Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Evaluation

Transcription

1 Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Evaluation Prepared under contract to Hispanic College Fund Authors Jay Feldman Nicole Ifill Alexandria Walton Radford Beverly Farr MPR Associates, Inc Shattuck Avenue, Suite 800 Berkeley, CA November 2012

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3 iii Content Executive Summary... 1 MUST GOAL MUST GOAL MUST GOAL MUST GOAL Methods... 5 Survey Design and Administration... 5 Chapter 1: Developing STEM Expertise among Underrepresented Groups... 7 Serving Underrepresented Students... 7 Developing STEM Expertise Field of Study Academic Performance Persistence in MUST Project STEM Career Aspirations Current Plans Summary Recommendations Chapter 2: Providing Support Services to Foster STEM Persistence Mentor Perspectives on Mentoring Mentor Characteristics Mentoring Interactions Mentor Supports Mentor Benefits Favorite Aspects of MUST Least Favorite Aspects of MUST Mentor Suggestions for Improving MUST Student Perspectives on Mentoring Student Perspectives on MUST staff support Summary Recommendations Chapter 3: Providing Research and Professional Development Experiences Participation in NASA Research during the Academic Year Research Presentations at Conferences during the Academic Year MUST Travel Award... 37

4 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) iv Professional Development Participation in STEM Outreach Activities Studying Abroad MUST Newsletters Summary Recommendations Chapter 4: In Their Own Words Scholars Perspectives on MUST Summary Recommendations Chapter 5: Conclusions... 50

5 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 1 Executive Summary The Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Project, managed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), supports the academic and professional development of undergraduates through scholarships, mentorships, and internships from backgrounds not typically represented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career fields. The Hispanic College Fund (HCF) administers MUST on behalf of NASA. Collectively, NASA and HCF outlined four broad goals for the MUST Project: 1. Develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) expertise leading to eventual degrees among groups that are currently underrepresented in the workforce, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals from rural and low-income communities; 2. Provide support services such as mentoring to ensure that students successfully complete their coursework and encourage degree completion; 3. Provide hands-on research experiences that broaden interests in the aerospace industry; and 4. Prepare students for careers in STEM by engaging them in holistic professional development experiences. MPR Associates, Inc. (MPR) was contracted to analyze the results of data gathered on the effects of the MUST Project and to synthesize the results of those analyses. This report provides a summary of data analyses related to the first stated goal in Chapter 1, the second goal in Chapter 2, and the third and fourth goals in Chapter 3. Student My plans are to obtain a Bachelor s in Mechanical reflections on MUST are provided in Engineering. [Regarding my] participation in the Chapter 4, and conclusions are MUST funded internship my project has inspired presented in Chapter 5. me to also take some classes in aerospace engineering, because ultimately I think this would help me in my career in an aerospace related industry. I would also like to go to grad school, and MUST has informed me of fellowships, which I am preparing to apply for. Sophomore MUST Scholar

6 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 2 MUST GOAL 1 Develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) expertise leading to eventual degrees among groups that are currently underrepresented in the workforce, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals from rural and low-income communities. INDICATORS MUST continued to serve a very diverse group of students in , although less so than in Sixty-nine percent of MUST Scholars were racial or ethnic minorities while only 8 percent were first-generation college students. Seventy-one universities across 27 states and Puerto Rico were represented. Fifty-three percent of scholars were majoring in engineering, 32 percent in science or math, and 13 percent in a space-related major (aerospace, aeronautics, astronautics, or astronomy). Every MUST Scholar enrolled in at least one STEM class in both semesters. Just under half of participants felt that participating in MUST had positively influenced their course selections. Fifty-seven percent of scholars reported wanting to work in engineering, 45 percent in aerospace, 31 percent in computers, and 26 percent in another science field or mathematics. MUST GOAL 2 Provide support services such as mentoring to ensure that students successfully complete their coursework and encourage degree completion. INDICATORS About one-third of mentors worked with their mentees for more than two hours per month. The most commonly discussed topics between mentors and scholars were graduate school, STEM-related research and professional opportunities, and career issues. Seventy-nine percent of mentors rated the quality of their interaction with mentees as satisfying.

7 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 3 Slightly more than two-thirds of mentors were satisfied with the frequency of their interactions with their mentees. Mentors, particularly faculty mentors, rated their scholars ability highly. Seventy-one percent of mentors thought that their scholars efforts met their expectations. Some mentors wanted more communication about expectations and support from NASA MUST. Most of the MUST Mentors found the mentorship experience to be valuable and wished to continue working with their mentees. In particular, mentors appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the development of young, promising scholars, offering advice and first-hand experience. Both MUST Mentors and Scholars expressed a great desire to meet face-to face throughout the year, as part of the one-on-one mentorship experience, and scholars also wanted to meet more often with other MUST Scholars. Scholars were most likely to interact with their faculty and graduate mentors. Mentor relationships helped scholars expand career options and set higher expectations. Scholars discussed financial aid with MUST staff more than with their mentors. MUST Scholars in and highly prized the support and opportunity offered by the program s community of scholars, mentors, and staff. The mentorship, in particular, garnered particular praise from a great many students who valued the support and guidance their mentors offered. MUST Scholars valued, and indicated they want an increase in, community and communication. MUST GOAL 3 Provide hands-on research experiences that broaden interests in the aerospace industry. INDICATORS Eighteen scholars participated in NASA research during the academic year. Forty-five percent of MUST Scholars presented at a conference during the academic year.

8 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 4 Sixty-one scholars reported that they were members of at least one professional organization. MUST GOAL 4 Prepare students for a career in STEM by engaging them in holistic professional development experiences. INDICATORS Ninety-five percent of scholars in the fall sample and 99 percent of scholars in the spring indicated that they participated in at least one professional development activity that semester. Roughly 70 percent of scholars participated in at least two professional development activities, 40 percent participated in at least three activities, and 25 percent participated in four or more activities. Interview training, attending professional conferences and career fairs, and collaborating across networks were the top three types of professional development experienced across the year as reported by MUST Scholars. Sixty-five percent of scholars reported engaging in outreach activities in the spring semester. The majority of these activities were mentoring or tutoring younger students in STEM fields. Of the 90 MUST Scholars who completed the spring survey, 71 attributed accomplishments in the fields of leadership and outreach, academic focus and grades, and research experiences to their involvement with MUST.

9 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 5 Methods This report was produced by MPR based on analyses of data from surveys administered by the Hispanic College Fund to gather information about the effectiveness and impact of the MUST Project during the academic year. The Hispanic College Fund provided the data to MPR. The following describes the methods used to collect these data and the approaches used for analyzing them. Survey Design and Administration In addition to collecting demographic and enrollment data on all MUST Scholars, HCF administered seven web-based surveys to capture student and mentor perceptions of their MUST experiences. Students completed one survey at the end of each semester. Mentors also completed a survey at the end of each semester. The general constructs for the student surveys included the following: Demographics and other characteristics of participating students; Academic achievement of participating students; Areas of academic and professional interest among participating students; Participation in professional development and research activities; Perceptions of the mentorship experience; and Perceptions of the MUST Project in terms of quality, usefulness, and areas needing improvement. The mentor surveys focused on the following areas: Characteristics of participating mentors; Structure and activities of the mentorship; Quality of the mentees and the mentoring relationships; and Perceptions of mentoring program in terms of strengths and areas needing improvement. The internship survey asked students about the impact of the internship on their academics, career plans, and other skills.

10 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 6 Survey Response Rate Table 1 contains the response rate for each survey. Table 1. Survey Response Rates Survey Date Number of completed surveys Percent of completed surveys Student end-of-semester survey Fall Student end-of-semester survey Spring Mentor end-of-semester survey Fall Mentor end-of-semester survey Spring Student tutoring survey Spring Student outreach survey Spring Data Analysis For the purposes of these analyses, MPR aggregated the separate datasets generated by the surveys into a common Excel file. Students responses were matched across each of the endof-semester surveys, if possible. Mentors survey responses were also matched across the endof-semester surveys. Using this aggregated file, MPR produced descriptive statistics for all closed-ended survey items, including frequencies for each item and cross-tabulations of select items. Each open-ended item s responses were coded and summarized manually. The data were disaggregated by respondents characteristics gender, race/ethnicity, class year, year in MUST, Minority Serving Institution affiliation, and first-generation college student status. In the narrative, differences among these disaggregated groups are presented to illustrate how different types of students experienced and responded to MUST. In some cases, crosstabulations were used to show associations between type of student and specific outcomes.

