Preparing a 21st Century Workforce for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics:Descriptive Outcomes of the Graduate Research Traineeship (GRT) Program

摘要

Graduate Research Traineeship (GRT) program supports the research and educationof talented students pursuing graduate degrees in critical and emerging areas of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) and SMET education. The GRT program has targeted its support, on an annual basis, toward fields in which an increase in the number of Ph.D. students is in the national interest. The programs objective is to stimulate the development of graduate training environments that simultaneously address areas of national science and technology priority and proactively build an infrastructure capable of promoting and sustaining student diversity. (NSF Graduate Research Traineeships Fiscal Year 1995: Announcement and Guidelines for Submission of Proposals, NSF 94-140, pg.1.) GRT has funded four groups or cohorts of projects: 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995, for a total of 92 postsecondary institutions that house 157 GRT projects. GRT awards to institutions are packages of student support, providing stipends and cost-of education allowances instead of tuition and fees that would normally be charged to the graduate students. The funded institutions select which students receive traineeships, determine the length of traineeship positions, and enhance the trainees graduate education experiences through the development of various project features. Through these university partners, the GRT program has funded the enrollment of almost 1,600 doctoral students, as well as encouraged the development of numerous innovative features in the students graduate training environments.