Overview
Nevada EPSCoR seeks to expand opportunities for a more diverse faculty, staff and student population, which is essential for the success of our state’s and nation’s scientific and technical well-being. Diversity brings different perspectives, skill sets, and helps broaden our vision. We recognize that geographic and societal challenges exist that require pragmatic solutions with achievable and measureable goals. Nevada EPSCoR strives to enhance diversity in all elements of EPSCoR programs while increasing participation of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Mission
Nevada EPSCoR Education, Outreach & Diversity (EOD) supports interdisciplinary and collaborative teaching, research and service activities. These activities involve partnerships across disciplines and education in Nevada.
Nevada EPSCoR EOD brings together professionals from the sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, and education to share expertise and knowledge from their fields. These collaborations support research and development efforts that provide pathways into careers in the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Education (Science & Mathematics Teaching K-20).
Goals
- Increase the number and quality of STEM educators and STEM professionals in the region and country
- Increase the number of underrepresented minority students entering and continuing through STEM career pathways and higher education
- Develop and implement institutional partnerships that support exemplary practices and policies in STEM education
Through the STEM Career Investigation Program (SCIP), high school students (grades 10 through 12) are given the opportunity to observe research presentations by STEM professionals in a wide array of specialties in order to understand how the STEM disciplines are integrated and to recognize the potential career paths available. Six speakers are selected from the Colleges of Science and Engineering and the School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Desert Research Institute (DRI), Tesla Motors, Renown Health, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and Nevada Advanced Autonomous Systems Innovation Center (NAASIC) and invited to present their backgrounds, education, and current research so that students can see that there are multiple paths to a career. They also engage the students with a hands-on activity to reinforce the points of their presentations and answer questions about their current jobs.
Student Interactions with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SISTEM) program is a 5-week long program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, funded by the EPSCoR Nexus grant. The program gives all high school students across Southern Nevada the opportunity to learn about various STEM careers and research through a diverse set of talks and activities. The speakers present on their background, their career, what path led them to this career, obstacles they overcame, and any research they are currently working on.