Miami, Sept. 16, 2024 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Padrón Campus STEM-UR (Undergraduate Research) project has been awarded nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a sustainable undergraduate research program with the goal of preparing students for baccalaureate STEM programs at top universities and increase their representation in the STEM workforce.
This is the first NSF grant awarded to Padrón Campus focused on creating scientific communities for the development of students through undergraduate research. A significant portion of the funds will be used to support participants’ attendance at conferences and events, covering registration and travel expenses, as well as any costs associated with their scientific publications. Additionally, participants will receive a stipend.
“STEM-UR’s innovative approach will not only support student success but also contribute valuable research and insights into the factors that drive engagement, retention, and career readiness in STEM fields. The outcomes of this project will have far-reaching implications, offering a model that can be replicated to strengthen the STEM talent pool nationwide,” said Dr. Jyrko Correa-Morris, Chairperson at the Department of Math and Natural Science at MDC Padrón Campus and Principal Investigator in the project.
The program will be available to new STEM students majoring in fields such as mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. The goal is for participants to solve a research problem in a STEM field in collaboration with a faculty mentor. Participants are expected to attend scientific research conferences and congresses and publish their findings in scientific venues. By 2027, at least 50% of participants are expected to transfer to top four-year institutions.
The grant was secured by Dr. Correa-Morris, who serves as the Principal Investigator (PI), and Dr. Dinesh Vidhani, associate professor of Chemistry and Co-PI.