University of Texas at El Paso
PA-7: Support for Future Faculty Diversity

1. RISE Option III: Research Scholars Program (Year 2 of 5)

Goal of this program:
The goal of the RISE Program is to increase the number of students from under-represented groups in biomedical research who enroll and successfully complete a Ph.D. degree in a Biomedical field.

Funding agencies:
NIH - NATL INST OF GEN MEDICAL SCIENCES (FED) -SPN01233

Amount (total and/or per student):
9 Ph.D. Graduate Students, $16,500/yr
15 UG students, 51 weeks @ $10/hr – 15 hrs a week

Number of positions available: 44 (0 open)

Who will benefit:
Student trainees will benefit from mentoring and research training activities associated with the program. Faculty will benefit by having well trained and committed trainees in their research projects.

2. The University of Texas System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation

Goal of this program:
The primary goal of the University of Texas System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (UT System LSAMP) is to increase the quantity and quality of underrepresented minority (URM) students who pursue and earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM).

Funding agencies:
National Science Foundation (NSF)

Amount (total and/or per student):
$1,660,918 total
Number of positions available:
5 per academic year

Who will benefit:
Underrepresented minority (URM) students who pursue and earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM

3. UTEP-UCSB PREM: Fundamental Molecular and Interfacial Design for Next Generation Photovoltaic Systems

Goal of this program:
The proposed projects will create new and active synergistic collaborations that will address fundamental molecular and materials science aspects of organic and inorganic photovoltaic systems, with a goal of understanding basic aspects of intramolecular and intermolecular charge transfer and their relationship with chemical structure and composition. A central goal is to enhance the educational experience and the number of URM participants at all academic levels, especially at the BS and PhD, as a result of the strong collaboration between UTEP and UCSB.

Funding agencies:
NSF - DMR

Amount (total and/or per student):
$3.3M/5 years

Number of positions available:
Seven graduate students or equivalent (undergraduates)

Who will benefit:
Underrepresented minorities, US citizens

Summer Research Experience (Provost’s Office)

Goal of this program:
Provost’s Office provided funding for 47 UTEP students to engage in on campus research projects through the Summer Research Experience (SRE). These students were supervised by 33 faculty members who submitted successful proposals to the Provost’s Office to fund these students. All 33 faculty who received funding for student research assistants completed an end of summer evaluation that asked about what activities they engaged in with the students, how these activities helped students develop their research skills, and how the SRE aided faculty in furthering their own research goals.

Funding agencies:
Provost’s Office

Amount (total and/or per student):
N/A

Number of positions available:
47 (as of 2013)

Who will benefit:
UG and graduate students of UTEP

5. SMART MIND (Summer Mentoring and Research Training - Methods in Neuroscience of Drug-Addiction)

Goal of this program:
Enriching the science education and research training of 8 undergraduate students and 2 high school teacher-student teams with a specific focus on the neuroscience of drug-addiction.

Funding agencies:
NIH-National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH-NIDA)

Amount (total and/or per student):
$504,155 for 5 years (5/1/2012 to 4/30/2017)

Number of positions available:
8 UG and 2 HS teacher/student teams per summer

Who will benefit:
Students get trained, faculty advance their research agendas, teachers connect new research knowledge with their teaching materials

6. STEM Research-Teaching Integration (STEM RTI)

Goal of this program:
To enhance undergraduate student participation and success rates in STEM disciplines by training the student in research and active-learning teaching activities. Students participate in mentored research projects and use the results to design a lecture or laboratory module based on evidence-based active learning strategies. The module is presented by the undergraduate fellow in one of the courses taught by the mentor. Student training in active learning strategies is done in collaboration with CETAL

Funding agencies:
NSF

Amount (total and/or per student):
$199,482 for 2 years (5/1/2012 to 12/1/2014)

Number of positions available:
4 per year

Who will benefit:
Undergraduate RTI fellows get trained in research and teaching; faculty mentors advance their research agenda and learn indirectly about active learning strategies; students taking the course that RTI fellows teach.

7. Student Mentoring to Achieve Retention - Triads in Science
(SMARTS)

Goal of this program:
To use an innovative approach that involves the formation of mentoring teams consisting of one faculty member, one graduate student and one undergraduate student (junior or senior level), the mentoring triad, to encourage more underrepresented and underprivileged students to persist as science majors, complete their degrees in a timely manner, enhance their interest in pursuing advanced degrees, and provide them with the tools necessary to become skilled scientists and educators.

Funding agencies:
NSF

Amount (total and/or per student):
$578,162 for 4 years (9/1/2012 to 8/3/2016)

Number of positions available:
8 undergraduates and 8 graduate students in years 1-3 and undergraduates and 4 graduates in year 4

Who will benefit:
undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty mentors

8. COURI Research Award

Goal of this program:
To increase undergraduate student participation in internal research opportunities during the academic year and the summer. To increase retention in corresponding major. To provide participant with professional development skills via structured workshops.

Funding agencies:
Internal budget (COURI and VPSA)

Amount (total and/or per student):
Approximately $4,000 per semester per student

Number of positions available:
Approximately 40

Who will benefit:
Undergraduate students and their faculty mentors

9. Summer Undergraduate Mentoring Experience (SURME for international students)

Goal of this program:
To increase international undergraduate student participation in research opportunities during the academic the summer. To increase retention in corresponding major. To provide participant with professional development skills via structured workshops.

Funding agencies:
Two institutions in China (Beijing Normal University and Shantou University)

Amount (total and/or per student):
Approximately $5,500 per student

Number of positions available:
Varies, but average is 12

Who will benefit:
International undergraduate students and faculty mentors at UTEP.