11 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 7 Chapter 1: Developing STEM Expertise among Underrepresented Groups In administering the Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Project, NASA and the Hispanic College Fund (HCF) set several goals. The first was to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) expertise leading to eventual degrees among groups who are currently underrepresented in the STEM workforce, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals from rural and low-income communities. To evaluate the extent to which HCF met this objective, this chapter first examines whether currently underrepresented groups in the STEM workforce were served by MUST. The chapter then turns to examine MUST Scholars development of STEM expertise, their persistence in STEM majors, and whether they aspire to become part of the STEM workforce. This analysis is based upon the collection of end-of-semester surveys from students in fall 2011 and spring There were 115 MUST Scholars in fall HCF collected 113 surveys in the fall (98 percent) and 89 in the spring (77 percent). One-hundred and fourteen scholars completed at least one survey during the academic year (99 percent). Serving Underrepresented Students The MUST Project successfully served underrepresented students In fall 2011, the MUST Project served 115 students, compared with 100 students in fall Approximately 88 percent were new to MUST, while the remainder had participated in a prior year. Half the scholars were female. The diversity observed among MUST Scholars reflects the HCF goal to expand STEM expertise among students from underrepresented groups in the STEM workforce. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of MUST Scholars by race/ethnicity. Sixty-nine percent of scholars identified themselves as other than Caucasian, fewer than in when 81 percent did. Fewer scholars identified as Hispanic in (34 percent) than in (50 percent). Scholars were more likely to identify as Caucasian and Asian in than in (31 percent and 12 percent vs. 19 percent and 5 percent, respectively). In , only eight scholars identified themselves as first-generation college students, compared with 27 scholars in (although 68 scholars left this question blank). HCF does not outline specific targets based on race/ethnicity or gender for MUST, but it should be noted that the demographic profile of participants showed a higher percentage

12 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 8 of Caucasian students and a lower percentage of first-in-family students than the demographic profile. Figure 1. MUST Scholars by Race/Ethnicity, and Percent Caucasian African American Hispanic Asian Native American SOURCE: Fall demographic data on MUST Scholars collected by HCF, and Scholars were fairly evenly distributed in terms of their year in school, though there were more juniors and seniors and fewer sophomores than in the scholar group. There were 23 sophomores, 47 juniors, and 38 seniors representing 71 universities (Figure 2). The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had the most scholars with seven in attendance (consistent with last year), followed by eight schools with three scholars each. Seventeen students (16 percent) attended a Minority Serving Institution, similar to the 19 percent who attended in

13 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 9 Figure 2. Fall MUST Scholars by University Affiliation Name of university Number of MUST Scholars attending Name of university Number of MUST Scholars attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology 7 Florida Institute of Technology 1 Auburn University 3 Georgia Institute of Technology 1 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 3 *Hampton University 1 Carnegie Mellon University 3 High Point University 1 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 3 Illinois Institute of Technology 1 *New Mexico State University 3 Mississippi State University 1 Texas A&M University-College Station 3 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 1 University of Michigan 3 *North Carolina A&T State University 1 University of South Florida 3 Northwestern University 1 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 2 Pasadena City College 1 College of Saint Benedict 2 Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Hato Rey Campus 1 Harvard University 2 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1 Johns Hopkins University 2 Rice University 1 North Carolina State University 2 Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey 1 *Prairie View A&M University 2 *Salish Kootenai College 1 *Spelman College 2 San Jose State University 1 The University of Alabama-Huntsville 2 *Sinte Gleska University 1 *The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez 2 Smith College 1 The University of Texas at Austin 2 *Texas A&M International University 1 University of California, Merced 2 The City University of New York 1 University of California, San Diego 2 The College of William & Mary 1 University of Florida 2 The Ohio State University 1 University of Notre Dame 2 The University of Texas at Arlington 1 University of Pittsburgh 2 *The University of Texas at El Paso 1 Boise State University 1 Universidad Interamericana De Puerto Rico 1 Brooklyn College of The City University of New York 1 University of California, Los Angeles 1 Brown University 1 University of California, Riverside 1 California State University, Los Angeles 1 University of Connecticut 1 Central Michigan University 1 University of Maryland-Baltimore County 1 *Clark Atlanta University 1 University of Missouri-Kansas City 1 Clarkson University 1 *University of New Mexico 1 Clemson University 1 University of North Carolina at Charlotte 1 Columbia University 1 Washington University in St. Louis 1 Cornell University 1 Whitworth University 1 Drexel University 1 Williams College 1 Duke University 1 * Denotes Minority Serving Institution. SOURCE: Fall demographic data on MUST Scholars collected by HCF.

14 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 10 Scholars attended universities across 27 states and Puerto Rico. Similar to , the states with the greatest number of scholars were California, Massachusetts, and Texas (Figure 3). Figure 3. Number of MUST Scholars by State Where Enrolled Number CA MA TX FL NC NY PA AL NM GA MI PR MD IL IN MN MO VA CT ID MS MT NJ OH RI SC SD WA State SOURCE: Fall demographic data on MUST Scholars collected by HCF. Another way to examine the distribution of scholars nationally is by looking at representation by region (Figure 4). A plurality of MUST Scholars attended college in the South; the smallest percentages of scholars were studying in the Midwest and Puerto Rico. Figure 4. Fall MUST Scholars by Region Where Enrolled 4% 24% Northeast 39% West Midwest 20% South Puerto Rico 13% NOTE: Regions were determined using U.S. census classifications. SOURCE: Fall demographic data on MUST Scholars collected by HCF.

15 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 11 Developing STEM Expertise MUST Scholars took a high number of STEM classes Just over half of respondents felt that participating in MUST had positively The most significant benefit of my participation influenced their course selections, while in [the] MUST project this semester has been only slightly more than 10 percent of the effect that my summer experiences had on my approach to the semester. Following [the] scholars thought there was any negative symposium and my summer research, I entered influence. More survey respondents the fall semester very encouraged and excited reported a positive influence in the for my future in STEM. I think this had a very spring (53 percent) than in the fall positive effect on my school-work this semester. (48 percent), which is consistent with Junior MUST Scholar last year. Based on self-reported data collected from the student surveys, every MUST Scholar enrolled in at least one STEM class in both semesters (Figure 5). Seventy-nine percent of MUST Scholars took at least one natural science or math course (e.g., Chemistry or Physics), and more than half were in an engineering class. Similar to last year, the only difference between semesters was that more students enrolled in a class focused on space (e.g., Aeronautics/ Aerospace, Astronomy, or Astrophysics) in the spring (17 percent) than in the fall (12 percent). Figure 5. Coursework Taken by MUST Scholars, Specifically space-related course Natural science or math course Fall Spring Engineering course Any STEM class Percent SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data.

16 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 12 MUST Scholars reported positive effects of STEM classes As Figure 6 indicates, MUST Scholars were most likely to report that they encountered new concepts (over 98 percent in the fall and spring), increased their knowledge (over 95 percent in the fall and spring), and increased their interest in their field of study (92 percent and 90 percent in the fall and spring, respectively). In their end-of-semester surveys, about 90 percent of students reported that they had been challenged academically during the previous term. These percentages are similar to what scholars reported in Students reported that they encountered a new discipline (85 percent in the fall and 88 percent in the spring) or new paths to a career (65 percent in the fall and 75 percent in the spring) at slightly higher rates than in There were no meaningful differences by student demographic background. Figure 6. Effects of Coursework Participation in the MUST Project influenced my course selections this semester During the semester I felt like part of the MUST community Fall Spring I encountered new paths to a career I have not previously considered This has been a challenging semester academically I encountered new disciplines this semester The courses I took this semester increased my interest in my field of study The courses of study I took this semester increased my knowledge of my field of study I encountered new concepts this semester Percent SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data.

