Introduction Broadening STEM Participation Through Institutional Collaboration For a quarter century, Furman University has focused on providing John G. Kaup, Director of Science Education, Furman University engaged learning (coined 1995) experiences, as manifested through John F. Wheeler, Associate Provost of Integrative Research, Furman University “ultra-curricular” activities that include undergraduate research, internships and study away. Over this period, Furman has also EPSCoR & INBRE RET Research Experience for Teachers (RET) NSF REU: Chemistry magnified its institutional reach, focusing on increased community (Research Experience for Teachers) Summer 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019: Name Institution Student Body Location A Research Incubator Model participation and expanded opportunities for reaching diverse student 42 research experiences, 33 schools (HS and MS) Albany State HBCU 6600 Albany, GA Six-week immersion research experience (200+ hours): • Visiting faculty-student teams Teachers complete research at an institution in their local area 16 universities/colleges Augusta University PUI at the 6700 Augusta, GA populations in the South Carolina (SC) Upstate and the broader region. HBCUs, small PUIs & two-year colleges time Teachers carry out unique, individualized research projects • Benefits Compensation: Claflin University HBCU 2000 Orangeburg, SC INBRE (2016-2019) students work with someone they already know Research Mentor: $2,000 research supply budget Campbell University PUI 4400 Buies Creek, NC EPSCoR (2018-2019) avoids the non-reciprocal draining of talent Chemistry Department NSF REU Teachers : $3,000 / $500 materials support from the home institution Erskine College PUI 600 Due West, SC (returns with them to their school) potential for collaboration Grambling HBCU 3500 Grambling, LA Chemistry’s NSF REU program provides one vibrant example. Furman’s Curricular connections: • Teams return for multiple summers Greenville Tech 2YC 15000 Greenville, SC Teachers develop modules/lesson plans that link (translate) Chemistry Department was an early pioneer requiring undergraduate Johnson C Smith Univ HBCU 1400 Charlotte, NC research experience to curricular instruction Limestone College PUI 1000 Gaffney, SC research in the 1970’s, a founding member of CUR, and has had (supported by research mentor & RET Coordinator) Blue = HBCU continuous NSF REU support since the 1980’s. In the late 1990’s, a shift Academic Year Support : Furman REU Student Participants, 2007-2018 Grey = PUI Newberry College PUI 1100 Newberry, SC in approach enabled faculty-student teams from visiting campuses to Visit by INBRE RET Coordinator; Fall or Spring Semester Orange = 2YC Spartanburg Methodist 2YC 800 Spartanburg, SC conduct summer research over multiple years. This “research UM-Eastern Shore HBCU 3600 Princess Anne, MD Diversity of schools: by geography and by Connecting Summer Research to Curricular/Extra-Curricular Activities UNC-Asheville PUI 3500 Asheville, NC incubator” model has served to strengthen the research capacity of school type (HBCU, PUI, 2YC). Furman has over a dozen institutions, including HBCUs, regional PUIs and Courses Beyond the Classroom collaborated with 14 Institutions. USC-Upstate PUI 6000 Spartanburg, SC Biology (AP, IB, Honors) PLTW Medical Intervention community colleges. “I personally benefited enormously from Environmental Science SCJAS Fall Workshop the mentorship over the five summers I Chemistry (AP, Honors) Poster Sessions Curricular Connection: spent at Furman. Over that period (2010- Earth Science (Honors) College lab visits 14), my students and I were always NSF EPSCoR & NIH INBRE Networks Anatomy and Physiology PD Offerings “Students are working to design and build a mechanical heart valve and then perform a pig associated with REU-related activities, Leveraging the success of REU, Furman’s participation in establishing heart dissection. They will replace the mitral especially the Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society SC’s NIH INBRE network (2005) provided research opportunities to valve with the mechanical one that they 99 Individual students 57 Visiting students 42 Furman students designed and test it using "blood" (red water).” 