Science education at Linfield College has received a big boost with a $648,563 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The grant, funded by the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, will increase the number of Linfield students graduating with natural science and mathematics degrees. Specifically, it is designed to help with the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of low income students who are interested in pursuing a degree in STEM majors. Over the next five years, students will receive scholarships that will continue over the course of their Linfield education, ranging from two to four years depending on whether they are transfer or first-year students.
“This grant will help Linfield build upon an already robust interdisciplinary science program that includes research opportunities and student-led learning communities,” said Linfield President Thomas L. Hellie. “Not only will it allow low income students the opportunity to study in sciences, math or technology, it will also enhance and expand existing programs for all our students.”
The grant has the potential to change science education at Linfield, according to Brian Gilbert, professor of chemistry. It will build on programs that are in place and formalize an interdisciplinary approach to STEM teaching.
“The overall goal is to graduate more STEM majors who find success after Linfield, which might include entering a STEM profession or graduate program,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunities we have to rethink undergraduate STEM programming at Linfield, and what that can mean as we go forward with the STEM building initiative.”
One component of Linfield’s current science education is the Hearst-funded iFOCUS (interdisciplinary Focus on Collaborative Undergraduate STEM), a program of activities promoting interdisciplinary science including a pre-orientation boot camp, learning communities and a science lecture series. In addition, Linfield will offer a new interdisciplinary science and mathematics seminar, an enhanced career development opportunity called the Taylor Series, individualized support through peer and faculty mentorships, and opportunities for summer research and internships.
A well-educated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce is a significant contributor to maintaining the competitiveness of the U.S. in the global economy. The NSF S-STEM program addresses the need for a high quality STEM workforce in STEM disciplines.
Only the top 20 percent of the proposals submitted for these grants were funded by NSF, which recognizes the strength of Linfield science programming. This grant will help expand the high quality of scientific inquiry and exploration at Linfield to help meet the need for a more educated workforce.