17 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 13 Field of Study A majority of students majored in engineering Just over half of the MUST Scholars for whom we have information reported that they were majoring in engineering, 32 percent reported science or math, and 13 percent selected a space-related major (e.g., Aerospace, Aeronautics, Astronautics, or Astronomy) (Figure 7). Compared with last year s scholars, there were slightly more engineering and space-related majors and slightly fewer science and math majors. MUST Scholars majors varied by certain individual characteristics. Compared with other students, first-in-family, seniors, students not at Minority Serving Institutions, and Hispanic scholars were more likely to be engineers and less likely to be science and math majors, findings similar to Male and female students were equally likely to pursue engineering, a change from when males were more likely. Figure 7. Field of Study 2% 13% Engineering major Natural science or math major 32% 53% Specifically space-related major Non-science major SOURCE: Fall demographic data on MUST Scholars collected by HCF. Academic Performance Most students had GPAs over 3.5 Grade point average (GPA) data for MUST Scholars for the fall semester who persisted in the program through the spring reveal that 56 percent had a GPA of 3.5 or higher (including 6 percent with a GPA higher than 4.0), 29 percent had a GPA between 3.0 and 3.49, and 16 percent had a GPA of less than 3.0 (Figure 8), compared with just 9 percent who had a GPA of less than 3.0 in This pattern is consistent with the findings from the

18 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 14 cohort, but this year, there was a lower percentage of GPAs over 3.5 and a higher percentage of GPAs under 3.0. GPA varied by student characteristics. When data were disaggregated by race/ethnicity, Caucasian students were most likely to have GPAs over 3.5 (70 percent), followed by Hispanics (54 percent) and African Americans (30 percent). Hispanic (17 percent) and African- American (25 percent) students had the highest percentage of GPAs below 3.0. Students who were the first in their family to attend college were also less likely than others to have GPAs over 3.5 (38 percent vs. 57 percent), and, unlike past years, these students were also more likely to have GPAs lower than 3.0 (50 percent vs. 12 percent). Students who attended a Minority Serving Institution were less likely than others to have GPAs over 3.5 but more likely to have GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5. There were no differences by major, gender, or year in school. Figure 8. Fall GPA Distribution of Spring MUST Scholars 6% 16% Less than % 29% Over 4.0 SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Persistence in MUST Project Almost every eligible scholar renewed their scholarship The cohort of MUST Scholars consisted of 115 students, 82 of whom were eligible for continuing in the program. Of these 82 eligible scholars, 78 renewed their scholarship while the other four accepted industry internships instead. Of the 33 scholars who were not eligible for renewal, 30 of them graduated college, two did not meet GPA requirements, and the remaining scholar was a NASA Co-op student.

19 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 15 STEM Career Aspirations Most students indicated they want a job in engineering or spacefocused science When asked on the spring end-of-semester survey what their first-choice job would be upon graduation, the largest percentage of students reported wanting to work in engineering (57 percent) (Figure 9). This was followed by space-focused science or engineering (45 percent), computer engineering or computer science (31 percent), and mathematics or physics (26 percent). MUST has made me realize that a career in research astrophysics is not out of my grasp. Schoolwork can sometimes get overwhelming, but I think that the experiences I have had as a result of MUST provide me the inspiration to remember that I am working towards something I truly love. Junior MUST Scholar Figure 9. Career Aspirations Percent Other engineering Space-focused science or engineering Computer engineering or computer science Math or physics SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data.

20 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 16 Current Plans A subset of scholars said they plan to attend graduate school in a STEM field In the spring survey, 17 out of 20 seniors indicated their current plans. Of these, 13 planned to continue to graduate school in a STEM discipline, five planned to work in STEM/aerospace, and three planned to work for NASA. Summary The analyses reported in this chapter indicate that during the academic year, MUST students (1) developed STEM expertise, (2) persisted in STEM majors and in the MUST Project in very high numbers, and (3) developed a strong interest in STEM careers. Recommendations Similar to last year s findings, first-in-family scholars were more likely to say that MUST positively influenced their course selections. Answering questions such as Do first-in-family students receive more guidance from MUST personnel? and Are they more likely to seek guidance? can help MUST Project staff better support this group. First-in-family students do have unique needs, and it would serve these students well for MUST to understand what support these students need and, ultimately, for MUST to create appropriate supports designed specifically for this group. Similar to last year, a small percentage of students enrolled in coursework related to space science (10 percent). About 10 percent of scholars also reported that they wanted to pursue aerospace career opportunities. It is possible that more scholars might become interested in aerospace if they had the opportunity to take more space courses. It may be that scholars do not have access to space science courses at their specific colleges. We can determine this by asking scholars if they have the option to take space science classes at their university and, if not, if they would be interested in taking a space science course if one was available. We found that 8 percent of students had GPAs lower than a 3.0 (which is the minimum requirement for the program) and that there were differences in GPA by student characteristics. For future analysis, we suggest examining changes in GPA from program entry to end of academic year to determine overall change. For example, an interesting question relating to scholars GPAs is whether African-American participants, who had lower GPAs than other groups by the end of the academic year, also had lower GPAs upon recruitment. Second, we suggest examining course selection for these students during the year.

21 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 17 It may be that some combination of increased attention to students who begin with lower GPAs and careful monitoring of student coursework would allow MUST Project staff to identify potentially struggling students and provide appropriate support. A goal of MUST is to serve youth from underrepresented populations, including students with disabilities, low-income students, and individuals from rural communities. We do not have any information on the extent to which students with these backgrounds were represented.

22 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 18 Chapter 2: Providing Support Services to Foster STEM Persistence MUST also provides support services, such as mentoring, tutoring, and direct support from MUST staff to encourage students to successfully complete their coursework and degrees. This chapter explores student use of MUST-sponsored support services provided in , as well as student perceptions of these services. This chapter also describes mentor participants and their experiences with the MUST Project during the academic year. Mentor Perspectives on Mentoring Each MUST Scholar has the option of being assigned a peer, graduate, or faculty mentor. Scholars can select to be matched with more than one mentor. A faculty mentor is asked to nurture and develop academic talent and expand knowledge of careers in academia, industry, and government. A graduate mentor focuses on helping scholars successfully complete undergraduate education and provides exposure to graduate school opportunities. They provide information regarding the skills, knowledge, and thinking abilities needed to be academically successful. A peer mentor relationship centers on a sense of equality and collegiality as peer mentors are likely to have similar experiences concerning academic challenges, questions about curriculum, majors, internships, and so on. Peer mentors are able to understand and appreciate the challenges of pursuing a STEM major. This analysis is based upon surveys mentors completed in fall 2011 and spring There were 106 mentors. Of these, 62 surveys were collected in the fall (58 percent response rate) and 53 in the spring (50 percent response rate). Seventy-six mentors completed at least one survey (72 percent) and 39 mentors completed a survey during both time periods (37 percent). For the 39 mentors who completed surveys for both time periods, we examined their responses in both the fall and spring and found only a few differences. Because mentors experiences were similar in the fall and spring, we have chosen to focus on the results from the 53 respondents who could respond to questions on the spring 2011 survey based on their year-long mentoring relationship. We have included comments on the slight differences we found between the fall and spring responses.

