Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Receives Nearly $1 Million
NFS Grant to Increase the Number of Science Students

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi a five-year, $999,998 grant to participate in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP).
           
The “Recruitment, Retention, and Success in Science (R²S²) proposal presented by A&M-Corpus Christi was one of only 15 funded from the 141 reviewed by the NSF. The Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) assisted University faculty with the proposal, and will act as the project’s fiscal agent.

The program will be led by principal investigator Dr. José H. Giraldo, associate professor of mathematics. Giraldo said implementation of R2S2 is expected to increase the number of science students who graduate with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree.

“The program requires a university-wide effort that involves faculty from different departments, and already existing programs, said Giraldo. “By recognizing the connection of mathematics and English with science we will increase the quality of science students.”

To achieve the program’s goals, the University’s First-Year Learning Communities for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)  will be expanded and extended. Students participating in R²S² will enroll in learning communities linking biology, chemistry, mathematics, and English for their first three semesters.

The learning communities, which have previously been limited to freshmen, will be extended into the sophomore year for science students. Students will also learn the critical communication skills necessary to be a practicing scientist.

The STEP co-principal investigators are Dr. Katherine Price Blount, professor of geology and environmental sciences; Dr. Fereshteh Billiot, associate professor of chemistry and director of the First-Year Chemistry Program; Dr. David Grisé, assistant professor of biology and director of the First-Year Biology Program; Dr. Susan Wolff Murphy, assistant professor of English and co-director of the University Core Curriculum Program; and Dr. Cherie McCollough; assistant professor of biology.