1. Ocean Literacy and Education: Building an Innovative Workforce through Diversity Maria E. Alvarez, Ph.D., Professor of Biology MBRS-RISE and EARDA Program Director El Paso Community College P.O. Box 20500 El Paso, TX 79998 mariaa@epcc.edu

2. From our Ocean…….

3. Community Colleges The Education System of the Future  Affordable and accessible  Multiple entrance and exit points  Open door (from kinder care to geriatric)  Responsive to workforce needs  Success stories: Commander Eileen Collins, Dr. Richard Carmona, Congressman Silvestre Reyes Dr. Adena Loston, NASA, Community College Day at NSF, April 2006

4. Two-Year/Community Colleges  1,100 regionally accredited community, two-year colleges  Ten million students  46% of all U.S. undergraduates, 45% of first-time freshmen  56% of Hispanic, 57% of Native American, 467of African American and 48% of Pacific Islander  58% of female undergraduates  Talented student population  Great potential to enter the Ph.D. pipeline  Two-year colleges have not received the same level of funding as four-year institutions  American Association of Community Colleges (www.aacc.nche.edu)

5. Community College Advantages  Smaller class size at the freshman and sophomore level  Flexible class schedules which facilitate student employment  More personalized attention and support  Extremely affordable (average community college tuition is $1,560 compared to $4,081 for universities)

6. EPCC Demographics The Fastest Growing Community College in the U.S. Five Campuses Record Credit Enrollment for Spring 2006 – 24,000 85% Hispanic student population 62% Female, 38% Male Average age 26.4 More than 130 programs of study Approximately 5,000 students enroll in Biology and Chemistry classes per year Transferable science courses

7. EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Numero 1)   First Community College to receive an Extramural Associates Research Development Award from NIH   First Community College to receive a Multi-user Biological Equipment Grant and a Facilities Renovation Grant from NSF   First Community College to receive an MBRS- RISE Grant from NIH   First Community College to receive a grant for an ICP from NSF’s Chemical Instrumentation Program   Total Funding >$5,000,000

8. STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS   >100 Students participated in research activities   60 presentations at national and 20 regional scientific meetings   9 RISE student research awards   3 RISE students conducted research at NIH and Baylor   5 RISE students are in Ph.D. programs

9. Building the Dream   Catalysts (Faculty, Administrators, Students)   Training 1. Quality Education for Minorities Network Workshops for NSF (http://qemnetwork.qem.org/index.htm)http://qemnetwork.qem.org/index.htm 2. The Extramural Associates Program at NIH- NICHD (www.nichd.nih.gov/about/od/eap/eap.htm)www.nichd.nih.gov/about/od/eap/eap.htm   Funding-MBRS-RISE Program (www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority)www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority

10. The Extramural Associates Program  Ten-week residency at NIH  Funding opportunities and mechanisms at NIH and other agencies  Workshops on grant writing, policies, institutional capabilities assessment, compliance, proposal receipt and referral  Review sections  NIH Mentor, contacts  Equipment donation programs  Become an advocate  $30,000 Phase I EARDA Grant Award  Phase II EARDA expanded the benefits

11. MBRS-RISE PROGRAM   Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement   EPCC’s RISE to the Challenge (www.epcc.edu/programpages/rise)www.epcc.edu/programpages/rise   First award to a two-year college   Funded on the first trial   Two million over a four-year period   Student, Faculty and Community Development Activities

12. NIH-NIGMS-MORE Student Development Programs PhD Granting Institutions MARC U*STAR MBRS-RISE Bridges to the Doctorate Bridges to the Baccalaureate

13. Bridges to the Baccalaureate Degree   Provides funds for a partnership program involving two-year colleges awarding the Associate’s degree and institutions awarding the Baccalaureate degree in science relevant to biomedical/behavioral research disciplines.   Bridges Programs must be designed to target underrepresented minority students majoring in the sciences. Bridges to the Doctorate Degree   Provides funds for a partnership program involving institutions awarding the M.S. degree and universities awarding the Ph.D. degree.   Bridges Programs must be designed to target underrepresented minority graduate students majoring in the sciences.

14. RISE Program   Institutions will make use of existing research on how to improve undergraduate teaching and learning to design programs aimed at increasing the competitiveness and interest of students for graduate school.   For the graduate component, institutions will design programs that expect students to perform at a high-level, thus increasing the retention and graduation of competitively trained students who will pursue research careers. MARC U* STAR Program   Institutional training grants provided for the support of minority, full-time, honors junior/senior undergraduate students participating in a MARC curriculum.   Programs may be designed to include pre-MARC student development activities.

15. Science Literacy in a Complex Education System   Implement in College for all students inquiry- based teaching and non-cookbook lab experiments   Making Science out of Science Education   Focus on recruiting, preparing and supporting science teachers (10,000 exceptional students attracted to K-12 Science and Math teaching annually)   Information booklets for parents and students   Adviser, teacher, role model, friend training for faculty   Science Education partnerships between college faculty and K-12 teachers always positive Dr. Bruce Alberts, UCSF, NAS, ASM 2006 National Meeting Dr. Bruce Alberts, UCSF, NAS, ASM 2006 Annual Meeting (www.nas.edu)www.nas.edu

16. Community Colleges: A Rainbow of Opportunities Imelda Rocha and Hugo Rodriguez NASA’s Reduced Gravity Program The MBRS-RISE Team