The State University of New York (SUNY) and its Research Foundation have introduced a new program to give undergraduate students more chances to get involved in research in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The program will dedicate $300,000 in Research Foundation funds to SUNY’s campuses for offering such research opportunities to students.
“Experience and knowledge in the STEM fields are among the most valuable tools we can provide our students,” SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said in a news release. “This new program complements the focus of our regional STEM hubs, which bring campuses and businesses together to design college curricula and develop internship opportunities that give SUNY graduates a competitive edge as they enter the workforce.”
Tim Killeen, SUNY vice chancellor for research and president of the Research Foundation, said the state has a “critical need to fill an estimated 477,000 STEM-related jobs” by 2018.
Stony Brook University, located on Long Island, will oversee the program, evaluating its progress and documenting best practices and outcomes across all participating SUNY campuses, according to SUNY.
The Research Foundation says it will fund the STEM research program by redeploying $300,000 in operating funds that it saved in fiscal-year 2013. Fund allocations will range from $5,000 to $31,000 per SUNY campus, based on campus type: research center, comprehensive, technology, or doctoral-granting institution.
Funds may be used to increase the participation of undergraduates in STEM research by adding new programs and expanding their availability, or by adding new components to existing programs, according to SUNY. The goal is to enhance students’ research skills, boost their knowledge of research-related career options in STEM fields, and provide new opportunities for faculty mentorship, it says.
The Research Foundation, founded in 1951 to serve SUNY, says it supports nearly $1 billion in SUNY research activity annually.
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