GIS Training for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Majors
GIS Training and Mentorship Program
for Underrepresented Students in STEM Disciplines
United States Department of Education
Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program Grant
The GIS Training and Mentorship Program at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is a project of the Water Resources Institute (WRI). The United States Department of Education is providing this funding to the WRI specifically to train and mentor underrepresented students, particularly females, enrolled in any of CSUSB’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. The STEM disciplines include, but is not limited to, geology, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, geography and computer science, including bioinformatics. The federal government defines underrepresented as persons from an American Indian, Alaskan Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin), Hispanic (including Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South American) or Pacific Islander origin. While this program is aimed at the retention and graduation of underrepresented students, particularly females, full-time represented CSUSB students may participate, but will not be entitled to receive stipends provided to underrepresented students.
Eight CSUSB students in STEM fields will be chosen annually for paid internships learning to develop datasets to be displayed on the 3-D terrain model of the Santa Ana Watershed being developed for the College of Natural Sciences Museum. The model will serve as the centerpiece for using geospatial learning, reasoning and mastery of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a means to increase academic success. Another 18 students per year will be chosen for a paid GIS training and mentoring, earning the money upon completion of the training.
The WRI will provide $2,000 for eight underrepresented students chosen as interns and $300 for the 18 underrepresented students per year for the training and mentoring program. Training for both groups includes classroom/lab instruction and guest lectures by GIS professionals.
Each student chosen to participate in the GIS Internship program will be required to submit a Final Project in digital format to the WRI showcasing the skills learned during the training. The student will work with the WRI’s Geospatial Research Manager to determine the scope of the Final Project.
All students must submit the applicable Application Form that follows, a copy of your unofficial transcripts, and a confidential 500-word personal biography that includes a discussion of your ethnicity, educational interests and career goals.
Founded in 1999, the Water Resources Institute of Cal State San Bernardino is an academic partnership with the Southern California communities that it serves. The Institute is driven by the vision that sustaining water resources rests on sound research, analysis and public policy collaboration. The Institute is active in the areas of science, public policy and history, and serves as a regional hub for providing information on water resources.
Note: College-level GIS internships are full. We are no longer accepting applications.
2014-2015 K-12 WRI High School Internship Program:
Click here for Waiver of Liability
Deliverables:
Click here for Interns’ Final Reports
Contact Information:
Julie Lappin
Program Manager
(909) 537-3687
