RCN-UBE Incubator: An Interdisciplinary Network in Hawai'i to Develop, Support, and Assess Pathways into STEM Through Research Experiences in Marine Science (REMS)

The purpose of the Research Experiences in Marine Science (REMS) Research Coordination Network incubator project is to build and strengthen science pathways through the development of cumulative, culturally responsive, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in marine science in Hawai‘i. This project will coordinate an interdisciplinary gathering of communities that seek to empower students from groups historically excluded from STEM in Hawai‘i, with particular focus on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. University of Hawai'i (Hawai'i) students, and in particular Native Hawaiian students, face high rates of attrition and low representation in STEM academic and career pathways, but place-based research experiences that are culturally grounded, relevant, responsible, and sustainable may promote persistence. This network seeks to foster a culturally and professionally diverse community of marine science researchers and educators by conducting workshops to facilitate knowledge exchanges among network partners and outline network needs and creating and piloting novel modules for a marine science CURE. The network activities will center around the REMS Summer Program, a place-based CURE designed to support Hawaiʻi students (including high representation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students) as they transition into undergraduate STEM pathways. Professional development workshops that highlight place-based practices, laulima (community work/service) days at community partner sites, and a student research symposium hosted during the REMS program will be used to promote equitable and reciprocal relationships amongst network participants and REMS community partners. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange/finalreport/). 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.