Encouraging and supporting student participation in international science activities is a new Senior CSU-LSAMP program emphasis, and we are pleased to report that there has been a high level of interest and activity in this area. Between 2008-2023, 591 students have engaged in International Activities.

CSU-LSAMP In Costa Rica

In January 2023, CSU-LSAMP students participated in a 2.5 week expedition focused on a group research project in the village of Mastatal (population 150), learning about ecology, experimental design, statistical methods, and field techniques for sampling, sorting, and cataloguing arthropods. The expedition was bookended by a few days learning about sustainable coffee production and the coastal environment.

CSU-LSAMP Teams up with IRES in Uzbekistan

Summer 2023 was the sixth LSAMP-IRES in Uzbekistan program funded by CSU-LSAMP. Seven CSU-LSAMP students participate in the program that was held at Urgench State University on May 27 – July 21, 2023. Three students (Monte Davityan, Jonathan Covarrubias and Rumeysa Gurler) were recruited from Fullerton, two students (Desiree Salcedo Quilenderino and Faviola Sanchez) were recruited from Sonoma, one student (Berenice Jimenez Galindo) was recruited from Fresno and one student (Claire Jueco) was recruited from Stanislaus. Four biology majors and three computer science major. Both research and cultural components were successful. Students conducted research with their Uzbek mentors and peers, and as part of their cultural program, traveled to the silk road cities of Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. I have attached some photos as well as testimonials from four students (below) for you to use. Feel free to let me know if you need more info.

A Research Alliance

The CSU-LSAMP research team met with our research partner at American University to develop another manuscript for submission to publication focused on the impacts of undergraduate research experiences on STEM career outcomes. In year 5, the CSU-LSAMP research team analyzed data and submitted the manuscript, Undergraduate Research Experience and Post-Graduate Achievement among Students from Underrepresented Groups in STEM, to the Journal for STEM Education Research. For the publication, the CSU-LSAMP research team analyzed the degree to which Undergraduate Research Experiences (URE) foster persistence in STEM of over 10,000 CSU-LSAMP partici­pants between 2004 and 2019. While the current literature focuses on URE participating students’ stated intent to ob­tain graduate degrees, there is good evidence that differences in stated intent to enroll and actual matriculation are substantial. Thanks to CSU-LSAMP’s unique institutional data, our publication is a real measure of graduate enrollment and completion of graduate degrees related to URE as a high impact practice. Our published findings state that URE are strongly and independently associated with greater (a) rates of graduation in STEM, (b) post-baccalaureate enrollment, and (c) post-baccalaureate graduation in STEM.

Becoming a Scientist or Engineer: Your Pathway to the Future with LSAMP

Becoming a Scientist or Engineer: Your Pathway to the Future with LSAMP is intended primarily for high school and lower division college students from racial/ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields. The goal of this video is to motivate these students to pursue majors and careers in STEM, and to encourage them to seek out LSAMP or other programs that provide support and enrichment experiences to help facilitate their success.