Udall, Heinrich Announce Over $18.6 Million for STEM Education at Hispanic-Serving NM Universities

Tuesday, October 25, 2016 WASHINGTON According to Martin Heinrich's email upate:  "U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that five New Mexico universities will receive more than $18.6 million to support Hispanic and low-income students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The University of New Mexico Valencia Branch Campus, New Mexico Highlands University, Eastern New Mexico University–Roswell, New Mexico State University–Carlsbad, and Eastern New Mexico University-main campus will receive grants through the U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM Program. The schools will receive $3.7 million in total funding this year, and it is anticipated that each grant will be renewed for the next four years, for a total of $18.6 million over the next five years.

Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories expect to hire about 5,000 people in the next five years, and Udall and Heinrich have emphasized the importance of filling those vacancies with New Mexico applicants, and building a pipeline from New Mexico universities to the labs that ensures students are prepared for these positions.

Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM grants are intended to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students attaining degrees in STEM fields, and to promote coordination between two-year and four-year institutions. Awarded funding may be used for improving academic STEM programs, developing research opportunities for students in STEM fields, providing or improving student services, encouraging secondary students to pursue STEM degrees and careers, and improving STEM facilities and equipment. "