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NSF grant for MaPS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Dana Navarro
October 7, 2008 (773) 442-4227
d-navarro@neiu.edu
NSF awards nearly $600k to NEIU for mathematics
and physical sciences program and scholarships
CHICAGO – The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) $598,000 over five years to fund a new program at NEIU called the Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MaPS) Cohort of Scholars. The grant will be used to provide scholarships as well as academic and social programming for a cohort of incoming freshmen who intend to major in earth science, math, or physics and have a financial need.
The objective of the MaPS program is to create a four-year support system for the cohort of approximately fifteen students. Each student will receive a scholarship in an amount of up to $10,000 per year for four years to cover tuition and other educational expenses. The students also will be assigned to faculty mentors, who will advise and monitor the students’ progress for the duration of the program.
David Rutschman, professor, mathematics, added, “Our goals are to motivate students to go on to graduate school and become a technical workforce.”
The program will utilize student support services already in place at NEIU. Seminars on topics ranging from research to graduate school and careers in the STEM (sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines are among a few. The program also will facilitate student interaction with their peers through social events.
Sudha Srinivas, associate professor, physics, said, “We’d really like to see our students hanging out with other students, forming bonds with each other, and working together as a cohort.”
The initial cohort is scheduled to matriculate in the fall 2009 semester. NEIU faculty members in earth science, math, and physics will spend the 2008-2009 academic year visiting area high schools to recruit motivated students who are interested in pursuing one of the STEM disciplines in college.
For more information about the program, please contact Sudha Srinivas at s-srinivas@neiu.edu or Nancy Wrinkle at n-wrinkle@neiu.edu.
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