S-stem: preparing impactful engineers in oklahoma

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded University of Oklahoma $1,998,621 on January 1, 2027, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students in engineering disciplines.

The project will provide scholarships for up to five years to 24 scholars pursuing bachelor's degrees in biomedical, civil, chemical, and petroleum/geoenergy engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Scholars receive faculty mentoring, participate in a summer bridge course, and join a living learning community. The project also delivers undergraduate research experiences and career workshops. An independent evaluator will assess the program's impact on student retention and graduation rates and inform scholar recruitment strategy.

Performance occurs in Norman, Oklahoma through December 31, 2032. The University of Oklahoma, operating through its Office of Research Administration, serves as the prime recipient with no identified sub-recipients. This is a Track 2 Project Grant under the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which targets academically talented, low-income undergraduates with demonstrated financial need in STEM fields.

Abstract

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at university of oklahoma. A total of 24 scholars pursuing bachelor?s degrees in biomedical, civil, chemical, petroleum/geoenergy engineering will receive scholarships for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty mentoring and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through a summer bridge course and a living learning community. Additional activities for scholars include undergraduate research experiences and career workshops. The overall goal of this track 2 project is to increase stem degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the stem workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting stem student success, which will strengthen the workforce in engineering and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator that will measure the impact of project activities on student retention and graduation and inform scholar recruitment, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income students in stem. This project is funded by NSF?s scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in stem fields. IT also aims to improve the education of future stem workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. 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.