Student Committee

STUDENT COMMITTEE- APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

The iAMSTEM Hub is a project that is examining resources, majors, and student experiences in integrated Agriculture, Medicine, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (iAMSTEM) fields. We are attempting to consolidate useful resources for students in these departments and to improve the quality, efficiency, and productiveness of our programs, hopefully resulting in better student experience and retention.

In this endeavor, the Student Committee works closely with iAMSTEM to represent a wide range of UC Davis students in order to provide accurate and meaningful student input.  Although the time commitment is fairly low, we are looking for dedicated, responsible applicants to join this committee. We seek a range of participants with diverse backgrounds who will be able to accurately represent several kinds of student profiles either by personal experience or by interaction with other students in their communities.

What will the Committee be doing?
The purpose of the Student Committee for the iAMSTEM Hub is to provide current perspective, insight, and experience that covers a wide range of student profiles at UCD and can be applied towards key questions facing the Hub in the pursuit of the most worthwhile programs and approaches for educating UCD STEM students. The Committee assists the main staff in projects that will help keep students in STEM fields and improve the overall experience at UC Davis. Actions and thoughts emanating from the committee must be directed towards answering the key questions presented by the process iAMSTEM is undertaking.
The Key Questions include:

  1. Why are students leaving STEM? What are key challenges/barriers for students completing a STEM degree?
  2. Given those why’s, how is UCD addressing, or not addressing, these issues?
  3. What could be done to improve STEM student success? How should we define “student success”?
  4. Investigate:
    • Student expectations and knowledge of STEM and STEM careers
    • Student perceptions of their parents expectations of them
    • Student expectations and perceptions of UC Davis
    • Parental expectations and knowledge of STEM and STEM careers
    • Parental expectations of their child’s performance
    • Parental expectations and perceptions of UC Davis
What are we looking for in potential Committee Members?
Commitment
  1. The time commitment is not huge, but we need reliability and results. Total time will depend on the projects on which you focus.

Leadership

  1. We need students who are proactive and will take the initiative to further a project and talk to students outside the committee and outside and within their communities.
  2. Many of our members will already be leaders in other groups. This is helpful but not required.
  3. We need our members to be independent enough to accomplish project tasks outside of the STEM hub and bring back organized and polished results.

Diversity

  1. As a whole, our members will represent a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds. We want to have access to and consider as many student profiles as possible.
  2. As individuals, we want our members to have broad experiences, be members of many different communities, and interact with a diverse range of people.
  3. Members should be aware of implicit bias and work to see the key questions of the committee through as many different perspectives as possible. It is important for them to be able to take into consideration perspectives generated from other members of different implicit bias.
How will the Student Committee be organized? What is the time commitment?
Organization of the Committee
The Committee consists of 10 to 15 members including one Chair who oversees and organizes the committee. This group holds independent meetings every week. Members are required to attend two meetings a month, one of their choice and one at which the entire Committee assembles. iAMSTEM Hub members may attend Committee meetings and/or the Chair and a few other members will meet with individual iAMSTEM Hub members or the entire group to maintain communication between iAMSTEM and the Committee. The Committee will often focus on specific projects designed to help answer the Key Questions.
Readings:
Members may be required to read papers detailing research on student retention in STEM, including but not limited to the following papers:
Time commitment
Meetings
There will be a meeting available every week. Committee members must all be present at the end of the month meeting and must attend at least one other meeting per month. Each meeting will likely take an hour to an hour and a half.
Outside Commitment
Time commitments outside of meetings are based on the projects on which the Committee is focusing. Usually these commitments will be small and self directed. Theoretically, committee members will have other commitments that overlap with their agenda for the committee. More formal requirements for outside time will be determined by the committee and will be specific to each project it undertakes.
Total Estimated Time Commitment
The estimated time commitment per month is three hours without extra project time. Project hours commitment will vary with the project and the number of members working on the project. There will likely be a maximum of five additional hours per month. Activities that overlap with the duties of the Student Committee will be extremely helpful in achieving project goals. Student Committee appointments are for one year, renewable by the iAMSTEM Hub.
Application Process
  1. Fill out the Student Committee Application Form. (DUE FEBRUARY 3RD)
  2. Submit your resume to ucdstemhub@gmail.com. IF YOU HAVE NOT SUBMITTED YOUR RESUME, BUT HAVE SUBMITTED THE FORM, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESUME NOW.
  3. Following submission of applications, you may be invited to interview at the iAMSTEM Hub.