NSF Center for Biophotonics Science

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NSF Center for Biophotonics Science
Technology (CBST) Creating Positive Interactions
Between URGs and STCs Marco Molinaro,
Ph.D. And all class of 2000 and 2002 Education
and Diversity Directors STC Broadening
Participation Meeting San Francisco March 2007
INFRASTRUCTURE DISCOVERY
EDUCATION
http//cbst.ucdavis.edu
Work supported by the National Science
Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. PHY-0120999
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CBST Education
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Outline for Session
Systematically Improve STC - URG connections

• Overview of STC/URG project (Oct 2004 - now)
• Big Picture Models Tried and Lessons Learned
• Outreach/Recruitment projects
• Faculty Development
• Course Development and Experimentation
• In-Depth Examples
• Keith Oden - STC-GEM partnership, NSU PhD
  program, HOFT2
• Kyle Frantz - Summer Undergraduate Research Study
• Noureddine Melikechi - Faculty/Student exchange
• Hands-On FutureTech 1 and 2
• Best Practices/Lessons Learned/Recommendations

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CBST Supplement to Enhance STC Interactions With
Under-represented Groups
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• WHAT A one time CBST-led STC-wide competitive
  program to enhance the interactions among
  under-represented groups and STCs. Very quick
  turnaround encouraging entrepreneurial approach.
• WHO IMPACTED All 11 STCs (2000/2002)
  participated 9 proposals including 10 centers
  received over 885k. 3 proposals were multi-STC
  collaborations.
• NOTE Proposals reviewed (F04) by an external
  review committee composed entirely of URG faculty
  from community college to Ph.D. granting
  institutions.

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CBST Supplement to Enhance STC Interactions With
Under-represented Groups
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• FUNDED ACTIVITIES
• Inquiry-based training for graduate students to
  create hands-on workshops to recruit students
  with emphasis on URG CfAO/CBST 42.6k
• URG student/Faculty development at DSU (Delaware
  State) CBST 81k
• STC GEM partnership to expand pipeline - STC
  focused GEM fellowships MDITR, NCED, CISM, CBST,
  NBTC, SAHRA, WaterCAMPWS 100k
• Outreach and research experiences at Clark
  Atlanta and Howard Universities NBTC 167.1k
• Hands-on workshop featuring the latest
  technologies from 4 STCs. Over half URG
  participants to attend CBST, NBTC, CENS, MDITR
  96.3k
• Structured research experience versus traditional
  REU experience - focus on women CBN 149.7k
• REU plus joint activities with NSBE (National
  Society of Black Engineers) NBTC 122.9k
• Community College Curriculum Development CfAO
  40.5k
• New PhD development at Norfolk State MDITR
  47.9k

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Student Recruitment and Outreach - Models Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Small, all day inquiry workshop (Saturday Open
  Lab) /student, small numbers (lt10), focused
• Graduate students learned inquiry techniques
• Several URG students as interns and/or applying
  for graduate school
• Larger, Interactive Conference (Hands-On Future
  Tech Conference 1,2) /student, larger numbers
  (60-120), broad net
• Several students interested in internships,
  attending STC institutions
• Second time (Nov06) easier, much less expensive,
  held at NSU (HBCU)
• Partnering with existing conferences/advocacy
  organizations for exposure/recruiting low cost,
  broad net
• 4000 attended NBTC talk at NSBE, 65 applied for
  15 summer internship positions
• Partnering with existing Fellowship Program
  (GEM), /student, long time investment
• 4 new GEM-STC supported graduate students at STCs
• Matchmaker database - encourage faculty
  participation in student recruitment

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Student Recruitment and Outreach - Summary
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Solid administrative and staff support critical
  to success
• Need longitudinal evaluation structure to monitor
  impact beyond initial STC contact
• Project catalyzed strong relationships between
  multiple STCs leading to continued cooperation
  (SOL, HOFT 2)
• Evaluators Comments
• Regional recruiting proved valuable according to
  students SOL, HOFT. A strong facilitator,
  consistent, regular communication about available
  opportunities and interaction with role models is
  essential.
• Establishing regional STC recruiting networks
  used across multiple years will increase impact
  and sustainability while reducing long-term
  recruiting cost.
• NBTCs presentation at NSBE national conference
  and partnerships with New York State NSBE
  chapters provides a positive model for low-cost,
  broad spectrum marketing of STCs. The strategy
  could be easily extended to other SE
  professional organizations.

