Louis Stokes Renewal STEM Pathways and Research Alliance: PNW LSAMP STEM Pathways & Research Alliance

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to diversify the STEM workforce. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences in support of populations underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. These strategies facilitate the production of well-prepared students highly qualified and motivated to pursue graduate education or careers in STEM.For the United States to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. The Pacific Northwest LSAMP STEM Pathways & Research Alliance has formed an alliance in response to the need for a more diverse and skilled technical workforce. That need still exists and is particularly acute in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The institutions that make up the Alliance are diverse and include Oregon State University (the lead institution), Boise State University, Portland State University, the University of Washington, Washington State University, the College of Western Idaho, Linn-Benton Community College, Seattle Central College, Yakima Valley College, and Portland Community College. Through this project, the Alliance will implement activities to increase both the number of underrepresented minority students graduating with STEM degrees, and the percentage of student participants who are prepared to pursue a STEM career pathway in industry or graduate school. In addition, the Alliance will expand its focus on STEM career pathway planning. This increased focus on STEM career pathways will include professional development, faculty mentorship, opportunities to participate in project operations and peer mentoring to other STEM students. PNW LSAMP will also conduct a multi-year mixed methods research study to examine the landscape of STEM-focused diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at universities that are part of the Alliance. The research will contribute to a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms that drive successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including how funding allocation and institutional support play crucial roles in shaping and sustaining these efforts. The PNW LSAMP team is also committed to disseminating lessons learned through practice and research to audiences within the region and nationwide, supporting the National Science Foundation's strategic goal to "empower STEM talent to fully participate in science and engineering" by improving conditions for minoritized students in STEM and helping build a diverse and excellent STEM workforce.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.