Caribbean Computing Center for Excellence: Building undergraduate research skills, changing reception of post-graduate needs

Abstract

The Caribbean Computing Center for Excellence (CCCE) was established in 2009 as a partnership between nine universities in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The Broader Participation in Computing-Alliance (BPC-A) was designed around the primary goal of increasing the recruitment and participation of students in computing disciplines. In order to fulfill this goal, Alliance members established the CCCE focused on five main objectives: 1) reach and impact economically-disadvantaged students with Alliance activities; 2) increase the recruitment of high school seniors into computing fields through hands-on research experiences in a university setting; 3) provide professional training in computing to in-service science, computer and mathematics public and private high school teachers; 4) provide research experiences in computing to undergraduates, and ultimately, 5) increase the number of graduate students in computing fields and transfer 40% of BS graduates to graduate school. Additional partners for this project include the Puerto Rico Department of Education, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society Chapters in San Juan and Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and public and private high schools. An extended partnership with academic and industry research institutions in Puerto Rico, the US mainland, and abroad is also part of this Alliance. Through a grant from NSF, funds for the project total $2.25 million over three years to mentor 345 undergraduates from participating institutions; train 948 science, computer and mathematics teachers from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands with workshops, teaching/learning strategies and research experiences; improve student support research infrastructure, provide strong student support to increase retention and graduation; successfully transfer 40% of BS graduates into graduate school; provide pre-college research activities for 1,008 students; impact 1, 200 economically-disadvantaged community members with careers in computing-related areas; and disseminate the Alliance's model and best practices to other institutions in the Caribbean and nationwide. This paper will present the outcomes of the grant after one year of implementation in the areas of pre-college research, Saturday research academy, and summer research program for undergraduates, research symposia and transfer to graduate school in computer-related fields. We will also describe the rationale behind the Alliance's goals and activities, based on prior successful programs aimed at boosting transfer of undergraduate students to graduate study. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.