr. Doug Taylor and discussed with him what we were
doing in my lab. We are currently working together on a project to analyze sera
samples.”
Timing
$$ approved in December but not available until late spring. “By that time,
students whom I thought were committed to spend a summer at CBST were no
longer available. This applies to me too.”
Suggestion:
Need access to journals at my institution. “I think that CBST (and others)
can help us tremendously by allowing us (as collaborators) to have electronic
access to UC Davis library.”
In conclusion
“I am very happy to have started the collaboration between DSU and UC
Davis. This interaction not only helped our students but also will help us –as an
institution- grow. The URG project provided an opportunity for us to meet
CBST scientists, administrators and others.”
Words of Noureddine Melikechi, DSU
HANDS-ON FUTURE
TECH CONFERENCES
Hand-on FutureTech Conference 1 - at UCLA
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
RECRUITMENT
105 Attendees (1 (CBST) , 6 (MDITR) applied for Internship), NBTC and CENS
(data unavailable) - 75 undergraduate students
KEY SURVEY RESULTS (66/74 responses):
Interested in summer internship 4.1/5
Conf. helped me learn about STC research opportunities 4.56/5
Increased interest in pursuing science 4.42/5
All sessions rated from 3.3-4.7/5 - higher the more hands-on
Key factors for grad school - $ aid (4.77), mentoring (4.29), reputation (4.21),
community (3.95), environment (3.68), majority URG (3.09), family proximity 2.76
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Role
Ethnicity
faculty
African-American
GRAD
recruiter
STC staff
UGRAD
Grand Total
43
44
1
2
4
3
7
13
1
14
16
1
Asian-American
1
Caucasian
2
Chicano/Latino
1
Native-American
1
2
3
Pacific Islander
1
1
2
undeclared
8
5
1
3
6
23
14
7
1
8
74
105
Grand Total
1
(43F)
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Hand-on FutureTech Conference 2 - at NSU
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
RECRUITMENT
325 applicants online (18 applied for CBST internship, 6 local)
144 attendees (11 applied for internship CBST, 6 local, 4 applied for MDITR),
PREM and CENS (data unavailable)
Missing data on 59 applicants who came last minute and did not register online difficult to get data from multi center situation
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KEY SURVEY RESULTS (72/101 responses)
Interested in summer internship 4.5/5
Conf. helped me learn about STC research opportunities 4.76/5
Increased interest in pursuing science 4.56/5
All sessions rated from 2.97-3.77/4 - higher the more hands-on
Key factors for grad school - $ aid (3.76), mentoring (3.58), community (3.23),
reputation (3.17), environment (2.79), majority URG (2.49), family proximity 2.18)
ETHNICITY
Af rican-American
Asian
Chicano/Latino
Nativ e-American,
Alaskan, Hawaiian
Other (please specif y )
Pacif ic Islander
(blank)
Caucasian
Grand Total
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Ed level:
Faculty GS Other Post Doc Staf f Student UG y r1/2 UG y r3 UG y r4 Grand Total
5
2
1
16
21
17
62
2
1
3
1
2
1
2
3
9
2
1
12
1
14
1
1
1
7
3
1
11
1
17
1
28
3
1
2
3
28
26
27
1
4
20
4
1
59
2
144
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LESSONS LEARNED
&
RECOMMENDATIONS
Student Recruitment and Outreach - Best Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
COORDINATION
Staff “champion” project administrator (not student or junior faculty) helps program's success and
continuity.
Create a consistent, frequent communication network with targeted MSIs and URG-related
associations.
Seek alliances with MSIs (e.g., GEM, HBCUs).
MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT
Start at least 6 to 8 weeks before event.
Use professional, competitive-style application process (“exclusive”).
Emphasize limited enrollment and early sign-up improves your chances.
Face-to-face, in-person recruitment most effective - makes student feel wanted (esp. by faculty)
Target students and professional staff at MSIs and URG-related associations and conferences
(SACNAS, AISES, NSBP, NSBE, …) and try to get high profile exposure.
Faculty/mentor participation improves match between prospective students and program.
Provide financial aid and incentives such as travel vouchers, stipends, and housing allowance.
Establish regional networks that can last over time
Schedule “social” time during events and activities for informal interaction with
graduate students, scientists, other role models, and peers.
Research Connections/Faculty Development - Best Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
VALUE TO PARTNERSHIP
Clear value for partners critical. Sustainable partnerships require
mutual benefit.
A high-level program leader needed at events and activities to
demonstrate leadership buy-in, commitment, and support.
NSF funding can attract new funding from another source or lead to
new proposals.
STC faculty and researchers need to understand HBCU culture and
constraints.
Program Development - Best Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Detailed URG recruitment strategy and specific activities part of overall
program design and timetable
Training and professional development for mentors/researchers will
increase program managers’ control over the curriculum and students’
experiences.
A key, high-level staff person should keep track of
faculty/researcher/mentors' commitments to participate in funded programs.
EVALUATION: Use program surveys (pre-, mid- and post-program) to capture
participants' changes in attitudes and career plans. Ask for summative paper
and try to track over several years.
Use role models (e.g., URG scientists, women in technology, faculty and other
professionals, graduate students) to engage URG students.
Invite program participants to conferences as a way to provide sustained
interaction between students, faculty members, and working professionals.
Provide opportunities to present their work (poster, talk, …)
Use repeated, expected events (weekly workshop, …) to build a sense of
cohesiveness and camaraderie).
Any successful program design, curriculum, or concept should have
transferable elements.
Program Development - Best Practices 2
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
When developing curricula, the involvement of local advisors and
connections with local community leaders and elders ensures
culturally relevant programs.
Providing HBCUs with access to the expertise, resources, and
experiences of tier-one research universities is a powerful catalyst to
develop innovative science and engineering degree programs.
STCs can quickly transfer to HBCUs practices commonly used at
tier-one universities (videoconferencing, collaboratively taught
courses, and access to electronic journals and databases.)
MDITR’s partnership between U. Washington and NSU created a justin-time interdisciplinary Ph.D. program aimed at needs of industry
and federal labs. Modest funding effectively leveraged the resources
and practices of tier-one universities for the benefit of HBCU’s
HBCU Constraints/Best Practices for Engagement
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
In general, HBCUs facilities and resources don’t match STCs.
Many HBCUs without access to online academic resources.
There can be a real “wow” factor for HBCU students who are able to
visit and work at an STC facility - can leave a long-lasting impression.
Minimize overlap between program activities and students schedules
at HBCU’s.
Provide academic credit to students participating in experiential
programs. Lack of academic credit can mean lack of incentive.
Faculty release time encourages and enables participation.
Top HBCU administrator involvement essential to build internal support
for new programs.
Other General Lessons From the Field
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions
Regional Focus critical, helps sustainability, beware of too wide a net.
Can create “nodes”
Be aware of biases/difficulties/cultural norms when recruiting folks to
move away (South East to CA, Reservation populations, …)
Relationships take multiple years to be forged, proven and trusted
Stereotype/diversity/cultural sensitivity training for all participants
Focus on what makes you unique!
Make examples, activities, research hands-on and relevant to students.
Start collecting participant data NOW! Will help you see progress
and synergies between programs as you progress - helps you make
good decisions, follow-up with critical interventions, and with future
funding
Think about the paths through your program - focus on
ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY, CONTINUITY - provide in your program
or seek partners that can help
Learn to recognize what makes sense, trust your judgment but don’t
always believe what you think!
THANK YOU for your attention!