23 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 19 Mentor Characteristics Majority of mentors were non-engineering or non-aerospace faculty members Of the 53 spring survey respondents, the majority were faculty members (57 percent), followed by graduate students (23 percent), and peer mentors (21 percent). Compared to last year, we are reporting on slightly fewer graduate mentors and slightly more peer mentors. As seen in Figure 10, the most common fields of study for faculty mentors were non-aerospace science and non-aerospace engineering, while graduate student and peer mentors were more likely to be pursuing non-aerospace engineering. Figure 10. Mentor Type by Field of Study/Discipline Percent Unknown Other science Engineering not aerospace Faculty mentor Graduate mentor Peer mentor Aerospace SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Mentoring Interactions Scholars were most likely to contact faculty mentors and spent more time with faculty and graduate mentors MUST Scholars are expected to initiate a meeting with their mentor by October 1st. Almost all of the mentees (98 percent) did eventually contact their mentors, but only 58 percent did so by October 1st. Scholars were more likely to contact their faculty (64 percent) and peer (63 percent) mentors than they were to contact graduate student (44 percent) mentors by that date (Table 2). Further, faculty and graduate mentors were more likely than peer mentors to spend more time with their mentees, while peer mentors were most likely to spend 0 2 hours per month mentoring. Faculty mentors were likely to contact their scholars

24 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 20 face-to-face or through , while graduate and peer mentors used almost exclusively. Contact dropped off slightly between the fall and spring semesters for graduate students and peer mentors but remained similar for faculty mentors. Table 2. Summary Table of Mentor-Mentee Interactions as Reported by Mentors Mentor Mentee initiated contact Mentee initial contact by Oct. 1¹ More than 2 hours of contact/month Fall Spring Main type of contact Faculty 100% 64% 36% 33% Face-to-face/ Graduate 50% 44% 28% 18% Peer 100% 63% 13% 0% Overall 98% 58% ¹ These data are taken from the fall survey of 51 respondents. It was only asked during that survey. Otherwise, the surveys are identical. SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Graduate school and STEM research were the most popular topics of discussion with mentors Focusing on the spring semester, the most commonly discussed topics between mentors and scholars were graduate school, STEM-related research and professional opportunities, career issues, senior year/life after MUST, and how to excel academically (Figure 11). The least common topic was financial aid, and about one-third of all mentees discussed time management, balancing academics and a social life, and STEM-related professional organizations with their mentors. Most topics were discussed with approximately the same frequency each semester, although discussion about graduate school, life after MUST, and balancing academics with a social life increased as a topic of conversation between fall and spring semesters (although in discussions about graduate school decreased in the spring semester).

25 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 21 Figure 11. Topics Discussed During Mentoring Graduate school STEM-related research opportunities Career issues Senior year/life after MUST Fall Spring STEM-related professional development opportunities How to excel academically Recommendations Balancing academics with a social life STEM-related professional organizations Time management Financial aid 5 13 SOURCE: Fall and spring mentor survey data Percent Faculty were more likely to talk to scholars about a greater number of topics. Graduate mentors were the most likely of any mentor group to discuss senior year/life after MUST and financial aid with their mentees. Peer mentors were most likely to discuss balancing academics with a social life with their mentees. Mentors generally satisfied with frequency of interactions with scholars The majority of all mentors (69 percent, slightly more than last year s 61 percent) thought that the number of interactions was frequent enough, and, similar to last year, the vast majority rated the quality of the interaction with scholars as satisfying (79 percent vs. 83 percent). Faculty rated the quality of the interaction at a higher rate this year than last year (85 percent vs. 77 percent), though graduate mentors rated it lower (67 percent vs. 92 percent), and peer mentors were similar (80 vs. 83 percent). A similar pattern occurred with the

26 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 22 frequency of interaction, with faculty rating it slightly higher than in (81 percent vs. 59 percent), graduate mentors rating it more consistently (67 vs. 62 percent), and peer mentors rating it at a slightly lower rate than last year (45 percent vs. 67 percent). Figure 12 shows the ratings from There was little change in the overall ratings of frequency and quality of interaction between the fall and the spring surveys in Figure 12. Evaluation of Mentoring Process Percent The frequency of our interaction meets my satisfaction The quality of our interaction meets my satisfaction Faculty mentor Graduate mentor Peer mentor SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Mentors rate scholars abilities highly Mentors were asked to rate their scholars abilities (e.g., communication, initiative) and effort. As seen in Figure 13, mentors overall ratings of their mentees were consistently high and very similar across skills, ranging from 77 percent to 89 percent. There were few differences by type of mentor. The two biggest differences involved peer mentors rating their mentees abilities much lower than either faculty or graduate mentors for My scholar s efforts this semester meet my expectations and My scholar s technical ability meets my expectations. However, it should be noted that there were fewer peer mentors that responded to the questions (9 11 respondents), and these differences may be the result of small sample size.

27 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 23 Figure 13. Mentors Evaluation of Scholars Abilities My scholar shows initiative 89 My scholar sets and meets his/her goals 88 My scholar s understanding of content meets my expectations 85 The quality of my scholar s work this semester meets my expectations 80 My scholar is a good communicator 79 I would like to work with this student in the future My scholar s technical ability meets my expectations My scholar s efforts this semester meet my expectations Percent SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Mentors also reported what they liked most and least about the MUST Scholar mentoring program, and made some suggestions for strengthening the program. Mentor Supports Mentors liked receiving information about STEM opportunities and professional development Mentors received information from MUST about topics to discuss with their mentees. As shown in Figure 14, approximately 74 percent of mentors received information from MUST at least every two months or less, while 69 percent wanted to receive information that frequently. Just under half of mentors wanted information every month (44 percent).

28 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 24 Figure 14. Frequency of Mentor s Actual and Desired Contact from MUST Percent Once a year Every 3 4 months Every 2 months Every month Every 2 3 weeks 0 How often did you receive communication from MUST regarding mentoring updates? 4 6 How often would you like to receive information from MUST about mentoring updates and topics? SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Overall, 50 percent of mentors reported that the information they received from MUST was somewhat useful, with 38 percent saying it was useful or very useful. Figure 15 shows mentor responses, both overall and by mentor type. Figure 15. Number of Mentors Who Thought the Information Received from MUST was Useful Overall Faculty mentor Graduate mentor Peer mentor Number of mentors Not useful Somewhat useful Useful Very useful SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data.

29 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 25 Table 3 shows what information mentors reported they received from MUST as well as the information they wanted to receive from MUST. Mentors were more likely to want information on STEM-related opportunities, organizations, and professional development. Peer mentors in particular wanted more information about more topics (including STEM-related research opportunities, professional organizations, and professional development opportunities). Table 3. Number of Mentors Who Received and Who Wanted Specific Information from MUST Faculty Graduate Peer Did you receive guidance from MUST? Do you think you need more information or training to help you effectively mentor? Did you receive guidance from MUST? Do you think you need more information or training to help you effectively mentor? Did you receive guidance from MUST? Do you think you need more information or training to help you effectively mentor? N STEM-related research opportunities STEM-related professional organizations STEM-related professional development opportunities Time management How to excel academically Balancing academics with a social life Senior year/life after MUST Financial aid Graduate school Recommendations Career issues No information received SOURCE: Spring mentor survey data. Mentor Benefits Mentors found mentorships personally satisfying In general, mentors found their experiences with MUST Scholars to be personally satisfying. Twenty-four of the 53 mentors (45 percent) responding to the spring survey wrote that they liked working with the scholars. They garnered deep personal satisfaction from mentoring and from sharing their experiences with someone else. They also wrote that they enjoyed the opportunity to work with students and get to know them better.

30 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 26 Fourteen mentors wrote that they benefitted from reflecting on their own experiences or by increasing their skills, such as developing their mentoring ability, expanding their network, or keeping up with current events and NASA resources. Peer mentors were most likely to say that talking over issues and questions with a younger student has helped them reflect on their academic progress so far, recognizing things they have done right and things they would like to change or do differently in the future. Four mentors discussed deepening their understanding of the experiences of undergraduate students. One mentor wrote that she found that Mentoring a MUST student has always been an enriching experience. It helps me learn different ways to understand and advise students with different levels of motivations and skills. Two mentors liked that they could give back to others, and two others wrote that they enjoyed the chance to stay in contact with MUST. Favorite Aspects of MUST Mentors most liked providing support When asked what they liked most about the MUST Project, 20 of the 53 responding mentors wrote that they enjoyed providing opportunities to undergraduate students and helping to guide and support them. Twelve mentors valued the structure of the program, including the variety of ways to communicate with their mentee, the resources available, and the opportunities the program offered youth overall. Least Favorite Aspects of MUST Mentors felt communication from scholars needed improvement When asked about difficulties, 13 mentors discussed challenges in communication. Four mentors wrote that their mentees did not communicate with them very much, and the reremainder wanted more frequent contact with their mentee. Four mentors also wrote that they would like to have face-to-face interactions with their mentees. I learned from reflecting on my experience [of applying to graduate school], and hopefully he gained some insight as well! Graduate Mentor Six mentors wrote that they wanted more guidance from MUST, specifically around topics to discuss during meetings. As one mentor said, I feel that perhaps there should be a bit more guidance or instruction for both parties.

