CUNY research boosted by Sloan Foundation

The City University of New York recently received a three-year $1,075,968 grant, bestowed by the Alfred P. Sloan foundation.

 The Sloan foundation is a nonprofit institution in New York City, which supports original research and scientific pursuit in the fields of technology, engineering, economics, and mathematics.

 The grant was bestowed during CUNY's Decade of Science, during which the university develops its research in its STEM program, which prioritizes study in CUNY's science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments.

Every year, ten undergraduates, exclusively selected for a ten-week summer training program are to receive $3,500 stipends and housing in order earn practical laboratory experience and training.

With the assistance of the Sloan foundations grant, undergraduate students are provided with the opportunity to pursue their own goals in the STEM fields.

Gillian Small, the vice chancellor for research feels that this will allow students to continue their research in graduate school and beyond.

 "We are delighted to partner with the Sloan Foundation to spearhead a cohort of new scientists," says Small.

"[The research programs] are open to all qualified CUNY students interested in doing applied research [in STEM.]"

Paula Olsiewski, the program director of the foundation, feels that CUNY's program is spearheading a movement in further advancing science at the most basic level "by encouraging young people, particularly women and minorities, to study in these disciplines."

 "We have been impressed with CUNY's progress in STEM education and research through the "Decade of Science." CUNY has attracted some great young faculty, is modernizing facilities, and developing innovative programs to strengthen STEM", says Paula via an e-mail interview with The Ticker.

The grant will allow junior faculty members who have been chosen to receive a $50,000 award of recognition.

By implementing competition fueled by passion for the sciences, the program looks to ensure that competitive studies and results will come about from the faculty.

There will be three awards granted in the first year, four in the second, and five in the third.

"The grants will advance [the student's] careers by providing structured support that enables them to devote concerted attention to research projects that have significant potential scientific, economic and social impact", says Small.

"We hope to train a new generation of researcher-entrepreneurs to create a pipeline of students interested in emerging science disciplines and provide early-career STEM scholars with the means to create new knowledge and succeed at a level that might otherwise have been unobtainable.", concludes small.

In the spirit of competitive progress, the accomplishments of the CUNY students and faculty will be recorded and stacked up against their peers.

In order to ensure that the grant provides as much help as it possibly can through each step of the program's development, Paula told The Ticker that they would ensure that the money would be used in the most efficient way possible.

 "CUNY will be monitoring the progress of the C-SURP students and the faculty award winners."