Full Title: UMBC programs aimed at increasing diversity in science and technology careers or improving K-12 educationContact: Anthony Lane Communications Manager: Science, Technology and Environment UMBC (410) 455-5793 The Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) has been recognized nationally as a model for increasing diversity among future leaders in science, engineering, and related fields. The program has graduated more than 600 students since it started in 1989. As of February 2010, 130 alumni have earned Ph.D.s, M.D.s, or M.D./Ph.D.s, and more than 85 alumni have earned graduate degrees in engineering at leading universities across the country. Nearly 300 alumni are currently enrolled in graduate and professional degree programs. The Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program, which started in 1996, is increasing diversity among students pursuing Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. The PROMISE program, administered by UMBC, provides support and services to graduate students with the goal of increasing the number of minority students pursuing doctorates in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The program, funded by the National Science Foundation, is a partnership between the University of Maryland College Park and the University of Maryland Baltimore. The Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program at UMBC supports undergraduate juniors and seniors majoring in STEM fields who plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree and career in biomedical research or mathematics, and who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing the number of persons from underrepresented groups who pursue these goals. This program is funded by NIGMS (National Institute of General Medical Sciences)/NIH (National Institutes of Health). The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate program, funded by the National Science Foundation, supports students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Undergraduate Biological Sciences Program, is increasing the number of minority students who continue to Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs in the biomedical field. The HHMI-funded program is modeled after UMBC’s Meyerhoff Scholars Program. The McNair Scholars Program at UMBC is designed to prepare first-generation and low-income students — and members of groups that are underrepresented in graduate education — for doctoral studies in all disciplines. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, involves students in research, mentoring, and other scholarly activities. UMBC offers several programs designed to improve the quality of K-12 teaching in STEM subjects. The Teacher Quality in Biology and Teacher Quality in Chemistry programs provide professional development opportunities for Maryland teachers. UMBC administers Project Lead the Way in Maryland, helping teachers provide an engineering curriculum at more than 100 Maryland schools. The Sherman Teacher Education Scholars Program leverages UMBC's strengths in STEM fields to address the shortage of highly qualified math and science teachers and raise the achievement level of students from low-income families.