Building a More Inclusive and Impactful Marine STEM Undergraduate Research Experience: The Marine Science Laboratory Alliance Center of Excellence for Broadening Participation

Abstract

Mote Marine Laboratory serves as the lead institution on the National Science Foundation funded Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation: Marine Science Laboratory Alliance Center of Excellence (MarSci-LACE). The goal of this innovative Center of Excellence is to understand the impact of marine STEM undergraduate research experiences, specifically those conducted at non-academic, independent research institutions. The Center considers not only undergraduate students’ learning but also psychosocial factors, career aspirations, the impacts of the approaches and perspectives of mentors, institutional support of student learning, and mentor skill development. Through this project, a number of resources have been developed, including the MarSci-LACE Mentor Development Workshop, an Intern Resource Guide and website, a Mentor Resource Guide, and intern recruitment materials.