Target infusion project: enhancing recruitment, retention and 4-year graduation rates through critical thinking, research engagement, and stem community building at umes

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded the University of Maryland Eastern Shore $399,580 on September 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to enhance recruitment, retention, and four-year graduation rates in STEM fields through critical thinking, research engagement, and community building.

The project redesigns algebra-based and calculus-based physics courses at the Princess Anne, Maryland campus through active learning strategies, including guided discussions, visual concept questions, hands-on experiments with low-cost cell-phone-based physics activities, discovery-based laboratories, and combined tutorial and laboratory sessions. Students will engage in structured problem solving, data analysis, experimental design, group discussion, written communication, and oral presentation. The initiative targets gateway physics courses where many STEM students encounter academic challenges that delay progress toward science degrees. The project also extends to local middle and high school students and teachers through campus visits and teacher training activities to build stronger pathways into STEM fields and strengthen connections between secondary and postsecondary institutions.

The award funds activities through August 31, 2028. This is assistance type Project Grant, classified under the NSF's Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Targeted Infusion Projects component, which supports evidence-based, innovative models for improving preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students pursuing STEM graduate programs and careers.

Abstract

The historically black colleges and universities undergraduate program (hbcu-up), through targeted infusion projects, supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based, innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of hbcu undergraduate students so that they may pursue science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (stem) graduate programs and/or careers. The goal of this project is to strengthen student success by improving engagement, retention, and timely graduation at the university of maryland eastern shore. The project will focus on gateway physics courses, where many students encounter academic challenges that can delay progress toward science degrees. The project will transform physics learning to be more active, welcoming, and connected to real-world applications through guided discussions, visual concept questions, hands-on experiments, preparatory videos, mentoring, and early research exposure. Local middle and high school students and teachers will also participate through campus visits and teacher training activities, helping to build stronger pathways into stem fields. These efforts have the potential to build student confidence, increase academic achievement, and prepare students for future careers in stem. The project aims to accomplish this goal by redesigning the algebra-based and calculus-based physics courses by integrating active learning, visual concept questions, discovery-based laboratories, and combined tutorial and laboratory sessions. Students will engage in structured problem solving, data analysis, experimental design, group discussion, written communication, and oral presentation. New hands-on experiments, including low-cost cell-phone-based physics activities, will connect course concepts to authentic research and modern scientific practice. The project has the potential to contribute to undergraduate stem education by demonstrating a scalable model for integrating modern training models into physics courses. The project is expected to improve student engagement, strengthen the physics curriculum, support retention in science fields, and provide a model for other institutions seeking to improve undergraduate physics education and increase participation in the stem workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.