Dr. Angie Spencer
Dr. Angie Spencer joined Augusta University in the Department of Chemistry and Physics
in 2012. Since that time, Dr. Spencer has engaged with diverse groups of students
in general chemistry and biochemistry courses, with a strong focus on student success
and preparation for post-graduation paths. In 2019, Dr. Spencer and a team of faculty
from the College of Science and Mathematics were awarded a National Science Foundation
S-STEM grant entitled "Promoting Opportunities and Pathways for Undergraduate Persistence
in STEM (POPUPS)". The POPUPS program offers scholarships to qualified students majoring
in Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, Mathematics, or Physics,
with a focus on groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Qualified students
must have demonstrated academic excellence and met financial eligibility requirements.
The program seeks to improve graduation rates in STEM by assisting students in overcoming
obstacles not directly tied to their capabilities. The POPUPS program accomplishes
this through mechanisms including scholarships, POPUPS workshops, extracurricular
events aimed at developing skills and knowledge, and a mentoring program. POPUPS workshops
are designed to improve student interest in and awareness of STEM careers. The primary
goal of the POPUPS mentoring program is to create a sense of belonging to improve
students’ self-efficacy and persistence in STEM. Our mentoring framework of support
is designed to alleviate stress that may be caused by feelings of isolation, perception
of bias, fear of failure, or other such negative emotion that is commonly seen especially
in underrepresented groups.