We have a virtual summer opportunity described below that is open for students seeking a Ph.D in STEM-related fields.
Project Title Pre-K-12 STEM Education and Outreach in the National Capital Region Project Description The primary project that I will work on for the 2023-2024 Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholar Research Assistantship is to design evaluation and learning outcome studies determining AFRL/Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR’s) impact in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advanced Internship Program (AIP) and Career Ready Internship (CRI) program in partnership with the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The AIP program lasts for an entire academic year and is open to high school juniors and seniors in the Washington DC area. The CRI program is similar but offered only over the summer. |
During this appointment, my primary duties will be acting as the technical lead on engineering group projects carried out by the student interns, leading professional development events related to outreach and education, and other program activities that support AFRL/AFOSR’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics program (STEM) mission. I will also assist with coordinating AFRL/AFOSR partnerships with other federal agencies with regards to in-person meetings, presentation activities, and administrative work. |
Through its participation as a host employer in the OSSE CTE AIP and CRI summer program, the AFRL/AFOSR purposes to achieve 3 goals: |
1. To further develop the interests of participating students through exposure to STEM concepts and career pathways in the Department of the Air Force. 2. To increase the scientific literacy of participating students and educators. 3. To increase the self-efficacy of participating students in STEM and its related fields. |
These programs, especially the year-long AIP program, are in their infancy and stand to benefit from rigorous evaluation measuring impact and ultimately efficacy in workforce development efforts |
The proposed project will evaluate the extent to which the AFRL/AFOSR’s participation in each CTE program reaches these three goals, respectively. Pending IRB approval, semi-structured interviews, pre surveys, and post surveys will be utilized in each cohort of participating students, constituting separate case studies. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) will serve as the guiding framework under which each student’s experience in the program is examined. This theory’s five tenets, (1) interest development, (2) choice, (3) performance, (4) satisfaction, and (5) well-being align with the goals of the CTE programs within the overarching intentions of the Department of Defense and AFRL/AFOSR. |
Upon completion of the proposed project, I will be able to provide an evaluation of AFRL/AFOSR’s participation based on both quantitative and qualitative data with suggestions for improvement designed for implementation in future iterations of each program. Interns will also give formal presentations on their work to AFRL/AFOSR leadership. I am most looking forward to helping the students expand their ideas about what they can accomplish during their pursuit of knowledge in STEM while simultaneously collecting learning and education anecdotes to contribute to my dissertation project. |
Mentor Name Kimberly Jacoby Morris Subprogram AFOSR Scholars Location Virtual Academic Level Ph.D. Major STEM-related |
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