Advancing into Graduate Studies
With funding from the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program, CAHSI has initiated efforts to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who pursue and complete graduate degrees in computing areas, in particular Hispanics and women. This will be realized by the addition of nine Carnegie-classified Research Tier 1 (R1; very high research activity) HSIs to the CAHSI network, increasing the number of doctoral-granting CAHSI institutions to 13. Specifically, the goal of the CAHSI BPC Alliance Extension (BPC-AE) project is to advance a research-based framework for attracting, preparing, and supporting female students and others from underrepresented groups, in particular Hispanic students who are citizens and permanent residents, in their trajectory toward completion of graduate degrees in computing areas. The effort will: expand first- and second-year students’ research knowledge at participating CAHSI institutions through exposure to research as a career pathway; engage upper-division students in research experiences that prepare them for graduate-level research; and build graduate program infrastructure through the adoption and study of evidence-based, multi-institutional graduate support structures that lead to Hispanic students’ success in their graduate studies.
The efforts associated with the grant are:
- Efforts that provide students awareness of research through labs that have a research focus, engagement in co-curricular activities that provide exposure to research, and interactions with graduate students with whom they identify
- A local Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program through which undergraduate students work on projects aligned with research from a CAHSI research institution and supervised by a faculty member from their home institution; visit the Student and Faculty tabs for applications to the program
- Student involvement in external REU projects
- Opportunities to learn about graduate programs and interact with faculty from research institutions
- Doctoral student support structures bolstered by a network that builds students’ belonging and sense of identity, and includes professional development workshops
- Creation of a faculty network to build research collaborations, support research capacity at non-doctoral granting institutions, and provide guidance on student-support structures.
Contact: Elizabeth F. Hall, CAHSI Backbone, efhall@utep.edu
Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Undergraduate research experiences are important for building students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities in the computing field. The CAHSI Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program aims to provide students with research experiences that are critical for graduate studies. It will also support students’ engagement in impactful research projects and provide student participants the opportunity to be mentored by a CAHSI faculty member.
The project will ensure that students from diverse backgrounds and with diverse experiences will be engaged in impactful research projects. Equally important is that underserved students will receive funding that will, in part, support the continuation of their education. The proposed project will provide faculty professional development in the Affinity Research Group (ARG) model, a Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) signature and proven practice for immersing students in research. Faculty will also learn how to incorporate ARG elements into classroom pedagogical practice to improve teaching and learning. The effort will lead to a national community of faculty who are skilled at undergraduate research mentoring informed by the ARG model and who grow through their involvement with a cohort of researchers and participation in ARG interactive webinars. The proposed effort has the following objectives:
- Establish a process to select a faculty cohort of research mentors who have well-defined research project(s), including definition of intellectual merit.
- Provide a mandatory ARG workshop orientation for the faculty cohort.
- Establish a process to select students based on financial need, academic record, and references.
- Build a national community of faculty and undergraduate researchers.
- Prepare students for poster presentations by all participants.
Application Guidelines
The application process for the REU program is now open. Students with no previous research experience and junior faculty are encouraged to apply. Selected students and faculty will receive a stipend dependent on meeting the reporting requirements and progress toward the project goals.
Funding Eligibility
Faculty mentors must have a research record and be able to mentor undergraduate students with a growth mindset. Participating students and faculty will receive a stipend. The faculty stipend will be $1000 for an eight-week project.
Requirements
- Ability to serve as an REU mentor for the fall/winter semester/quarter.
- Lead weekly Affinity Research Group (ARG) workshops with your student and incorporate ARG practices into student’s research experiences.
- Provide a constructive review of deliverables (including weekly journal entries) to support the student researcher’s advancement.
- Provide guidance and clear expectations regarding the research project.
- Review and critique student’s posters for submission upon completion of the REU.
- Submit mid-term and final reports (guidelines will be provided).
Selection Criteria
Selection will depend on the alignment of your research area with CAHSI PhD-granting programs and the availability of qualified student(s) with interest in that research area. Junior faculty are strongly encouraged to apply.
Submission Instructions
Applications will be submitted online. Click the Application Form button below to begin your application.
Funding Eligibility
The eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Must be an undergraduate student who has completed coursework beyond Data Structures with a minimum GPA of 2.8 (students with a lower GPA can write a short paragraph describing extenuating circumstances)
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Must be enrolled in a computing program at a CAHSI institution
- Must not be employed for more than 10 hours per week in any other position
- Preference will be given to students from groups underrepresented in computing (African Americans/Blacks, Hispanics/Latinx, Native Americans/ Alaskan Natives, females)
Expectations and Requirements
- Available for research work each week during the spring semester/quarter and/or fall semester/quarter
- Attend weekly meetings with your assigned faculty mentor
- Engage in professional development activities promoted by CAHSI and faculty mentor
- Make weekly entries into your CAHSI Local REU Research Journal
- Prepare a research poster for publication on CAHSI’s website at the end of the REU
Required Application Materials
- Completed Application Form
- Professional Résumé
- Personal Statement
- Research Statement
- Needs Statement
- Unofficial Transcript
Submission Instructions
Applications will be submitted online. Please note you will need to download the Student Statements form file and upload the completed form in the designated Student Statements area. Click the Application Form button below to begin your application.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant HRD-1834620 and No. 1551221. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.