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TAMIU's NSF-IUSE Program

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On June 5, 2020, Texas A&M International University announced a $1.65-million National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant by the name "Building Capacity: An Undergraduate STEM-Enrichment Program in TX," also known as USTEM. USTEM has two components; a programmatic and research component. See below to learn more!

World and Gear Goal:

To have USTEM participants improve STEM academic aptitudes, psychosocial, and persistence outcomes.

World and Gear Objective:

To examine how STEM-focused video projects influence participants' psychosocial and STEM persistence outcomes.

World and Gear Activities:

Randomly selected participants will develop 4 creative video projects in groups.

  • A biography of a STEM scientist.
  • A STEM controversy position statement.
  • A STEM tutorial.
  • A methodological critique of a research article.

Note: There will be only 1 creative video project per semester for the duration of the program.

Other Things to know:
  • Eligibility: US Citizen/National or Permanent Resident, Full-time (12+ hours) enrollment starting Fall 2023, Newly admitted student with a declared STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) major.
  • Baseline measurements will be taken upon immediate admission to the USTEM Program, at every end of semester, and annually following USTEM.
World and Gear Goal:

To have 80% of USTEM participants complete the program with greater than or equal to:

  • 3.25 GPA,
  • 10% increase in psychosocial outcomes, and
  • 30% increase in STEM aptitude scores.
World and Gear Objective:

To increase the quantity and improve the quality of retained and graduated TAMIU STEM students.

World and Gear Activities:

Programmatic activities include 4 semesters of USTEM. Participants will begin the summer before their freshman year.

  • Pre-College Summer Camp (PCSC): Provide participants with a head start on STEM-introductory classes that are important for STEM careers. Participants will also watch STEM-related movies and engage in team building activities.
  • Research Methods I: Participants will engage in lectures that will provide the foundations of STEM-undergraduate research. Student mentors will be assigned to provide guidance and support.
  • Research Methods II: Participants will apply what they have learned in Research Methods I through laboratory exercises and will design and present a research proposal. Student mentors will be assigned to provide guidance and support.
  • Undergraduate Research Experience: During this final semester, participants will engage in a discipline-specific research project, present at a USTEM Mini Science Conference, and attend the Galveston National Laboratory.
Other Things to know:
  • Eligibility: US Citizen/National or Permanent Resident, Full-time (12+ hours) enrollment starting Fall 2021, Newly admitted student with a declared STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) major.
Anatomy

Our Goals

  • Short-term goal: Improve the STEM educational quality through the development, implementation, and evaluation of USTEM.
  • Mid-term goal: Improve STEM academic aptitudes, psychosocial, and persistence outcomes of USTEM participants. Integrate modules utilized in USTEM into Freshman orientations like Dusty Camp. Utilize project materials and processes from USTEM to inform recruitment and retention procedures for STEM majors. Apply insights from collected data to improve STEM intervention strategies.
  • Long-term goal: Contribute strategies to mitigate obstacles for STEM recruitment and retention. Improve STEM persistence and student success in STEM majors. Increase the Texas economy by preparing students for the STEM workforce.
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Frequently Asked Questions

The program will be face to face but following social distancing guidelines.

Depending on the program participant's major, he/she will receive a total of 4 credit hours. 2 in the Fall and 2 in the Spring.

There is no minimum GPA required. The eligibility criteria is:

  1. US Citizen, National, or Permanent Resident
  2. Be enrolled full time at TAMIU for duration of the program (Fall/Spring)
  3. Newly admitted freshman student with a declared STEM major.

The application is not very long. On average, each applicant takes about 3-5 minutes.

No. However, if you are under 18, we will need to get parental permission. You can still apply though. If you are selected, we will go ahead and send you a consent form after.

During the summer, participants will watch movies, do fun activities, and some will be part of a group that will create video projects. During Fall and Spring semesters, participants will get a head-start with Bio/chem courses through lectures and lab exercises. During the fourth semester, participants will engage in a summer research project and will go on a field trip to SA.

No, participants will not have to pay for anything out of pocket. In fact, they will get free lunch and snacks (Summer only) on top of the $350 monthly payment.

Participants will receive up to $3500, depending on program participation and attendance. Payments of $350 will be disbursed to participants on a monthly basis for 10 total months.

For questions, please contact our Program Manager at 956.326.2464 or via email at ustem@tamiu.edu.
We look forward to hearing from you!

For registration information, please email ustem@tamiu.edu with your name and phone number.

NSF Logo

Funded by the National Science Foundation

Award #1953679