CCBC TEAMS WITH UMBC FOR NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEP) Talent Expansion Program The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) has been awarded a three-year (March 1, 2003 -- Feb.1, 2006) National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $595, 530 for a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) grant. A large portion of the proposal will be provided by UMBC to The Community College of Baltimore County as a sub-award to strengthen collaborative efforts among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty from the two institutions. According to Claudia J. Morrell, director of Planning and Grants at UMBC’s Center for Women and Information Technology (CWIT) and Co-Principal Investigator (PI) on the project, “This grant serves as the pilot program for a series of initiatives designed to increase the number of students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, pursuing and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.” Morrell adds, “This is a partnership in the fullest sense of the term. For three years, 17 faculty members from each institution will be working together to develop solid bridges to benefit students.” Sylvia Sorkin, chairwoman of the Mathematics at CCBC Essex, serves as senior associate for this multi-year project. Sorkin is currently the principal investigator of an NSF-ATE project (DUE 0202260) in its first year of three for the development of Instructional Multimedia. Other faculty (Kathleen Harmeyer, Donna H. Tupper, Andrew Beiderman, Todd Abramovitz) who teach in the Internet and Multimedia Technology program serve as Co-Principal Investigators. Sorkin is also PI for an NSF program (DUE 0094738) for Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics Scholarships (CSEMS), joined by 10 CCBC faculty from those fields. In conjunction with the NSF-funded STEP program, 24 $1000 scholarships are available in the 2003-2004 academic year to students at CCBC who plan to receive associate or bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or environmental science and meet the following criteria: 2.5 GPA and readiness for MATH 083 or higher by June 2003. Successful awardees will continue in the program for one or two additional years and be placed in career-related paid internships after their successful completion of 30 STEM credits. They will also receive special student services and must agree to attend a two-week academic bridge program to be hosted by UMBC Aug. 11-22, 2003.