30 Black students 4 Hispanic students (SERMACS) which we attended with the support underrepresented minority (URM) students on campus as 10 Visiting students were part of REU more than one year Dr. Ghislain Mandouma (right) Furman Chemistry group. Professor of Chemistry well as undergraduates from SC HBCUs and regional PUIs. Project: Tissue Engineering: Decellularized Porcine Vessels I was able to bring 11 undergraduates Albany State University (ASU) Subsequent entry into the SC NSF EPSCoR network (2009) further Teacher: Deanna Taylor, Middle School STEAM Magnet Teacher to Furman and my own research Mentor: Wayne Carver, Biomedical Engineer; USC School of Medicine expanded experiences for underserved students participating from program grew considerably resulting in four peer-reviewed journal articles and several more student poster publications. regional campuses, in particular benefitting the SC HBCU community (SC State, Claflin, Voorhees, Benedict, Allen and Morris). Furman has HHMI STEM Mentors & Science Exposure Ultimately, I was able to apply and attain tenure at my current institution engaged over 40 visiting students through these two programs (95% Started in Fall 2008, the Furman STEM Mentors program thanks in large part to my collaboration and the encouragement received Student Participation with SC HBCUs provides a structure for Furman science majors to connect from Furman faculty. That successful collaboration led to another member URM), providing research awards across 5 unique departments with teacher-selected middle school students whose of my department/institution joining the REU program at Furman in 2015- (Biology, Chemistry, Health Sciences, Neuroscience and Psychology). through NIH-INBRE and NSF-EPSCoR "potential is outweighed by circumstance". Students mentor 16. My institution has tremendously benefited from the collaboration gender-matched students for one session (generally about one between ASU and Furman.” • 39 off-campus Black or Hispanic students provided 10 week research experiences One INBRE institutional collaboration with Converse College stands hour) once a week. Since Fall 2008, over 300 Furman mentors STEM Mentors join their mentees at Furman • 29 students from SC HBCU campuses; 8 from Converse (women’s college) out as a model. Starting in INBRE 2 (2010-2015) as a shared research (individual students) have participated, recording over on Furman Engaged! annual campus-wide Claflin (7); SCSU (6); Benedict (7); Voorhees (3); Morris (2); Allen (3) 3000 contact hours. celebration of student research and creativity effort between faculty members on each campus, this collaboration • Biology (5), Chemistry (5), Neuroscience (2), Psychology (2), Public Health (1) Right: Annual Corporate Luncheon brings together all summer • Of first 19 participants completing program, 16 successfully tracked: matured into a formal partnership, with Furman serving as a mentor Participating Middle Student % Hispanic Poverty research students in chemistry (including 60+ students) with local 9 completed Ph.D.s (56%) institution and ultimately assisting Converse in joining INBRE as an School Enrollment % AA /Latino Index and regional industrial representatives. Above: REU students lead 1 M.Sc., 1 in Graduate School, 1 Research Ass’t (75% total STEM) Hughes Academy 1035 35.6% 21.9% 48.0% hands-on science activities at the Frazee Center’s Friday Fun Day. independent institution. Through this initiative, Converse - a women’s 2 in Health Career fields (1 PA, 1 Nursing) Legacy Early College 1409 55.9% 34.1% 99.0% Frazee is an after-school/summer program for at risk youth. REU institution of 900 students with a traditional focus on teacher training 2 employed in non-STEM capacities Northwest 850 12.4% 6.1% 53.2% has led this outreach initiative for the past 6 years. - acquired its first NIH funding, expanded its research activity, and has Six 4-year HBCUs (10 Total Collaborating Institutions) Lakeview 667 24.3% 57.1% 100.0% Tanglewood 777 45.9% 36.2% 100.0% consequently experienced exceptional growth in STEM majors. SC State University (2,500 undergrads); Benedict College (2,100 undergrads) Claflin University (1,900 undergrads); Voorhees College (475 undergrads) Berea 785 27.3% 39.1% 100.0% Greenville County 76,167 22.5% 16.4% 48.2% The Furman Advantage: TFA Morris College (750 undergrads); Allen University (600 students) Recently (2015), Furman developed a statewide program funded by South Carolina 781,493 33.2% 10.1% 61.2% The Furman Advantage guarantees every student an unparalleled education that combines classroom learning with real-world experiences and self- SC INBRE/EPSCoR to provide research experiences for high discovery. This integrated four-year pathway, guided by a diverse community of mentors, prepares students for lives of purpose and accelerated career and community impact— demonstrating in concrete terms the value of a Furman education. school/middle school teachers (“RET”, 15 teachers/year statewide) Left: Furman received the Commendation of Excellence for Service Learning from the South • High-Impact Practices (e.g., study abroad, research, internships, etc.) • 4-year advising pathway including scaffolded skills development (2-year with a focus on impacting schools with high URM populations of Carolina Commission on Higher Education