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Faculty Development/Research Connections - Models
Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Shared Equipment/Resources
• CAU utilized videoconferencing equipment to
  attend events, including regular seminars, with
  NBTC partners
• CAU made AFM available via the internet and
  working on sharing more equipment (valuable for
  equipment poor HBCUs)
• Faculty - Student Education Conference
• CBN brought 94 researchers, students and
  community members together for a Best Practices
  in Science Education conference looking at active
  teaching and learning, and diversity issues.
• Faculty Visits and Research Collaborations
• CAU and Howard with NBTC
• Enhanced prior relationships with CAU faculty
  visits to Cornell starting 3 new projects,
  sharing equipment and students, sharing a seminar
  via videoconferencing
• DSU with CBST
• Mini sabbatical spawned several combined research
  projects, student participation and winning of 2
  grants (NIH and DoD investigator grants at DSU)

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Faculty Development and Research Connections -
Summary
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Developing meaningful relationships critical and
  time intensive. Can lead to
• Equipment and expertise sharing - bi-directional
• Access to Online resources of larger universities
• Broader perspective on URG and HBCU issues
• Joint project development
• URG institution faculty eager to collaborate and
  connect students
• Issues Many students interested in research not
  URG, poor access to journals, some URG students
  do not want to travel too far or often take
  summer courses, HBCU resources limited
• Evaluators Comments
• Sustainable partnerships between researchers at
  STCs and HBCUs require clear value for, or
  commitment from the participating STC.
• When properly planned and evaluated, sabbaticals
  at STCs and partnerships between STCs and HBCUs
  have value. The chance to work and study in the
  rich environment of an STC proved empowering for
  the students, established a teaching lab at HBCU
  and led to additional external research funding
  at DSU.
• The NBTC partnership with researchers and faculty
  at Howard and Clark Atlanta offers a positive
  model for similar partnerships between STCs and
  other HBCUs.
• CONNECT RESEARCHERS!!

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Program/Model Projects Tried
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Community College Course Development
• Course developed at Maui Community College (CfAO)
  from a faculty buyout and close collaborations
  with CfAO research and education staff
• Funding faculty release time critical at Maui
  Community College.
• Summer Research Educational Experiment
• CBN Research project to compare REU methodologies
  (publication in Cell Biology Education) - Georgia
  State added 30k for 5 year study of
  participants. Raised awareness of educational and
  diversity issues in science.
• Helping Develop a New Program
• MDITR expertise helped develop interdisciplinary
  PhD program at NSU aimed at needs of industry and
  federal labs
• Modest funding effectively leveraged the
  resources and practices of tier-one universities
  for the benefit of HBCUs.

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Evaluators Final StatementSpring 2006
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Together the nine projects directly served over
  250 undergraduates and 40 graduate students, the
  majority of whom are from URGs (including women).
  Faculty development programs served 15 faculty
  members from HBCUs. Up to 4,000 people, mainly
  from URGs, were made aware of STC research
  through national and regional conferences.
• EDU, Inc. External Evaluation Report
• Since several hundred more have been directly
  served through HOFT2, GEM recruitment, and other
  avenues begun through the URG-STC initiative

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• Keith Oden
• STC-GEM partnership
• NSU PhD program
• HOFT2

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• Kyle Frantz Summer Undergraduate Research Study

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• Faculty Development - DSU with CBST

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Faculty Development - DSU with CBST
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Student Summer Internships
• New, external research and educational
  opportunities. My students not only learned a
  great deal about a new field (biophotonics) but
  also gained valuable research experience as they
  were involved in their projects on a daily
  basis.
• Student interns from varied institutions.
  generated a sense of belonging to a community
  of scientists important point because it tends
  to help students from small institutions, such
  as ours, to engage in graduate programs in
  sciences.
• For success need continuity in research
  experience. It is important that students
  continue their research (or engage in another
  project) at their own institutions. Faculty
  receiving and providing the students need to
  collaborate on a research project.
• Limitations from my perspective
• Faculty members at major institutions are very
  busy with their own projects and therefore it is
  difficult to collaborate with them.
• We do not have the resources to contribute fully
  to a particular project (which often explains the
  difficulty forming fruitful collaborations.)
• Difficulties in using funds (URG grant funds) for
  research.

