Alabama State University (ASU) has been granted $1.2 million by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to enhance its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for minority students.
Provided through the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), the budget will be used within three years to strengthen support for underrepresented communities in the country.
According to Department of Mathematics and Computer Science chairwoman Michelle Foster, the university asked for funding from NASA to help end racial inequality in engineering. She explained that the grant will help engineering students expand their options for future careers.
“Engaging STEM subject-matter experts, professional organizations, social science researchers and industry partners to create a supportive community of engineering learners can help NASA achieve its MUREP goal,” she said in a press release.
Acknowledging People
Foster pointed out that the grant would not have been possible if not for the help of ASU President Quinton T. Ross and Provost Carl Pettis, who shared their assessments and mentored her on how to enhance minority programs at the institution.
She also remarked that the grant is a “direct result” of their involvement in strengthening and promoting STEM subjects at ASU.
Meanwhile, Ross expressed gratitude that his school has been chosen as a recipient of the multimillion-dollar NASA grant.
“I would also like to thank Congresswoman Terri Sewell and her staff for their support in helping Alabama State University secure the funding that will help advance ASU’s initiatives to increase student and minority participation in STEM-related fields,” he remarked, while also acknowledging Foster for successfully submitting the application for the grant.
Increasing Minority Engineering Students
Foster, who is also serving as the lead investigator of the grant, said it is necessary to increase the number of minority students who pursue STEM-related careers.
Citing recent statistics, she said that only two percent of minority students in the country have degrees or are employed in STEM fields. “Our new NASA grant allows our ASU students to study in those areas and receive degrees in them, which is important to increase diversity,” she stated.
In addition to ASU, the University of Massachusetts, Florida A&M University, Navajo Technical College in New Mexico, and Texas A&M University have also received grants from NASA.