Alabama A&M University recently announced that two first-year STEM scholars, Walter Bowers IV, and Tithe-Raymond Byrd, received scholarships totaling $100,000 from SAIC. SAIC is an organization that aims to advance technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Huntsville, home to SAIC employees, is also a hub for STEM innovation.

Moreover, the university has secured a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP). The program’s goal is to enhance science and engineering education programs at predominantly minority institutions and increase the number of underrepresented ethnic minorities in STEM careers.

The grant will provide internship opportunities for AAMU students studying STEM fields. In 2023, six Engineering interns will conduct research under NASA supervision. This project aims to improve the success, retention, and graduation rates of minority undergraduate STEM students. The grant also provides additional internship opportunities to increase academic support, student research, and professional development.

The MSEIP program aims to enhance science and engineering education programs at predominantly minority institutions and increase the number of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, in STEM careers. The grant will offer six AAMU Engineering interns the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research under the supervision of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center professionals during the summer and fall of 2023.

Dr. Showkat Chowdhury, the principal investigator and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, believes that this experience will significantly benefit the students’ professional development and future careers. The MSEIP project aims to enhance minority undergraduate STEM student success, retention, and graduation at Alabama A&M University.

Bright minds with bright futures. ✨ https://t.co/gS3drYkA8y

— SAIC (@SAICinc) August 16, 2023