A pipeline of high achievers to STEM program

Abstract

This paper documents our collaboration between a university and a science museum to help motivate high school students to attend engineering programs upon their graduation. With the aid of a grant, the museum recruited above-average local high school students for a two year internship program. There were an equal number of boys and girls, and the group was representative of our local multi-ethnic community with large underrepresented minorities. The students spent the first 9 months as interns at the museum, immersed in the activities and exhibits of the museum. They then attended a summer course on app development at the university. Students worked in teams to build an app pertinent to their museum exhibit of choice. Subsequent to that, they returned to the museum and improved the app based on their interactions with the museum visitors. Two groups of students have undergone this program so far. Our summative and formative evaluations and student self-assessments indicate significant knowledge gains in all team and technology skills emphasized in the course. Student also commented positively on their own personal growth in assignments submitted to the museum. Though we have not tracked them officially, we believe that most of the first year's graduates have joined STEM programs.