This proposal addresses a collaborative initiative between the San Diego MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) Alliance (SDMA) and the Department of Aerospace Engineering at San Diego State University (SDSU). We aim to develop outreach activities that are focused on integrating and motivating students from underrepresented groups into Aerospace research and development. The SDMA with partner community colleges San Diego City College and Southwestern College provides the ideal platform to identify students from underrepresented groups from grades K-12 to college and interest them in STEM education and research. The Aerospace Department at SDSU provides the credible and relevant research projects to interest these students in Aerospace Research in particular. We focus on the involvement of MS and PhD student mentors that are working on the research proposed in a related CaSG Workforce Development proposal on “Control of Lagrangian Mixing in Fuel Injector Flows into Supersonic Cross-Stream”. Through seminars, campus visits, and mutual mentoring from K-12 to the graduate level, we will motivate and integrate underrepresented students from K-12 up to the PhD level into Aerospace research and development.
Nature and Design of the Project
Introduction: In order to increase the number of underrepresented students entering STEM fields and graduating with STEM degrees, this project will partner with all divisions of the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program in San Diego making up the San Diego MESA Alliance (SDMA). This partnership will foster faculty interaction, student engagement in research, mentoring/tutoring from graduate level to K-12, and local field trips to air, space, and science museums/centers. The San Diego MESA Alliance (SDMA) is a statewide model for effective collaboration between regional MESA programs. The SDMA creates a supported pipeline from pre-college, through community college, university and ultimately the technical workforce.