The Frontiers in Science (FIS) Program: promoting STEM graduate enrollment and training the faculty of the future.

Significant demographic disparities exist in students pursuing STEM careers, due in part to the differences in support and guidance undergraduates receive when considering future careers. In this talk, we describe a 10-week paid summer research opportunity for undergraduates: the Frontiers in Science (FIS) program. Undergraduate participants are recruited from Minority-Serving Institutions and are competitively selected based on their personal statements and an interview (not GPA or test scores). FIS interns are paired with a graduate student or postdoc mentor, who design the undergraduate research project and advise their mentee on scientific questions as well as time management. Mentors and mentees join in a weekly guided conversation over lunch, discussing professional development topics to prepare them for success in graduate school. Participating undergraduates have reported a statistically significant increase in interest in applying for graduate school. Mentors state they feel more prepared to mentor students in a future faculty position and better understand students from diverse backgrounds. The FIS program strengthens the pipeline of diverse students into graduate school in STEM fields as well as training the faculty of the future on how to be good mentors.