31 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 27 Mentor Suggestions for Improving MUST Mentors want communication guidelines and increased mentor support Similar to last year, mentor suggestions for improvements to the project fell within two I would have liked to increase the main areas: guidelines for communication with frequency of contact with my mentee, mentees and expectations of and support for but that is entirely in the hands of when mentees decide to respond to messages mentors. Twelve mentors wrote suggestions or when they have time. I fully about increasing communication, including two understand this, but a solution might who suggested more face-to-face interactions. exist. I only raise the concern. Suggestions for improved communication Graduate Mentor included making contact with the mentor a requirement for mentees, connecting via social networking sites, requiring mentees to submit reports, adding incentives to encourage contact with mentors, and using Google Docs as a way of having the mentor and mentee keep track of their communications. In terms of providing guidelines, expectations, and support to mentors, this year s mentors requested many similar support tools as mentors from previous years, including initial questions they could use with their mentee, conversation topics and resources from MUST to share with their mentee, receiving the mentorship guide earlier in the year, and having an online support group for mentors. Student Perspectives on Mentoring A majority of students had one mentor; African-American scholars were the least likely to have a faculty mentor In the fall, 90 percent of MUST Scholars reported that they had at least one mentor, and in the spring, 93 percent had at least one mentor. In both semesters, approximately 8 percent of students indicated that they had two mentors. There was little difference between students fall and spring responses, so this section of the report will focus on results from the spring survey and address fall results only when differences occurred. Scholars were more likely to have a faculty mentor (62 percent) than a graduate student mentor (23 percent) or peer mentor (14 percent). Table 4 shows the breakdown of mentor type by scholar race/ethnicity, first-in-family status, Minority Serving Institution status, and year in MUST. As the table illustrates, having a mentor did not vary much by scholar

32 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 28 race/ethnicity, though the type of mentor a scholar had did. African-American scholars were much less likely to have a faculty mentor (38 percent) than Caucasian scholars (68 percent), Hispanic scholars (66 percent), or other groups (65 percent). African-American scholars were more likely to have a peer mentor (31 percent vs. 9 percent for Hispanic scholars, 11 percent for Caucasian scholars, and 18 percent for other groups). First-generation college students were equally likely to have a faculty mentor, more likely to have a graduate mentor, and less likely to have a peer mentor than their counterparts. Finally, those attending Minority Serving Institutions were equally likely to have a faculty mentor but less likely to have a graduate student and more likely to have a peer mentor than were students who did not attend such universities. Newer scholars (second year) were slightly more likely to have a faculty mentor than were scholars in their third year or more in MUST, and slightly less likely to have a graduate student or peer mentor. Table 4. Percent of MUST Scholars that Have Specific Types of Mentors, by Scholar Characteristics Race/ethnicity Year in MUST First-in-family Minority Serving Institution Total Caucasian African American Hispanic Other 2 years 3 or more years¹ Yes No Yes No Has mentor Has 2 mentors No mentor Faculty mentor Graduate student mentor Peer mentor ¹ Including youth who did not specify year started on the survey. SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Time with Mentor Scholars were most likely to interact with faculty mentors The amount of time scholars spent with their mentors varied by type of mentor. Approximately 40 percent of MUST Scholars paired with a faculty mentor interacted with their mentor for two or more hours a month, whereas only 27 percent of scholars with a graduate student mentor and 17 percent of scholars with a peer mentor interacted with their mentors for this amount of time (Figure 16). Scholars with graduate or peer mentors were much more likely to interact with them for 0 2 hours per month. Generally, scholars were more likely to feel that they had spent more time with their mentors than their mentors felt they had spent with their scholars.

33 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 29 Figure 16. Time Spent with Mentor, by Mentor Type Number of scholars More than 4 hours 2 4 hours hours 0 Faculty mentor Graduate mentor Peer mentor SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Mentor Activities Scholars frequently discussed graduate school and STEM-related research with mentors There were very few differences reported by students in the overall topics they discussed with their mentor during the fall and spring semesters (Table 5). The biggest difference was that scholars were more likely to report discussing how to excel academically and time management in the spring than in the fall. Overall, the most commonly discussed topics were graduate school, STEM-related research opportunities, graduate school recommendations, and how to excel academically (similar to last year s most discussed topics). The topics least discussed were financial aid, balancing social life with academics, and life after MUST. For the most part, scholars were more likely to I used my graduate [student] mentor speak about more topics with their faculty rather almost every week near the end of the than their peer or graduate mentors. semester to help edit and revise my graduate school application essays. Senior MUST Scholar

34 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 30 Table 5. Percent Reporting Topics Discussed during Mentoring Faculty mentor Graduate mentor Peer mentor Graduate school STEM-related research opportunities Recommendations How to excel academically Career issues STEM-related professional development opportunities STEM-related professional organizations Time management What happens in the senior year Life after MUST How to balance academics with a social life Financial aid SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Quality of the Mentor Relationship The mentor relationship helped scholars expand career options and set higher expectations MUST Scholars believed that they had developed skills and opportunities because of their mentors. Figure 17 shows that 87 percent of students reported that having a mentor gave them the sense that they had people who would support them. Only spring data is presented because there were almost no differences in reported effects between fall and spring. Scholars reported that their relationship with their mentor also helped them to see more options for their future (77 percent) and to set higher expectations for themselves (73 percent). Scholars believed that they improved their communication skills through the mentoring experience as well (65 percent) and encountered new paths to a career they had not previously considered (62 percent). MUST Scholars were least likely to indicate that their grades and test scores had improved as a result of mentoring (43 percent).

35 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 31 Figure 17. Percentage of MUST Scholars Reporting the Following Effects of Mentoring My grades and test scores are better 43 I m involved in more STEM-related programs or activities 51 My attitude toward school is better 55 I encountered new paths to a career I have not previously considered 62 My communication skills are better 65 I have higher expectations of myself 73 I feel I have more options for my future 77 I feel like there are people who will support me Percent SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Student Perspectives on MUST staff support Scholars discussed program logistics with MUST staff the most In addition to receiving support from their mentors on a variety of topics, MUST staff also provided support to scholars. Figure 18 shows the percent of scholars who reported that they discussed various topics with MUST staff. The top two topics relate, not surprisingly, to MUST The most significant benefit [of MUST] logistics. While scholars reported that they were would be the team support. Whenever I least likely to discuss financial aid with their had a question there was someone on mentors (Figure 11), they discussed it quite frequently with MUST staff. the same day or the next. the NASA MUST team available either Senior MUST Scholar

36 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 32 Figure 18. Percent of MUST Scholars Who Received Support on Various Topics from MUST Staff MUST logistics 55 MUST awards 35 Financial aid 29 Research opportunities 17 Professional development opportunities 12 Professional organizations Tutoring Career issues How to excel academically Graduate school Recommendations How to balance academics with a social life Life after MUST Time management Percent SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data Summary Mentors and scholars alike noted that the mentoring aspect of the MUST Project was useful, effective, and covered a wide variety of topics, but also that communication between mentors and mentees was not always as frequent as they would have liked. Scholars and mentors both indicated they benefitted from the mentorship experience in many ways. Namely, scholars developed a network of support that they accessed to discuss issues of relevance to them and developed some skills. Mentors benefitted by developing their mentoring skills and deepening their understanding of challenges faced by students; they also enjoyed the opportunity to give back.

37 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 33 Recommendations The greatest challenge of the mentor-mentee relationship is nurturing the relationship long distance. The MUST Project relies on long-distance relationships between scholars and mentors because it would be too difficult to recruit enough mentors who are geographically close to incoming students. Given this challenge, we offer the following recommendations. Similar to last year s recommendation, we suggest more monitoring to determine if the relationship is working well to allow for earlier interventions for those relationships that may not be as effective. For example, rather than administer a full fall survey at the end of the semester, MUST could instead administer a shorter survey to scholars and mentors, earlier in the semester, to diagnose any issues. Too many scholars were not contacting their mentors by the October 1st deadline. Provide more support to the mentors by providing documentation (i.e., topics to discuss) or training (through an online conference or providing a listserv for mentors to contact one another with questions). Provide topics or activities for mentors and their scholars to engage in every two months or so to both facilitate interactions and provide learning experiences. Administer a set of short, quick surveys to determine if the information provided was useful. Explore more deeply why some mentoring relationships are more or less effective. Identify what factors might negatively affect mentoring relationships and if these factors could be predicted. For example, the strength of relationships by location, interest, race/ethnicity, or student academic characteristics (i.e., whether students with lower GPAs use mentors more or less) could be examined and disaggregated by type of mentor or experience of mentor. In addition, a better understanding of why some relationships work well and some do not would provide MUST staff with more professional development topics to introduce to the mentors. Finally, it may be worthwhile to examine mentor ratings from year to year to determine if some mentors are consistently more effective than others. Provide support for both mentors and mentees in using social networking software (such as Skype) as a way to facilitate a more personal relationship. Finally, it is important to look into the distribution of mentor types to scholars based upon scholar background demographics, to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of mentors.

