Math and Physical Science Scholarship Program

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 the University of California, Berkeley. A total of 32 scholars pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees in Astrophysics, Physics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Earth Science, Geology, Geophysics, Marine Science, and Planetary Science will receive scholarships averaging $11,200 per year for up to five years. Scholars will receive mentoring from faculty, graduate students, peers, and alumni, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through orientation events and resources for new students, events focused on skill-building for academic and career advancement, and participation in research and internship opportunities. Additional activities for scholars include career seminars, coaching, and leadership training to develop students' skills and professional networks. The overall goal of this Track 2 Scholarships in STEM project is to increase STEM degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates 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 software development, data science, cybersecurity, actuarial science, nuclear energy, and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator who will examine participant outcomes, including retention, graduation, academic performance, and preparation for graduate study and STEM careers, while also tracking changes in students' self-efficacy, disciplinary identity, and career aspirations and outcomes. 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.