Catalyst Project: Transforming the Chemistry and Physics Programs at South Carolina State University

Catalyst Projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences.

South Carolina State University seeks to enhance the quality of STEM education for undergraduate students enrolled in the chemistry and physics programs by augmenting the delivery of instructional and research materials. Specifically, the proposal outlines strategies to implement cyberlearning instructional videos, building on a successful model piloted by departmental faculty.

These efforts will also be coupled with a partnership with the local Orangeburg Country School District to bolster teacher-student engagement in discipline-specific research. The project aims to enhance the recruitment, retention, and persistence of underrepresented students, who may ultimately enter the STEM workforce or pursue graduate STEM degrees.

The goals of this project include (1): transformation of the chemistry and physics curriculum delivery methods and content; and (2): setting the stage for enrollment growth in the two majors. Goal 1 will transform the method of delivery in many chemistry and physics courses while also creating a significant library of online material for use at South Carolina State University, as well as for distribution to a wider academic community.

Goal 2 will use a multifaceted approach to address awareness, recruitment, retention, and persistence. Activities include expanded use of social media, freshmen immersion in small research projects, and engagement of high school teacher-student pairs in conducting on-campus research. Overall, the project aims to develop a recruitment and retention framework in chemistry and physics, that has the potential to result in enrollment growth in each program, increases student long-term persistence in STEM, and serve as a model for other institutional contexts.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.