38 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 34 Chapter 3: Providing Research and Professional Development Experiences The basic belief of the MUST Project is that scholars need to have hands-on research experiences that broaden their interest in the aerospace industry. MUST also seeks to help prepare students for a career in STEM by engaging them in holistic professional development experiences and also by supporting scholars as they conduct their own outreach activities. This chapter evaluates how well NASA and HCF achieved both goals based on student feedback. Participation in NASA Research during the Academic Year Eighteen scholars in the fall and nine in the spring reported that they engaged in NASA research (this includes five students who participated in both semesters). Figure 19 lists the research activities reported by students. Figure 19. Academic Year NASA Research (as Reported by Scholars) Research Applied to the NASA Microgravity Program Continuation of Alternate Water Resource Project, started in NASA TCUP REU, Haskell/Goddard Detonation Wave propagation research Developing a biology cannon that will take aim at the question of whether x-rays are more harmful to human DNA in the zero gravity of outer space than they are when exposure takes place on earth Internship at Johnson Space Center NASA Microgravity University participation NASA Reduced Gravity Program Part of a research group working on a NASA funded project Title Validation of PIV System for Regolith Study SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data.

39 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 35 Research Presentations at Conferences during the Academic Year HENAAC/Great Minds in STEM was the most popular conference for scholar presentations Fifty-one MUST Scholars (45 percent) presented at a conference during the academic year, including 14 who presented something each semester. While the percentage of scholars attending was similar to , scholars attended more conferences in (49 vs. 33). Figure 20 contains a list of conferences MUST Scholars presented at, and a list of presentation titles is presented in Figure 21. Figure 20. Fall MUST Scholars Conference Presentations Name of conference Number of MUST Scholars presenting HENAAC/Great Minds in STEM 7 AIAA Region II Student Conference 3 Emerging Researcher s National Conference 2 Graduate Research Symposium- University of Michigan 2 Leadership Conferences at NMSU 2 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference- The Woodlands, Texas 2 National Society of Black Engineers Fall Regional Conference 2 SACNAS National Conference in San Jose, CA 2 SHPE National Conference - Anaheim CA 2 Society of Women Engineers National Conference International Workshop on Acoustic Transduction Materials and Devices 1 AIAA Conference on Small Satellites, Society of Women Engineers National Conference 1 AIHEC 2012 Student Conference 1 AISES National Conference 1 American Chemical Society National Meeting 1 AU Career Fair 1 Cal Poly CubeSat Workshop AND Cal Poly Engineering Senior Project Design Fair 1 Engineers Without Borders Southwest Regional Training Workshop, Texas A&M University 1 Final Presentation for Foundations of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 1 First Nations Development Climate Change Workshop Humanoid Talk San Juan, Puerto Rico 1 Infinite Possibilities Conference (University of Maryland Baltimore County) 1 Ionispheric Workshop 1 Joint Mathematics Meetings 1 Keck Northeastern Astronomy Consortium 1 LSAMP Symposium 1 McNair National Conference UMD 1

40 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 36 Figure 20. Fall MUST Scholars Conference Presentations continued Name of conference Number of MUST Scholars presenting Meeting of the Minds, CMU Summit 1 MIT UAT Technical High School Conference 1 National Kappa Theta Epsilon Convention 1 National Society of Black Engineers - National Conference 1 Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics 1 Northeast Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics 1 Planck 2012, Warsaw, Poland 1 Promoting NASA programs at Rio Mar Beach 1 Puerto Rico SHPE Conference 1 Research Day at Spelman College, USA Science and Engineering Festival 1 SEDS National Conference 1 SHPE Eastern Technical Leadership Conference - Rio Grande, PR 1 SpaceVision STGlobal Science and Technology in Society Conference 1 Summer 2011 Multifunctional Hybrid Nanocomposites Internship at LaRC 1 Texas A&M Student Engineering Council Career Fair 1 UBM and Texas A&M University 1 Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium, University of Illinois at Chicago 1 Undergraduate Women in Physics at Stanford University 1 United States Military Academy National Conference for Ethics in America 1 UPOP = Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program 1 WMED (Workshop on Microelectronic and Electron Devices) 1 SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data. Figure 21. Titles of Conference Presentations Presentation Title Alternate Water Resource Project Compressed Video Recovery with Upper and Lower Bound Constraints Development of a Highly Flexible Thermal Strap Digital Design Verification GRE Bootcamp at Cal State Long Beach How to Program the Humanoid Nao Identifying Drug Sensitive and Resistant Genes in Cancer Cell Lines given by the NCI-60 Model Optical Propellant Mass Gauging Using Modified Michelson Interferometer Resumes 101 Sampling Within k-means Algorithm to Cluster Large Datasets Spherical Geometry and its Models Structure Dynamics-Guided Enzyme Improvement for Biofuels Understanding the Protein-Nanoparticle Interactions Under Normal and Oxidative Stress Conditions Wire We Here? Polarization Grid Fabrication on the PIPER Mission SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data.

41 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 37 MUST Travel Award Only a small percentage of scholars reported the influence of the MUST travel award MUST offers a stipend for scholars who wish to travel to a conference for a presentation. Of the 51 students who attended a conference, 31 percent said that they would have applied even if there wasn t a stipend, 13 percent said that the MUST Travel Award influenced their decision to submit a proposal to a conference, and the rest did not respond to the question. Of those 7 scholars who said the award influenced their decision, 5 responded that they could not have gone without it, 1 responded that it provided extra support, and 1 scholar would have gone regardless of the award. Professional Development Most scholars indicated they are members of a professional organization Sixty-one scholars indicated that they were members of a professional organization (Figure 22). Fifteen scholars said that their decision to join a professional organization was influenced by their mentoring relationship. The most common organizations were the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Figure 22. Names of Professional Organizations in Which MUST Scholars Have Memberships Number of Organization MUST Scholars Society of Women Engineers 13 Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) 10 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 9 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 7 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 7 National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) 6 Tau Beta Pi 5 American Chemical Society 4 American Physical Society (APS) 4 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHe) 3 Pi Tau Sigma 3 Society of Physics Students (SPS) 2 49er Rocketry and Projectile Society 1

42 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 38 Figure 22. Names of Professional Organizations in Which MUST Scholars Have Memberships continued Organization Number of MUST Scholars AISES 1 AITP-NMSU 1 Alpha Chi 1 Alpha Kappa Mu 1 American Astronomical Society 1 American Medical Student Association (AMS) 1 American Society of Physicist 1 Association for Women in Mathematics 1 Biomedical Engineering Society 1 EISCAT 1 ETA KAPPA NU 1 Golden Key Honor Society 1 Hispanic Recruitment Team 1 Hispanic Scholarship Fund 1 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 1 Kappa Nu Sigma 1 KTE 1 Lee College of Engineering Council 1 Lockheed Martin 1 Mathematical Association of America 1 National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals 1 Pi Mu Epsilon 1 Puerto Rican Student Association 1 Robojackets FIRST Robotics 1 SACNAS 1 SEDS 1 SIAM 1 Sigma Gamma Tau 1 Sigma Pi Sigma - The National Physics Honor Society 1 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 1 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers 1 Theta Tau (professional engineering fraternity) 1 SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data. Total Number and Types of Professional Development Activities Almost all scholars participated in one professional development activity MUST Scholars reported that they took part in a number of different professional development opportunities in the past year; 95 percent of scholars in the fall sample and 99 percent of scholars in the spring indicated that they participated in at least one professional development

