An Aerospace Research Scholars Program to Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Groups in Engineering
Abstract
This grant will establish a new Aerospace Research Scholars program at Utah State University (USU) to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering. The program consists of three primary components- (1) undergraduate research, which provides hands-on experience to build technical and scientific communication skills; (2) graduate student mentoring of undergraduates, which will provide valuable leadership and communication experience; and (3) a new course on Introduction to Engineering Research, which teaches verbal and written communication skills through scholarly papers and presentations. This will be achieved by leveraging several existing programs at USU, most notably the Engineering Undergraduate Research Program (EURP) which provides matching funds for 3 semesters of paid undergraduate research experience. EURP admits women and gender non-conforming students at nearly double the rate of the College of Engineering, and nearly 2-3 of EURP participants go on to pursue advanced degrees and become leaders in their field. Both the PI and the institution are exceptionally well qualified and equipped to perform this work. USU has the second-oldest undergraduate research program in the country with numerous programs to support undergraduate research including EURP. In 2020, USU was further recognized as having the best undergraduate research program in the country via the AURA award from the National Council for Undergraduate Research. The PI also has a proven track record of mentoring undergraduate researchers, and in 2019 was the campus-wide Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year. He also has strong ties with a broad network of academic, government, and industry collaborators, including job placements for many past undergraduate and graduate researchers from his research lab. Our anticipated outcomes include (i) the direct funding of at least 6 undergraduate research assistants and 2 graduate students per year, a majority of whom will be drawn from underrepresented groups in engineering; (ii) improved participation of underrepresented students to pursue graduate school; (iii) a new course on Introduction to Engineering Research which will greatly enhance USU s infrastructure for research-related education and training; and (iv) increased collaboration between USU, AFRL, and its stakeholders. The potential impact of this work will be to improve the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM, thereby cultivating a more equitable and diverse workforce to meet current and future challenges in aerospace and defense manufacturing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 06, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310367
Entities
People
- Ryan Berke
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- Utah State University