Words of Noureddine Melikechi, DSU
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Faculty Development - DSU with CBST
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Indirect and unexpected benefit - NEW PROJECT
• While at CBST, I met Dr. Doug Taylor and
  discussed with him what we were doing in my lab.
  We are currently working together on a project to
  analyze sera samples.
• Timing
• approved in December but not available until
  late spring. By that time, students whom I
  thought were committed to spend a summer at CBST
  were no longer available. This applies to me
  too.
• Suggestion
• Need access to journals at my institution. I
  think that CBST (and others) can help us
  tremendously by allowing us (as collaborators) to
  have electronic access to UC Davis library.
• In conclusion
• I am very happy to have started the
  collaboration between DSU and UC Davis. This
  interaction not only helped our students but also
  will help us as an institution- grow. The URG
  project provided an opportunity for us to meet
  CBST scientists, administrators and others.

Words of Noureddine Melikechi, DSU
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• HANDS-ON FUTURE TECH CONFERENCES

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Hand-on FutureTech Conference 1 - at UCLA
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• RECRUITMENT
• 105 Attendees (1 (CBST) , 6 (MDITR) applied for
  Internship), NBTC and CENS (data unavailable) -
  75 undergraduate students
• KEY SURVEY RESULTS (66/74 responses)
• Interested in summer internship 4.1/5
• Conf. helped me learn about STC research
  opportunities 4.56/5
• Increased interest in pursuing science 4.42/5
• All sessions rated from 3.3-4.7/5 - higher the
  more hands-on
• Key factors for grad school - aid (4.77),
  mentoring (4.29), reputation (4.21), community
  (3.95), environment (3.68), majority URG (3.09),
  family proximity 2.76

Role
Ethnicity faculty GRAD recruiter STC staff UGRAD Grand Total
African-American 1 43 44
Asian-American 1 1 2 4
Caucasian 2 1 3 7 13
Chicano/Latino 1 1 14 16
Native-American 1 2 3
Pacific Islander 1 1 2
undeclared 8 5 1 3 6 23
Grand Total 14 7 1 8 74 (43F) 105
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Hand-on FutureTech Conference 2 - at NSU
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• RECRUITMENT
• 325 applicants online (18 applied for CBST
  internship, 6 local)
• 144 attendees (11 applied for internship CBST, 6
  local, 4 applied for MDITR), PREM and CENS (data
  unavailable)
• Missing data on 59 applicants who came last
  minute and did not register online - difficult to
  get data from multi center situation
• KEY SURVEY RESULTS (72/101 responses)
• Interested in summer internship 4.5/5
• Conf. helped me learn about STC research
  opportunities 4.76/5
• Increased interest in pursuing science 4.56/5
• All sessions rated from 2.97-3.77/4 - higher the
  more hands-on
• Key factors for grad school - aid (3.76),
  mentoring (3.58), community (3.23), reputation
  (3.17), environment (2.79), majority URG (2.49),
  family proximity 2.18)

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• LESSONS LEARNED
• RECOMMENDATIONS

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Student Recruitment and Outreach - Best Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• COORDINATION
• Staff champion project administrator (not
  student or junior faculty) helps program's
  success and continuity.
• Create a consistent, frequent communication
  network with targeted MSIs and URG-related
  associations.
• Seek alliances with MSIs (e.g., GEM, HBCUs).
• MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT
• Start at least 6 to 8 weeks before event.
• Use professional, competitive-style application
  process (exclusive).
• Emphasize limited enrollment and early sign-up
  improves your chances.
• Face-to-face, in-person recruitment most
  effective - makes student feel wanted (esp. by
  faculty)
• Target students and professional staff at MSIs
  and URG-related associations and conferences
  (SACNAS, AISES, NSBP, NSBE, ) and try to get
  high profile exposure.
• Faculty/mentor participation improves match
  between prospective students and program.
• Provide financial aid and incentives such as
  travel vouchers, stipends, and housing allowance.
• Establish regional networks that can last over
  time
• Schedule social time during events and
  activities for informal interaction with graduate
  students, scientists, other role models, and
  peers.