43 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 39 activity that semester. During each semester, roughly 70 percent participated in at least two activities, 40 percent participated in at least three activities, and 25 percent participated in four or more activities. Figure 23 shows the types of activities that scholars engaged in during the year. Interview training, attending professional conferences and career fairs, and collaboration across networks were the top three types of professional development for Figure 23. Percentage of Scholars Participating in Professional Development Activities, Oral communication or interview training Collaboration across networks Fall Attendance at a professional conference or career fair Spring Technical or business writing Cultural competence Financial literacy Entrepreneurship SOURCE: Fall and spring end-of-semester survey data Percent Participation in STEM Outreach Activities A majority of scholars mentored or tutored youth in STEM fields as part of their outreach activities MUST Scholars also gave back to others: 65 percent of scholars in the spring semester and 63 percent in the fall semester reported engaging in outreach activities. The majority of these activities were mentoring or tutoring younger students in STEM fields. MUST Scholars mentored and tutored either one-on-one or in groups ranging in size up to 20 students (Figure 24). Scholars outreach work in designing hands-on activities and speaking to K 12 students about NASA and STEM careers were generally directed to groups of

44 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 40 more than 20. Scholars also noted that they participated in other outreach activities as well. Three served as science fair judges, three blogged through NASA Inspire, and three spoke to incoming freshmen or community college students about STEM fields and opportunities through NASA. Figure 24. Types of Outreach Activities Participated in during the Academic Year Percent Tutored science and math for high school or college students Spoke to K 12 students about NASA and exciting careers in STEM Designed hands-on activities to engage students in science Mentored K 12 students interested in higher education and STEM SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. MUST Scholars also completed an outreach survey that asked them more specific questions about their current and potential outreach activities. Of the 79 scholars who participated in outreach activities to serve as role models and/or showcase opportunities in STEM, the majority tutored high school or college students in science and math (53 percent) or mentored K 12 students interested in higher education and STEM (47 percent). Fewer scholars designed hands-on activities to engage students in science (38 percent) or spoke to K 12 students about NASA and exciting careers in STEM (28 percent) (Figure 25). This is a similar finding to the end-of-semester survey.

45 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 41 Figure 25. Types of Outreach Activities Participated in during the Academic Year Percent Mentored K 12 students interested in higher education and STEM Tutored science and math for high school or college students Designed hands-on activities to engage students in science Spoke to K 12 students about NASA and exciting careers in STEM SOURCE: Scholar Outreach survey data. Figure 26 shows that outreach activities were more likely to target minority students (49 percent) or women (33 percent). Few activities specifically targeted people with disabilities (3 percent). Figure 26. Number of Outreach Activities that Targeted the Following Underserved and Underrepresented Populations in the STEM Field Percent Minority students Females Persons with disabilities 3 SOURCE: Scholar Outreach survey data.

46 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 42 Scholars reported needing $ to enhance outreach activities In the more in-depth outreach survey, 11 scholars reported that they spent some money on their outreach activities, while a handful also reported that their resources were donated or provided by an organization. Scholars needed to buy items such as arts and crafts supplies for ice-breakers and other activities, materials for robotic or other science activities, and occasionally food. Thirty-seven scholars (47 percent) thought that if funding were available, they would have been able to enhance their outreach to include more and better science activities or to offer their outreach to more students. For the most part, scholars did not think they needed significantly more money to enhance their outreach activities, with almost 40 percent needing less than $100 (Figure 27). One scholar led a fundraising group to raise more than $2,500 in a semester and used scrap materials from other projects in the science departments to support his/her outreach activities. This scholar reported needing $1,000. Figure 27. Amount of Funding Scholars Reported They Needed to Enhance Their Outreach Activities 28% 38% $50 $99 $100 $199 34% $200 $399 SOURCE: Scholar Outreach survey data.

47 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 43 Studying Abroad Half of non-senior MUST Scholars reported interest in studying abroad Fifty percent of non-senior MUST Scholars indicated that they were interested in studying abroad. Of those 26 students, two-thirds looked at the new MUST Study Abroad Guidebook introduced by MUST in summer/fall The scholars who did look at the guidebook found it generally useful (Figure 28). I developed an independent study last semester so I could study in Salzburg, Austria. For this course, I had the amazing opportunity to work on an environmental chemistry research project with a graduate student at ETH in Zurich, Switzerland. Junior MUST Scholar Figure 28. Scholar Ratings of MUST Study Abroad Guide Percent Not useful Somewhat useful Useful Very useful SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data.

48 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 44 MUST Newsletters A majority of scholars found the MUST newsletters helpful HCF sends out a monthly newsletter with the goal of keeping scholars up-to-date with resources, conferences, scholarships, and other MUST activities. Similar to the Study Abroad Guidebook, MUST Scholars found these newsletters to be generally useful. Approximately 73 percent of scholars found them to be useful or very useful in keeping them informed about opportunities (conferences, scholarships, etc.), while 59 percent found them to be useful or very useful in keeping them informed about MUST (Figure 29). Only 1 percent of scholars did not find the newsletters at all useful for either of these goals. Figure 29. Scholar Ratings of MUST Newsletter How useful are the MUST newsletters in keeping you informed about opportunities (conferences, scholarships, etc)? How useful are the MUST newsletters in keeping you informed about MUST? Percent Not useful Somewhat useful Useful Very useful SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Summary MUST Scholars engaged in a variety of professional development activities, NASA research, and conference presentations during the academic year. Almost half of all scholars presented research at a professional conference. About 65 percent of scholars also provided outreach in their communities about NASA and STEM, typically through mentoring and tutoring, but also by designing hands-on activities and speaking about NASA and STEM. This outreach generally targeted minority students, but also women as well. Further, scholars felt they could provide more outreach and design better activities with some minimal funding. Scholars felt that MUST support through newsletters, the study abroad guide, and the conference travel award was useful in helping them to learn about and take advantage of opportunities.

49 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 45 Recommendations There are a number of ways that the MUST Project could continue supporting scholars professional development, particularly around research and presentations. Over 40 percent of scholars presented at a conference in each of the past academic years. MUST currently supports students by offering a travel stipend to conferences and commissioned a guidebook of STEM research conferences to help students find appropriate professional gatherings at which to share their work. Moving forward, the MUST Project could use the mentoring relationship to support increased presentations. As part of a required mentoring curriculum, mentors could encourage their mentees to present, discuss conference opportunities, and provide feedback on conference proposals and final papers. Scholars could be asked to share their current research with their mentors, and mentors could help scholars determine appropriate conferences and provide support for their mentee in preparing their research and conference submission. Further, MUST should gather scholar feedback as to the usefulness of the conference guide. In addition, 65 percent of scholars engaged in outreach activities this year, and they indicated that they could do more outreach with some resources. We suggest that MUST create an outreach award, much like the travel award, to which scholars can apply for additional funding. Further, MUST might want to consider giving one or more service awards to scholars who show the most dedication to working in their communities. Finally, MUST continues to provide support to scholars through their monthly newsletter, study abroad guide, and research conference guide. Scholars believed these tools were useful, though we do suggest asking questions about the conference guide as well as more specific questions about what scholars need in these materials in order to further refine them and to better meet the needs of scholars.

50 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 46 Chapter 4: In Their Own Words Scholars Perspectives on MUST Scholars were given an opportunity to reflect on their experience with MUST, including noting their accomplishments that were a result of MUST, commenting on benefits of the program, and making suggestions to improve MUST support. This chapter captures these final reflections. I found my career, my motivation and strength to believe in my dream. Senior MUST Scholar Scholar Accomplishments as a Result of MUST Scholars reported that MUST helped them with academics and academic opportunities and awards MUST Scholars were asked in an open-ended question to provide any accomplishments that were attributable to MUST. MUST Scholars attributed many awards, accomplishments in leadership and outreach, their academic focus and grades, and their research experiences to their involvement with the MUST Project. Twelve scholars wrote that the MUST Project helped them with their academics through improving their focus on their grades and studies. Another nine scholars reported that the MUST Project gave them additional academic opportunities, such as presenting at professional conferences, assisted them with their research, or helped them to find research positions. Five others believed that their involvement in MUST helped them earn scholarly awards (by academic associations), and another five scholars believed that participating in MUST helped them gain admission to graduate school. Four scholars felt MUST refocused their career aspirations. Additionally, three noted that their involvement MUST provided me with the confidence to approach the helped them to develop their skills in leadership, communication, or networking. lab, and my NASA involvement director of my current research played a large role in my being Three scholars wrote about having the opportunity to selected for a research position as provide outreach to encourage others to succeed academically, specifically in the STEM fields. Two Sophomore MUST Scholar a sophomore. scholars noted that they had been named as NASA Student Ambassadors as a result of MUST.

