Board 314: Implementing the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Model at a Public Urban Research University in the Southeastern United States
- Conference
- Location
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Baltimore , Maryland
- Publication Date
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June 25, 2023
- Start Date
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June 25, 2023
- End Date
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June 28, 2023
- Conference Session
- Tagged Topics
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Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
- Page Count
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9
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--42874
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/42874
- Download Count
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128
Paper Authors
Chrysanthe Preza The University of Memphis
Chrysanthe Preza is the Kanuri Professor and Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Memphis, where she joined 2006. She received her D.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 1998. She leads the research in the Computational Imaging Research Laboratory at the University of Memphis. Her research interests are imaging science, estimation theory, computational imaging enabled by deep learning, and computational optical sensing and imaging applied to multidimensional multimodal light microscopy and hyperspectral imaging. She received a CAREER award by the National Science Foundation in 2009, the Herff Outstanding Faculty Research Award in 2010 and 2015, and she was the recipient of the Ralph Faudree Professorship at the University of Memphis 2015-2018. She was named Fellow of the SPIE in 2019 and Fellow of the Optica (OSA) in 2020. She serves as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Computational Imaging, Topical Editor for Optica’s Applied Optics, and as Executive Editor for Biological Imaging, Cambridge University Press.
Stephanie S Ivey The University of Memphis
Dr. Stephanie Ivey is the Associate Dean for Research with the Herff College of Engineering and a Professor with the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Memphis. She directs the U of M’s Southeast Transportation Workforce Center and th
Craig O. Stewart
University of Memphis
orcid.org/0000-0002-6843-795X
Craig O. Stewart (PhD, Carnegie Mellon University) is an associate professor of communication at the University of Memphis.
Abstract
Underproduction, low retention, and lack of diversity in STEM disciplines, especially engineering, are significant challenges nationally, but are particularly acute in regions, both urban and rural, where educational access is limited. Leveraging our institutional location at a public urban research university in a city marked by its connection to its rural surroundings, we seek to address these challenges by implementing the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) model at our university with the support of an NSF IUSE grant. The VIP model is based on active learning and enables tiered mentoring from students at all academic years, thereby providing the opportunity of role modeling from upper-level undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty. In addition, programs based on the VIP model are accessible to all students (not just high performing students) and provide a meaningful networking environment. We use our implementation of the VIP model to foster STEM identity growth and a sense of belonging, while increasing and celebrating diversity in engineering and other STEM disciplines.
Our VIP program leverages best practices from the well-established VIP model and adapts it to address unique aspects of our university’s community and interests. Specifically, the program includes freshmen and will also serve as a recruitment tool for local community college students. It employs a tiered mentoring approach and activities that prepare students for research and foster networking. The long-term goal of the VIP experience is to create a research culture and community in engineering and eventually across STEM disciplines that is inclusive and supportive of students from diverse backgrounds. An additional focus is to showcase the value of diversity in research and innovation through the program. Both the research culture and increased acknowledgement of the value of diversity are designed to enhance students’ STEM identity, which is important for retention in the major and career.
The purpose of this paper is to report on the planning and launch of our VIP program in Fall 2022, focusing on the PIs’ experiences implementing the program and on our first cohort’s (N = 12; 7 women; 4 Black/African American; 2 Hispanic) experiences participating in the program during their first semester. Specifically, this paper will describe the challenges and opportunities of implementing the VIP program and how the VIP model has been adapted to align with unique aspects of our institution and student body. We will also report preliminary analyses of student journal data collected from the first cohort throughout the Fall semester, where students described their initial expectations/hopes and concerns for the semester; their activities and emotional responses during the semester; and finally, their reflections on their experiences, positive or negative, throughout the semester. The paper will conclude by offering lessons learned from the first year of this project as well as directions for moving forward.
Preza, C., & Ivey, S. S., & Stewart, C. O. (2023, June), Board 314: Implementing the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Model at a Public Urban Research University in the Southeastern United States Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42874
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