A new NSF grant will help expand opportunities for STEM students

POSTED ON Jan 17, 2023

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has announced a multi-million grant to provide financial support and professional development experiences to talented students in the field of computer science.

As part of the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships for STEM (S-STEM) program, the $5 million award will provide scholarships to 26 students at UTEP who are working on their bachelor’s degrees and focusing on data science or cybersecurity fields.

According to UTEP, the grant was first awarded in 2016. Of the 41 students who received scholarships under the first S-STEM grant, all graduated with a bachelor’s degree, 40 attended conferences, 15 were involved in research, and 15 pursued a graduate degree. Additionally, more than half of the program participants were women.

“This S-STEM program builds on years of NSF support in the Paso del Norte region,” said Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering, in a statement. “Moreover, the coordinated effort between UTEP and EPCC will help broaden the talent pool needed to address critical national data science and cybersecurity needs. We are excited to be part of this collaboration that expands opportunities for highly motivated students in high-demand STEM areas.”

Under the new grant, UTEP’s computer science department will collaborate with El Paso Community College (EPCC) to fund scholarships for 15 students who start at EPCC and transfer to UTEP to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

Salama Salamah, Ph.D., the chair of the computer science department and the project’s principal investigator, said it is unusual for the S-STEM grant to be awarded twice to the same institution.

“The stature of UTEP and what we’re doing here in this department is something that can’t be ignored,” he said. “NSF understands the great things we’re doing.”

Influenced by the best practices pioneered by the Computing Alliance for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI), UTEP’s computer science department provides S-STEM scholars with professional development training and opportunities that can build their confidence and give them an edge in the job market. For example, professors accompany students to the annual Great Minds in STEM conference, where students learn how to network with job recruiters, share their stories and highlight their skills.

“One of the greatest things you can see is how the students start to become leaders,” said Diego Aguirre, Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the grant and assistant professor of computer science. “Many of them come into the program with a desire to help others. As they learn skills and move into this space, they start sharing that newfound knowledge with others. The program’s impact is not just in the students who get the scholarships but in the impact those students have wherever they go.”

“The S-STEM program has provided the ideal bridge for students from EPCC who want to pursue their computing degree at UTEP,” said Christian Servin, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science at EPCC. “This partnership prepares students mentally and financially to succeed at the four-year institution once they transfer, speeding up the process of developing marketable skills, including research and computational thinking skills.”