UB launching new summer STEM program for refugee and underprivileged teens in Buffalo

U.S. businesses often lament a dearth of workers who possess the necessary expertise in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), not to mention emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. And the situation is only predicted to worsen. According to a National Association of Manufacturing and Deloitte report, the United States will have a shortage of up to 3.5 million STEM workers by 2025.

Three faculty members in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and one in the School of Social Work (SSW) are working toward a solution that is also intended to provide a brighter future for young refugees, as well as other low-income and underprivileged populations in Western New York.

Their program, “Refugees and Underprivileged Students Experiential Learning in Emerging STEM Technologies,” recently received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. This will fund the three-year Education Pathways Summer Program for underrepresented high school students in AI, cybersecurity, drone technology and Internet of Things, which is a network of physical devices that are embedded with sensors, software and network connectivity, allowing them to collect and share data.

Beginning in July 2025, UB will provide the free experiential learning over three summers to 90 high school students who identify as refugees, underprivileged or low-income, primarily from Buffalo Public Schools. The on-campus program will harness the expertise of UB computer science and engineering faculty and industry professionals in courses ranging from Programming and Databases to the Introduction to Cybersecurity Operations.

“This project intends to tap into the tremendous hidden talent that exists within the youth refugee and other underprivileged populations in Western New York and provide them with the opportunity to excel in multiple emerging STEM technologies,” says Sreyasee Das Bhattacharjee, assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, who is leading the project. “It also is meant to cultivate qualified, next-generation workers in these high-demand fields.”

No specialized STEM background is required to participate, and students will be selected based on their fourth-grade math test performance on state tests. During the program, the participants can choose customized curricula based on their skills and interests. They will be encouraged to present the work they complete during the summer program at regional and national science fairs and conferences.

Das Bhattacharjee’s colleagues who have been instrumental in getting the project launched are Shambhu Upadhyaya, professor of computer science and engineering and director of the SEAS/School of Management cybersecurity master’s program; Wenyao Xu, professor and associate chair in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; and Wooksoo Kim, professor of social work who also serves as the co-founder and director of the SSW’s Immigrant and Refugee Research Institute (IRRI).

“When Dr. Das Bhattacharjee brought to my attention an inclusive experiential learning opportunity funding solicitation, the first thought that came to my mind was how to make our proposal innovative,” Upadhyaya says. “When I suggested the refugee population of Buffalo as the ones needing immediate attention for STEM education, she couldn’t agree more on the novelty, and we started right away building the research team.”

Xu notes the idea was modeled after established cybereducation trainings for students in K-12 that Upadhyaya launched 10 years ago jointly with colleagues from the School of Management.

“Through those free trainings, we’ve been able to provide students from all socioeconomic backgrounds equal access to computers and the necessary skills to navigate the digital world,” Xu explains. “It’s been a very effective program.”

Now, Xu says, is an opportune time to capitalize on existing community partnerships with organizations that provide services to a large number of new refugees who need digital resources and training. These groups are traditionally known to have only limited access to STEM-related learning resources, specifically in these newly emerging technologies, and therefore continue to remain underrepresented in these fields.

Along with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the IRRI, other partners include the Karen Society of Buffalo and Lafayette International High School in the Buffalo Public Schools.

Kim says that whenever she goes into the community asking what the IRRI can do to help its residents, she routinely receives two answers: better education and employment opportunities.

“Unfortunately, not every child has the same access to technological tools, which can create the barriers to success at every level,” Kim says. “I am so excited about this program because we aim to bridge that gap by providing hands-on learning experience and mentorship resources.”

Das Bhattacharjee notes the program aims to improve students’ computational thinking and computing abilities by building upon their math foundations and helping them obtain an understanding of emerging technologies.

“For example, in our program we are trying to develop drone-based technologies,” Das Bhattacharjee says. “One of the biggest motivations for us to introduce this curriculum was the prediction of where drone-based technology is going to be in the next few years. It’s going to be used by many sectors, such as Amazon shopping and emergency medicine delivery. The community needs lots of manpower to run these drones.”

The effect of such intensive learning with mentors from a variety of backgrounds should have a resounding effect on the participating students and their communities, organizers note.

“The impact of this program doesn’t stop with the future of 90 students,” Kim says. “Their siblings are going to see the participants become different people after this training. When students’ confidence and enthusiasm for learning increase, that is going to have a trickle-down effect on their entire neighborhood and community.”

Additionally, spending six weeks on a UB campus will allow students to see all that the university has to offer, which could lead to increased enrollment in the future.

“While this program may not result in a significant increase in student attendance from these communities immediately, I hope to see the positive outcomes over the next 10 years,” Kim says.

And the ripple effects may extend far beyond Buffalo.

“This project, upon completion, has the potential for replication in other parts of the country with similar underrepresented populations and is a win-win for society and the high-tech industry,” Upadhyaya says.