University President Shirley Strum Kenny announced March 19 that Stony BrookUniversity was awarded $2.5 million by the National Science Foundation (NSF)to increase minority bachelor degrees in science, technology, engineering andmath. The university was awarded this money in recognition of the accomplishmentsthat the State University of New York Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation(SUNY LSAMP) of which SBU is the lead institution has made in it’#146;s initialphase.

The success of the first phase includes a 111 percent increase in under-representedminority enrollment in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) anda 46 percent increase in degree completion. SUNY LSAMP has expanded existingSTEM courses by developing and applying innovative programs, providing scholarshipsand stipend support, and offering cooperative problem-solving groups, tutoringin math and science, mentoring programs, and research and internship opportunities.It also arranges trips to professional conferences where students can presenttheir research and provides students with assistance in applying to graduateprograms.

‘The NSF mandate is to develop a diverse technological workforce for the21st century,’ said Kenny who is also the principle investigator of theproject. ‘In the next five years, we plan to take the program to a newlevel and significantly increase minority participation in science, technology,engineering and math. We will work hard to help today’#146;s under-representedstudents become tomorrow’#146;s leaders in technological and scientific disciplines.’

Phase Two of the project will focus on such things as advancing strategiesto help students successfully transfer form community to four year colleges,developing the Center for Inclusive Education here at SBU, building more researchexperiences for SUNY LSAMP undergraduates, and helping more students continueon to study at the graduate and professorate levels.