51 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 47 Most Significant Benefit of the MUST Project MUST encouraged me to pursue research while balancing school work and the semester worked Scholars reported mentors, scholarships, out well! My favorite part of and the MUST network as the biggest MUST is that I get to interact with benefits of MUST a community of students, faculty, and researchers who are MUST Scholars were also asked in an open-ended passionate about the fields I am question to specify the most significant benefit of interested in. MUST; every scholar responded to this question in the Sophomore MUST Scholar spring survey. Of 89 scholars, 23 reported that their mentor and the support they received from that relationship were most important, while 22 scholars responded that the tuition assistance was most important as it allowed them to concentrate on their studies and to improve their grades. Nineteen scholars believed that the network of students and other support people were most beneficial, including two who directly mentioned the group s new Facebook page as being useful. Fifteen scholars reported that it was the MUST Project s internship that was most important. Five scholars reported that their involvement with MUST helped them to determine their future career path, four appreciated the support and experiences they received at the Symposium, and three felt that MUST helped provide them with the motivation they needed to continue working hard at their studies. As one scholar said, MUST pushes me towards doing hard things. Two scholars noted that they were able to present at MUST holds me accountable professional conferences, and one scholar each academically. I know that I am mentioned conducting research, developing a part of an extraordinary communication skills, developing leadership group of individuals and must skills, or increasing their knowledge about particular content. Finally, one scholar reported that represent them, as well as myself, well. the tutoring they received from MUST was the Junior MUST Scholar most significant benefit. Suggested Changes for the MUST Project The majority (58 percent) of scholars in the spring had no suggestions thirty-nine (47 percent) wrote that they thought the MUST Project was working well and providing them with what they needed. For example, one scholar wrote, So far, I believe that the MUST team is doing an extraordinary job at supporting me as a MUST Scholar. how to be a professional in the MUST taught me more and more Table 6 summarizes scholar suggestions for improvement from those who did provide feedback. myself to be a great engineer. workplace and how to carry Junior MUST Scholar

52 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 48 Table 6. MUST Scholars Suggestions for Improving MUST Category Number of responses Suggestions Professional development/ opportunities 11 Scholars wanted more information about different opportunities for professional development, for example including online professional development, networking, educational opportunities, internships, a list of fellowships and STEM conferences, as well as information about NASA events. One scholar wanted more than just the Symposium from MUST. Mentoring 6 Scholars wanted mentors who shared their research interests and who were geographically closer. Another scholar wanted a peer mentor, and one scholar wanted a list of topics for mentors and mentees to discuss. Graduating senior support Community/ networking 5 Five graduating seniors wanted some level of support from MUST, such as information about fellowships and continuing opportunities, or the ability to have a summer internship after graduating. 4 Scholars wanted more community. They commented that they liked the Symposium and the opportunity to meet with other students there but felt less of a sense of community during the year. Suggestions included having another conference or creating on-campus support groups. Career support 2 Including more career information, resume and interview workshops, and networking career events. Graduate school support 2 Including more information about and help with the graduate school application process. Tutoring 2 Both scholars wanted tutoring. Other 1 2 One scholar each wanted MUST to offer more outreach opportunities, more information about the travel award, more support for students on a quarter semester (such as separate due dates for these students), more motivational material, and for internships to be assigned earlier, while two scholars wanted flexibility with their MUST scholarship, such as being able to use it to pay for housing. SOURCE: Spring end-of-semester survey data. Summary MUST Scholars attributed a number of their accomplishments to the skills developed, support received, and connections they made through the MUST Project. They appreciated the opportunities they received through MUST, and were thankful for the financial support that allowed them to focus on their studies and give back to their communities through different outreach projects. Finally, MUST Scholars believed that MUST provided them with a lot of effective support, but suggested that learning about additional professional development, research, and internship opportunities and being able to deepen their connections to mentors and other scholars would make the program even better.

53 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 49 Recommendations MUST Scholars wanted to continue to receive information from MUST and strengthen the support and sense of community that MUST provides. The MUST Project uses their newsletter, website, Facebook page, and mentors to provide information to their scholars; lists numerous ways that scholars can access support and information; and helps scholars communicate with one another. Implementing some previous recommendations, such as an earlier check-in about the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship and providing topics and activities for mentors, would address some of these concerns. Further, the MUST Project could create a year-long schedule of topics relevant to scholars. Finally, the guidebooks created by MUST in to help scholars can be revised to more effectively meet scholars questions. In the future, MUST could also create a guidebook with information on fellowships that could provide MUST Scholars with more financial support for graduate school or undergraduate research opportunities. MUST could also create a guide that helps scholars prepare their research for conference submission and presentations.

54 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 50 Chapter 5: Conclusions The results of the data analyses performed for this report provide evidence that the Hispanic College Fund (HCF) has been quite effective in accomplishing the goals it set out for this project. HCF has recruited scholars from groups that are currently underrepresented in the workforce, including women, minorities, and first-in-family college students. There is strong evidence that participation in MUST has helped scholars develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) expertise. MUST Scholars graduate with degrees in STEM fields and hold STEM career aspirations. HCF provides mentoring support services to students that are found to be effective by mentors and scholars alike, though interactions between mentors and scholars could be more frequent and the curriculum could be more formalized. MUST Scholars engage in hands-on research experiences that broaden interest in the aerospace industry. MUST Scholars engage in a variety of professional development experiences. MUST Scholars engage in a variety of outreach activities. MUST Scholars attend and present at conferences and join professional organizations. In this report, we have presented a number of recommendations or questions to explore more deeply about how to better support MUST Scholars. In general, scholars and mentors find that the activities associated with the MUST Project are useful and effective. MUST can work to provide a tighter, more integrated experience for scholars, using multiple avenues of communication and support to deepen the scholar experience. Integrating support through multiple channels will help MUST continue to provide high-quality and effective support and motivation to scholars in their pursuit of a career in STEM fields. The mentor experience is the support activity that can be leveraged the most. Although HCF offers topics and checks in with mentors on a monthly basis, the mentoring relationship can be strengthened through increased support and monitoring. The scholar and mentor are responsible for scheduling the frequency of their meetings, though monthly meetings are required and outlined in the MUST Mentorship Guide provided to all participants. Still, mentors and scholars asked for more support. HCF might provide mentors and scholars with

55 MOTIVATING UNDERGRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST) 51 a more developed framework of topics to discuss, activities to engage in, and materials to use as resources. Earlier and increased monitoring can be used to determine if the relationship is working, and working well, and lead to earlier interventions for those relationships that are not as effective. Increased monitoring can also provide more specific feedback on how effective mentors are at supporting scholars around various topics (STEM professional development opportunities, research opportunities, etc.). Rather than administer a full fall survey at the end of the semester, MUST could instead administer one or more shorter surveys to scholars and mentors, earlier in the semester, to diagnose any issues. The MUST Project is also developing a series of webinars to provide support and information to scholars. These sessions, combined with current dissemination efforts (newsletters) and guidebooks (study abroad, conferences), have been found to be useful by scholars. Integrating these services, for example by conducting a webinar on applying to graduate school at the same time that mentors ask their scholars about graduate school, is an example of how MUST could layer support for mentor and scholar alike. MUST Scholars have also called for increased networking during the year. They find the summer Symposium to be very effective in building community but have reported that they want more network contact during the year. While some scholars have suggested regional meetings, it might also be possible to host an event at a conference during the year. This year, the HENAAC/Great Minds in STEM Conference was the most attended conference by MUST Scholars (13 scholars). Leveraging that conference (and others) might be a way for MUST to provide some additional support and continue the development of the network during the year. For example, scholars could be encouraged to announce to the MUST community any conferences they are attending and their location so that other MUST Scholars attending the conference or in the area can gather. These announcements might also encourage more conference participation as it would serve as yet another way to let scholars know about different conference opportunities.