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Bridging Activities |
Pre-College to College
During Phase III PR-LSAMP implemented a Bridging Program for junior and senior high school students to learn the fundamental knowledge and skills to do scientific research. The goal was to motivate high school students to enter STEM college programs through active involvement in challenging and pertinent research activities that will strengthen their conceptual knowledge in STEM and familiarize them with the environment and ongoing research endeavors in STEM programs.
One hundred and fifty (150) participants were identified annually from the island’s public schools. Selection criteria included a minimum GPA of 3.0 in science and mathematics, high level of interest in pursuing STEM studies and careers, and commitment to participate in the research experience. Students were selected by a committee of STEM teachers, faculty, and PR-LSAMP staff.
The STEM Research Program consisted of eight sessions offered on Saturdays during the academic year, and a 10-day summer session. The Saturday sessions began with the fundamentals of research within the STEM disciplines. Mathematics was integrated into all the disciplines. Four workshops focused on an interdisciplinary approach to research, emphasizing hands-on experiences in research laboratories and field trips in which students learned to integrate knowledge from the different disciplines in researching a specific problem. The final sessions were dedicated to assist students in the design of a research project of their own interest that they will carry out during the 10-day summer session. Outstanding researchers and their graduate research assistants served as resources for the program. Hence, participants were exposed to successful researchers as role models who also provided them with guidance and mentoring on STEM studies and careers.
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Undergraduate to Graduate
Through PR-LSAMP, students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies are better prepared academically. However, they need support to ensure that they make a smooth transition to graduate programs and have the skills that will allow them to adjust to the demands of graduate programs. Among the areas in which these students confront major difficulties are the lack of knowledge of graduate school requirements and the graduate school environment, and the lack of communication skills, particularly writing skills that are fundamental for elaborating their research proposal and reports. To address these, in addition to the PR-LSAMP mentoring program, a series of five workshops are offered each semester to address general areas of difficulty encountered by students. Examples of these activities are:
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Time management to fulfill graduation requirements on time, and information on graduate schools and financial aid opportunities.
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Discussions on graduate school experience and how to succeed in graduate studies, including critical academic factors essential for success in graduate school.
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Career planning workshops and visiting lecturers to talk about career pathways in SMET fields and the contributions of Ph.D.’s to the development of science and technology within the global society.
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Visits to graduate campuses to meet faculty and students and to learn about research laboratories.
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Oral and written communication skills in English and preparation of research proposals, reports and presentations.
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Make available to current juniors and seniors the e-mail of prior PR-LSAMP participants currently in graduate school to establish a network of support.
