Research Plan
The Plan
To increase STEM student recruitment, skill development, retention and degree completion at two-year institutions, and increase transfer to four-year STEM degree or workforce programs, we propose to develop a curriculum model intervention (STEM-CURE) that incorporates faculty professional development, student support systems, and research collaborations between two-year institutions and university, industry, government, and community partners.
Program Research Questions
How do STEM-CUREs lead to improved learning outcomes (Figure 1) and pro-science attitudes among STEM students in non-majors, majors, and workforce development courses at two-year institutions?
How do STEM-CURES that focus on community-based research issues increase recruitment of non- majors students into STEM majors courses and improve retention of STEM majors at two-year HSIs?
How do STEM-CUREs that collaborate with university partners promote increased interest in STEM degrees and improve two-year student transfer rates into STEM degree programs at four-year institutions?
How do STEM-CUREs that collaborate with industry and government partners improve workforce readiness and promote interest in STEM degrees and careers among community college students?
The STEM-CURE program coordinates integration of industry and community-based research experiences into the two-year STEM curriculum, with training and mentoring for community college faculty and students, and innovative cross-sector partnerships with universities, research centers, industry, and government, municipal, and community-based organizations.
