Rose Grimm

Community-Academic Scholar: Rose Grimm (she/her)

Project: Rose worked with Prof. Eva Pomerantz, DREAAM House, and Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center to 1) integrate a curriculum review and professional development model for program instructors and mentors to better facilitate the development of STEM mindsets, motivation, and achievement among students to sustain the pursuit of STEM careers and 2) enhance Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering's (ChiS&E) family component to empower families to support and advocate for their children. Learn more about the project.

Mentor reflection: Carolyn MacDonald, a graduate research assistant in the Center for Parent-Child Studies, appreciated Rose's contributions this summer, which she believes helped to further their understanding of the success of the IMAGINE STEM program. "Rose had a large role in creating an online version of one of the surveys, which was a tremendous help," MacDonald said. "Rose was very quick to pick up on Qualtrics and coding in R, and I hope she learned more about the process of conducting a study and collecting data." 

Do you have a personal story or path that led to your interest in this research project?
I felt drawn to this particular research project because I saw myself in the research subjects, being from a disadvantaged background and wanting to pursue STEM. 

How has participating in this program helped you toward your goals?
Now that I have my first research poster and presentation completed, I feel prepared to take on larger, more complex projects in the future.

What was the most meaningful part of this experience? 
Working with a cohort of like-minded peers, having the mentorship and guidance of the program leaders, and working closely with Carolyn have been incredibly meaningful to me.

What advice do you have for future scholars or to those who are interested in applying for the program? 
I would tell future scholars to apply, even if they are having doubts. This program is fantastic preparation for future research endeavors, and future scholars have a lot to gain from this experience.