From the first planning meeting in December 1997, to the first grant awards made in 2001, the educational programs and training activities of the Educational Partnership Program (EPP) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have inspired and challenged the program to employ new and better ways to train and develop next generation scientists for our nation.
The cumulative accomplishments of program participants since the inception of EPP have been a source of inspiration. The achievements of this program to date have impacted national statistics and have had direct and immediate benefits to the NOAA workforce. For example, 53 students transitioned from academia to NOAA employment and 99 undergraduates, co-mentored by NOAA employees and academic advisors, attend graduate school and are conducting research in marine, atmospheric, and environmental sciences.
As a result of Educational Partnership Program funding, mentoring, and training activities, national graduation rates of students in science and engineering fields have increased. In addition to student achievement, academic institutions participating in NOAA EPP sponsored programs are witnessing capacity-building transformations evidenced by new academic programs, revised curricula, enhanced research capacity and more meaningful partnerships with NOAA scientists, centers and institutes. These outcomes clearly demonstrate the breadth and significance of the contributions that EPP participants are making in support of NOAA’s mission, and to their institutional objectives.
The challenge to the program persists, however, because national education statistics and NOAA’s workforce demographics continue to demonstrate the need for continued outreach to ensure that all students, particularly those from underrepresented communities, are afforded the opportunity to explore and value the wonders of science, technology, engineering and mathematics relevant to NOAA’s mission. To this end, the Educational Partnership Program may serve as a model to other Federal, state and private entities interested in engaging underutilized communities to address our present and future human workforce needs in Scientific, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Jacqueline Rousseau
Director, EPP and Associate Director for Student Opportunities
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The goal of the Educational Partnership Program is to increase the number of students from underrepresented communities who are educated, trained and graduated in fields that directly support NOAA’s mission.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) is aimed at increasing programs and opportunities for individuals to pursue applied research and education in atmospheric, oceanic, and environmental sciences and remote sensing technology, in support of NOAA’s mission. NOAA’s EPP/MSI program consists of four programmatic components.
Cooperative Science Centers,
Environmental Entrepreneurship Program,
Graduate Sciences Program, and
Undergraduate Scholarship Program.
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There are four components to the Educational Partnership Program:
1. Graduate Sciences Program
This scholarship program trains outstanding candidates-often minorities and women-in NOAA-related disciplines. The Graduate Sciences Program pays for tuition, books, and lab fees. It also provides a housing allowance at the selected university, travel expenses, and salary during 16 weeks of NOAA work experience per year for each participant at a NOAA facility.
2. Undergraduate Scholarship Program
This scholarship program provides NOAA internships and one-on-one mentoring to increase the number of students from underrepresented communities graduating with degrees in fields integral to NOAA's mission. Each scholar receives approximately $28,000 for two academic years to cover the costs of actual tuition and fees and other allowable expenses.
3. Five Cooperative Science Centers
These Centers advance education and collaborative research with NOAA, as well as graduate students and build capacity in NOAA-mission sciences at Minority Serving Institutions. Each Center is lead by a Minority Serving Institution and partnered with a NOAA Line Office. Together, the 5 Centers include 30 university campuses.
4. Environmental Entrepreneurship Program
The Environmental Entrepreneurship Program promotes student training in the application of NOAA sciences to create business opportunities and enhance STEM programs at minority serving institutions.
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