Strategies for Maintaining Diversity for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

in STEM Disciplines at LSU

Professor Isiah M. Warner Department of Chemistry

Louisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

Diversity Event, Woods Hole, June 26, 2008

ONE OF TODAY’S GREATEST

EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES:

PRODUCTION

OF

THE NEXT GENERATION

OF

STEM SCHOLARS/RESEARCHERS

Comments on some At-Risk Students

• This student’s grades do not reflect their true abilities.

• This student has an aptitude for science.

• This student is very interested in science.

• This student is not performing up to their abilities.

• Something is wrong?

An Innovative Hierarchy Model for

Integrating Research, Education, and Peer Mentoring

Research Education

Mentoring

LSU Mentor

ELEMENTS OF LSU HHMI/LA-STEM PROGRAMS

• Improved Study and Note Taking Skills

• Development of Group Interaction Skills

• Improved Time Management Skills

• Enhanced Science Comprehension Through Research

• Development of Mentoring Skills

2006 Summer Bridge StudentsHHMI and LA-STEM

In HHMI and LA-STEM,we provide a supportive,

motivating, diverse, learning community for students which promotes academic success through a three-pronged approach:

Mentoring

Education

Research

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Mentors function in four primary roles:

1. Teacher

imparting knowledge or skill to the mentee by example or experience

2. Counselor

exchanging opinions and ideas with the mentee to reach a decision or deliberate plan of action

3. Intervener

influencing the mentee’s attitudes and behaviors

4. Sponsor

assuming responsibility for assisting the mentee in gaining greater academic success

Mentoring

What all students need to be successful:•Refined problem-solving skills

•Time management and organization

•Enhanced interdisciplinary learning

•Ability to make connections between coursework and real-world experiences

•Metacognitive abilities (learning how you learn best and monitoring your own learning)

•Writing skills (yes, even for STEM majors)

Education

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

17Week 1AUGUST

18Orientation

19Orientation

20Orientation

21Orientation

22 23

24Week 2

25Classes Begin

26Getting On Course to your Success

27 28Accepting Responsibility & Time Mgmt:Schedules

29 30

31Week 3

1SEPTEMBERLabor Day Holiday

2Goal Setting&Self Motivation

3 4Self Motivation

5 6

7Week 4

8 9Notetaking &Mentoring

10 11Study Strategies I

12 13

14Week 5

15 16Preferred Learning Styles

17 18Self Discipline & InterdependenceCareer Fair

19 20

21Week 6

22 23Grad Student Research Presentation &Grad School Application Overview

24 25Self Awareness: Are You Off Course?

26 27

28Week 7

29 30 Mentor & Review of Midterm Study Schedule

1OCTOBER

2Fall Holiday

3Fall Holiday GAELA

4Conference

5Week 8@ Tulane

6Classes resume

7Study Strategies II

8 9Is 24 Hours Enough?

10 11

12Week 9

13MIDTERMS

14MIDTERMS

15MIDTERMS

16MIDTERMS

17MIDTERMS

18MIDTERMS

Our Research students (mentors)

•receive extensive preparation for research during their first semester in program or before (summer bridge)

•work in a research lab by their second semester in program

•have a research mentor to offer guidance and support

•have the opportunity to participate in summer research programs all over the country

Research

Success through collaboration

LA-STEM Research Scholars Program

HHMI Professors Program

jk

LA-STEM students who lose eligibility for the program because of the GPA requirement can transfer to HHMI

HHMI students whose GPAs qualify them for LA-STEM can transfer from one program to the other

2.5 to 3.0

> 3.5

2002 HHMI Cohort Academic Outcomes2002 HHMI Cohort Academic Outcomes

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Cum

ulat

ive

GP

A

Spring 2003 Spring 2004 Spring 2005 Spring 2006

Semester Enrolled

HHMI

Others

•Cumulative GPA is consistently higher

2002 HHMI Cohort Academic Outcomes2002 HHMI Cohort Academic Outcomes - Retention in STEM - Retention in STEM

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Spring 2003 Spring 2004 Spring 2005 Spring 2006

HHMI

Others

LA-STEM COHORTS Vs. LA-STEMLA-STEM Cohorts

LA-STEM

number 658 25

HS GPA 3.79 3.70

ACT 27.2 27.8

1st Year GPA 3.29 3.72

Senior College

50.9% 88.0%

OVERALL LA-STEM Vs. LA-STEM URM

LA-STEM LA-STEM

number 25 8

HS GPA 3.70 3.66

ACT 27.8 25.2

1st Year GPA 3.72 3.77

Senior College

88.0% 75.0%

2006 HIGHLIGHTSSTUDENTS AWARDS

LA-STEM Student(MD/PhD)

University Medalist

HHMI Student (PhD) Most Outstanding Mathematics Major

HHMI/LA-STEM Student(PhD)

Most Outstanding Chemistry Researcher

HHMI/LA-STEM Student Gilliam Fellow (PhD)

Four LA-STEM Students 4/5 Goldwater nominees

Twelve Students(Summer REU)

MIT (4); Wisconsin (7); Rice (1);

2006 Summer Research StudentsHHMI and LA-STEM

Transformation of Louisiana State University’s Graduate

Chemistry Program

Chemical & Engineering News, December 10, 2001, Volume 79, Number 50, pp. 39-42

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

BA/BS MS PhD Total

African American DegreesAfrican American Degrees(as % of Total LSU Degrees)

1.Richard Evans, PhD, 1965-19712.Mildred Smalley, PhD, 1968-

19723.Don Prier, PhD, 1975-1981

The Beginning Years - 1965 to 1985The Beginning Years - 1965 to 19853 PhD Degrees:

The Recent Years

CHEM

Selection CriteriaSelection Criteria

• GPA

• Letters of Reference

• GRE (Verbal and Quantitative)

• Personal Interview

CHEMSuccess FactorsSuccess Factors

• Mentoring and Support

• Proximity of HBCU's

• Critical Mass

• Faculty Collusion

• Self-Sustained Recruiting

• Employability

Mentoring Graduate Students

• Excited About Research Work• Positive interaction with students• Good communication • High marketability

• Same Evaluation Criteria• Don’t treat students differently• Reward highly successful students• Foster those having difficulties (positive

attitude)

• Create Diversity in Group• PhDs work in a culturally diverse world• Stress interactions within group

• Take Advantage of Programs (Opportunities)

HBCU'sHBCU'sDillard,

GramblingSouthern NOSouthern BR

Southern Shreveport

Xavier

Prairie ViewTexas Southern

AlcornJackson State

Mississippi ValleyTougaloo

LSU African American Chemistry Graduate LSU African American Chemistry Graduate Student Community SuccessStudent Community Success

Active in LSU/SU campus leadership activities

Active as campus tutors in Center for Academic Success

Active in community charitable activities

Active as role models for undergraduates, elementary, middle school, and high school students

LSU listed as “Hot Spot for Diversity” by U.S. News

CHEM

LA-STEM/ HHMI

Scholars/Mentors Programs

The LA-STEM Research Scholars Program is funded by the National Science Foundation, Research Corporation, and Louisiana State University.

Howard Hughes Professors Program

Supported by

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

LA-STEMResearch Scholars

Program