Training and Supporting Minority STEM Majors through a Remote Sensing Research Program

An undergraduate research experience has been in the fore-front of cultivating minority scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Studies show that undergraduate research programs have retained minority students in their STEM majors, increased their research skills and research self-efficacy, and influenced their decisions to pursue advanced degrees in STEM. New York City College of Technology’s National Science Foundation Research Experiences in Undergraduates (NSF REU) program in partnership with NOAA-CREST have been providing research opportunities for minority STEM students for the past decade. The participants are committed to a one-year research program starting with a nine-week summer session. During the academic year, they continue their research once a week during the fall and during the spring semesters. Although the participants have found the research experience to be challenging, their confidence in their knowledge of research methods and ethics, in communicating science, and in presenting research findings have all significantly increased.