Dr. Abdul K. Mohamed
601-979-2153
abdul.k.mohamed@jsums.edu

In 1990, Jackson State
University’s School of Science and
Technology, now the College of
Science, Engineering and Technology
(CSET), implemented the Education
Continuum Plan (ECP). The goal was
to make science and mathematics
interesting and relevant to pre-college
and collegiate students, particularly
African Americans and other
minorities. ECP focused on activities
that would impact the pipeline from
pre-college science and mathematics
through collegiate discipline-specific
research/training careers. The plan
promoted a comprehensive
communication and collaboration
system among universities,
government, industry, pre-college
educational entities and professional/
community organizations.

Nearly 14 years later, under the
leadership of Dean Abdul Mohamed, CSET is working to enhance those same educational, research and outreach activities to increase the number of African American students and other minorities in the field of science and technology at all levels. CSET’s ultimate goal is to increase the number and quality of the nation’s future science and technology workforce with its graduates.

Dr. Mohamed, the faculty and
staff are committed to strengthening
the foundation that will help the
departments achieve this goal. The
ECP is comprised of two main
components, the Science and
Technology Enhancement Program
(STEP) and Science and Technology
Access to the Graduate Education
(STAGE).
“The focal point of our vision is
the preparation of high quality,
competitive graduates,” explains
Dean Mohamed in a recent interview
regarding the Education Continuum
Plan. “The resources in the College
help to fulfill this vision, which is
complemented by a faculty with a
rich diversity of recognized scholars
and scientists who have established
reputations throughout the world.”
STEP is designed to invigorate
and reinforce natural sciences,
mathematics and communication
skills among pre-college students
while exposing high school teachers
to content in science and
mathematics, as well as new
methodologies and technologies to
strengthen their teaching skills.

STAGE is designed to address the
issue of the ever-decreasing number
of minorities pursuing degrees and
professional careers in the STEM
courses—Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics.
Stemming from these two initiatives
and the overall ECP are several
programs that have been funded by
various agencies that provide support
to undergraduate and graduate
students. These programs require
students to participate in academic
research during the school year and
summer internships.

“Through the College’s student-centered approach to learning,
undergraduate students engage in
important research training as they
pursue their degree studies as
participants in any one of the various
programs,” asserts Dr. Mohammed.
The specialized programs that
have been established through the
ECP that provide a secure pathway
for students in the STEM disciplines
are: Research Initiative for Scientific
Enhancement (NIH-RISE); Science
and Technology Access to Research
and Graduate Education (NSF/
HBCU-UP); The Louis Stokes
Mississippi Alliances for Minority
Participation (LSMAMP); NSF
Centers for Research Excellence in
Science and Technology (CREST);
and Pre-College Awards for
Excellence in Mathematics, Science,
Engineering and Technology (PACE/
MSET). Also, funding from other
agencies such as NOAA, ONR, EPA,
Department of the Army and NASA
provide support to achieve the goal. All
of these programs are geared toward
providing students with the support they
need to enter the field of science and
technology and to succeed in a
professional environment following
college.