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The Objectives of
Michigan Tech's S-STEM Program
By engaging all graduate students, particularly
women and other underrepresented groups, we will
build capacity and diversity in the fields of civil
and environmental engineering. These fields are
critical to advancing sustainability goals. The
S-STEM Program provides scholarships to recruit,
educate, and retain students into STEM fields
(including underrepresented groups). S-STEM Scholars
engage in knowledge sharing among MS and PhD
graduate students and faculty. They also focus
graduate student and faculty educational efforts on
pressing challenges facing our global society, and
help catalyze development of the next generation of
engineers with a global awareness and the skills
necessary to lead true change by engineering for a
better future.
Scholar Responsibilities in the
Michigan Tech's S-STEM Program
S-STEM Scholars are required to:
- enroll in ENG5510 Sustainable Futures I in the fall of the academic year in which they are awarded a scholarship and team with (an)other S-STEM Scholar(s) in meeting the project requirements of the course
- enroll in CE5992 Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar in the spring of the year in which they are awarded a scholarship, and lead one colloquium discussion and participate in others on sustainability
- propose and carry out a reciprocal mentoring experience in a team
- participate in assessment of program objectives during their studies and following graduation.
S-STEM Scholars are encouraged to:
- complete all coursework requirements to obtain the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability
- MI students: conduct on-campus research co-advised by a faculty member and doctoral student
- PhD students: apply for partial support for travel to (a) a professional conference, or (b) communities in developing countries to conduct research and promote sustainability in collaboration with a MS student.
Reciprocal Mentoring Experience
One of the most
exciting aspects of this program is the unique
faculty and student interaction that creates a
culture wherein the flow of knowledge and research
techniques unique to our MI and PhD students is
mutually beneficial (see Figure 1). S-STEM students
work in a "reciprocal mentoring team" in either a
research project or in the Sustainable Futures I
course, providing scholars the optional opportunity
to be part of a research group and be mentored by a
faculty member and graduate students as part of the
team. This research experience gives Master's
International Scholars a head start should they
decide to pursue a PhD degree following their Peace
Corps service, and PhD Scholars the opportunity to
work on a sustainable development project that is an
integral part of their doctoral research or distinct
from it.
Research development
will be based upon two-way knowledge transfer among
all participant pairs: groups of faculty will
participate with student researchers to share a
broader perspective of sustainability expertise;
doctoral students will integrate sustainability
knowledge at new research interfaces, then share
with the faculty, and transfer research methods to
the master's students; master's students will share
the complexities of implementing research in the
field with the doctoral students and examples of
practice in developing communities with the faculty.
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