Supporting STEM Success for Underrepresented Students

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Faculty from the Department of Sociology and the School of Public Policy at the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences are collaborating with UMass Amherst researchers from the College of Natural Sciences on a cross-disciplinary project for improving STEM education. "S-SWIM: Sustainable Statistics with Impact Mindset across Levels and Disciplines at a Predominately White Institution" has been awarded a $398,236 grant by the National Science Foundation to inspire students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM fields, to deepen their understanding of statistics and STEM. 

SBS faculty David Cort (sociology), Justin Gross (DACSS/political science/public policy), Josh Kaiser (sociology), Jen Lundquist (sociology), Tony Paik (sociology), and Kelsey Shoub (public policy) will contribute to project development and teaching. The planned statistics courses, which will serve students from both statistics and applied disciplines, are:

1) Advanced Statistics with Impact Mindset (aSWIM), STAT 590IM (4 credits): advanced applied statistics with high-social-impact applications from the research of engaged applied science faculty.  One weekly meeting is concurrent with:

2) Introductory Statistics with Impact Mindset (iSWIM), STAT 190IM (1 credit): data manipulation and visualization with near-peer mentoring and exposure to the impact of advanced statistics. 

Collaborating faculty from CNS are Krista Gile, PI (mathematics and Coordinator of the Statistics Program); Buju Dasgupta (psychological and brain sciences and Director, Institute of Diversity Science); Holly Laws (psychological and brain sciences); Meg Graham MacLean (environmental conservation); and Paige Warren (environmental conservation). Buju Dasgupta will lead the program evaluation.