The National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program awarded Levent Atici (Undergraduate Research), Sarah Harris (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Eduardo Robleto (Life Sciences), and Kurt Regner (Life Sciences) a Research Infrastructure Improvement grant in the amount of $999,955 for the project titled "Enhancing the Transition of COVID-19 Disadvantaged Students from Undergraduate to Graduate Studies in STEM through Multi-Year Undergraduate Research Experiences."

This project will help diversify Nevada’s economy by creating a diverse and competitive STEM workforce in the state. In addition, the project will mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the most affected, underrepresented students by significantly increasing retention, progression, and graduation rates of these students and improving their transition from undergraduate to graduate STEM careers. Specifically, the project will provide students with multi-year undergraduate research opportunities that embrace the scientific process and its significance, a structure to build a STEM identity and sense of belonging, financial support, research skills training, and mentored research experiences to advance historically excluded students’ academic development and transition from undergraduate to graduate school. These activities leverage the mission of UNLV as an MSI, HSI, AANAPISI, and Carnegie R1 institution.

The project is a collaboration among the Office of Undergraduate Research, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, and College of Sciences.