Collaborative: The STARS Aligned: How the STARS Computing Corps Broadens Participation in Computing

This award is a one-year extension of the STARS Computing Corps Alliance for Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC). The primary research aim of extension is to investigate research questions around the impact of the STARS Computing Corps Alliance on its past and current efforts to broaden participation in computing. This longitudinal evaluation has the potential to elucidate successful components of BPC Alliances and their role as national resources on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in computing. Further, the results of this study could further extend knowledge about practices designed to increase persistence and support career advancement in computing for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, particularly for those from underrepresented groups. The conferences, communities, and networks supported through STARS will continue to create significant institutional and human resources that could increase the reach of BPC research to a larger audience of researchers, educators, administrators, CS departments, and K-20 students. In addition to understanding the longitudinal impact of the STARS Computing Corps on computing persistence and career advancement for underrepresented students and faculty, the work also aims to 1) formalize existing STARS efforts for propagating best-practices for BPC; 2) expand STARS online resources designed to build capacity for engaging in BPC evaluation and research; 3) develop a virtual STARS alumni community; and 4) continue to support an academic community for BPC through STARS Celebration and RESPECT. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.