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Research Connections/Faculty Development - Best
Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• VALUE TO PARTNERSHIP
• Clear value for partners critical. Sustainable
  partnerships require mutual benefit.
• A high-level program leader needed at events and
  activities to demonstrate leadership buy-in,
  commitment, and support.
• NSF funding can attract new funding from another
  source or lead to new proposals.
• STC faculty and researchers need to understand
  HBCU culture and constraints.

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Program Development - Best Practices
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Detailed URG recruitment strategy and specific
  activities part of overall program design and
  timetable
• Training and professional development for
  mentors/researchers will increase program
  managers control over the curriculum and
  students experiences.
• A key, high-level staff person should keep track
  of faculty/researcher/mentors' commitments to
  participate in funded programs.
• EVALUATION Use program surveys (pre-, mid- and
  post-program) to capture participants' changes in
  attitudes and career plans. Ask for summative
  paper and try to track over several years.
• Use role models (e.g., URG scientists, women in
  technology, faculty and other professionals,
  graduate students) to engage URG students.
• Invite program participants to conferences as a
  way to provide sustained interaction between
  students, faculty members, and working
  professionals. Provide opportunities to present
  their work (poster, talk, )
• Use repeated, expected events (weekly workshop,
  ) to build a sense of cohesiveness and
  camaraderie).
• Any successful program design, curriculum, or
  concept should have transferable elements.

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Program Development - Best Practices 2
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• When developing curricula, the involvement of
  local advisors and connections with local
  community leaders and elders ensures culturally
  relevant programs.
• Providing HBCUs with access to the expertise,
  resources, and experiences of tier-one research
  universities is a powerful catalyst to develop
  innovative science and engineering degree
  programs.
• STCs can quickly transfer to HBCUs practices
  commonly used at tier-one universities
  (videoconferencing, collaboratively taught
  courses, and access to electronic journals and
  databases.)
• MDITRs partnership between U. Washington and NSU
  created a just-in-time interdisciplinary Ph.D.
  program aimed at needs of industry and federal
  labs. Modest funding effectively leveraged the
  resources and practices of tier-one universities
  for the benefit of HBCUs

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HBCU Constraints/Best Practices for Engagement
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• In general, HBCUs facilities and resources dont
  match STCs.
• Many HBCUs without access to online academic
  resources.
• There can be a real wow factor for HBCU
  students who are able to visit and work at an STC
  facility - can leave a long-lasting impression.
• Minimize overlap between program activities and
  students schedules at HBCUs.
• Provide academic credit to students participating
  in experiential programs. Lack of academic credit
  can mean lack of incentive.
• Faculty release time encourages and enables
  participation.
• Top HBCU administrator involvement essential to
  build internal support for new programs.

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Other General Lessons From the Field
Systematically Improve URG-STC Interactions

• Regional Focus critical, helps sustainability,
  beware of too wide a net. Can create nodes
• Be aware of biases/difficulties/cultural norms
  when recruiting folks to move away (South East to
  CA, Reservation populations, )
• Relationships take multiple years to be forged,
  proven and trusted
• Stereotype/diversity/cultural sensitivity
  training for all participants
• Focus on what makes you unique!
• Make examples, activities, research hands-on and
  relevant to students.
• Start collecting participant data NOW! Will help
  you see progress and synergies between programs
  as you progress - helps you make good decisions,
  follow-up with critical interventions, and with
  future funding
• Think about the paths through your program -
  focus on ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY, CONTINUITY -
  provide in your program or seek partners that can
  help
• Learn to recognize what makes sense, trust your
  judgment but dont always believe what you think!

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THANK YOU for your attention!