The Undergraduate Scholarships with Mathematics and Science Training, Exploration and Research (US MASTER) Program has been executed in two stages: track 1 from 2010 to 17and track 2 from 2018. To date, the US MASTER has provided scholarships to over 50 academically talented students with financial need in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Geography & Geographic Information Science, and Physics & Astrophysics. The main features of the first stage were: tailored mentoring, a seminar class, and a consistent focus on involving students in STEM research. Based on external evaluation, the key to the success of the US MASTER I program was a holistic approach to mentorship and student advising. These findings highlighted the importance of recognizing low-income, underrepresented students as scholars and members of the STEM academic community, and the often invisible, emotional labor that faculty perform on students’ behalf. The results of the external evaluation led to the development of a track 2 proposal that built on earlier program elements, focusing on multi-tiered mentoring, and training for faculty and students with the goal to understand the development of students’ science identities. As part of our assessment efforts of the US MASTER II program, we interviewed student participants and faculty regarding their experiences, particularly mentoring relationships and the integration of research in year 2 (2019-20). For students, a consistent theme emerged: in addition to providing access to professional socialization experiences and the facilitation of competency and performance, students reported that it was the ability to form close relationships based on personal authenticity and feelings of psychological safety and trust that provided the best scaffolding for success in a challenging STEM environment. Faculty identitifed the need for training to better support students in handling stress and anxiety as well the development of coaching skills, particularly in regards to better serving first generation and URM students. While one-on-one mentoring and daily interaction are essential for student retention and graduation; students advised by more ‘nurturing’ faculty are more likely to stay in the program and persist in STEM majors. This work requires the ability of faculty to both share their authentic selves, as well as allow students to enact an authentic identity in safe spaces in order for real learning and disciplinary commitment to occur.

Implementation of tiered mentoring and professional development for mentees and mentors to promote science identify and increase success in STEM

ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting

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