Doing What Works: Enrolling, Retaining, and Graduating Women and Minorities in STEM

By Laura Wagner

Women and minorities continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. UHD’s Scholars Academy is working to change that. The Academy was awarded a Department of Education Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) grant for $249,000 over three years—the fifth MSEIP grant UHD and the Academy have received over the course of 14 years. Titled “UHD Boosting STEM Student Success in Computer Science/Data Science/Mathematics Through Robotics-Neural Networks-Big Data-Human Computer Interface (HCI)-Machine Learning,” the project aims to increase enrollment in the four-year undergraduate college experience through “interactive and intentional support systems.” Key student stakeholders include first-time-incollege freshmen and transfer community college students majoring in STEM subjects, with an additional focus on increasing women majoring in these areas.

Mentored research, which is conducted in the lab or on the computer under the close guidance of doctoral faculty, is a