The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center received a $270,000 Project Grant (Award ID R25GM154366) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) to create a sustainable model for culturally relevant STEM learning environments. The key products and services to be delivered under this five-year grant include:
Providing longitudinal mentorship to high school teachers to develop STEM instructional modules for an accredited two-semester course, including journal clubs, hands-on experiments, and a seminar series.
Offering rigorous, mentored instruction for high school students on scientific inquiry fundamentals and authentic research experiences through capstone projects that can be continued in TAMU faculty laboratories during summer internships.
All project activities and products will undergo extensive evaluation using a quasi-experimental, mixed methods approach to assess effectiveness in enhancing student interest and developing the skills needed for educational and career success. The curriculum and framework will be made publicly available to encourage similar high school research collaboration programs.