Advancing Innovation in Master of Science and Engineering Scholars Career Development

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at University of Texas at Dallas. A total of 30 scholars pursuing Master of Science degrees in Actuarial Science, Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical Sciences, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Biotechnology, Data Science and Statistics, Geosciences, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering will receive scholarships averaging $20,000 per year for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty mentoring, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through cohort-based career development activities and project-based learning experiences. Additional activities for scholars include student-to-student engagement opportunities. The overall goal of this Track 2 Scholarships in STEM project is to increase STEM degree completion of academically talented, low-income graduate students with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the STEM workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting STEM student success, which will strengthen the workforce in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator who will investigate barriers associated with the attainment of a master's degree in STEM, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income students in STEM. This project is funded by NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. 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.