The HSRU Consortium for DOD Research and STEM Graduate Pathways is a nationally coordinated initiative led by the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD). Approved in October 2024, this initiative brings together 22 R1-designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions to strengthen the nation’s scientific and technical workforce in alignment with defense research priorities.
About the Project
The project is anchored by The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and the University of Central Florida (UCF), and coordinated under the centralized operational infrastructure of the HSRU Alliance. Through this collaboration, the consortium is establishing a multi-institutional model for supporting graduate student development, faculty leadership, and high-priority defense-aligned research.
Interconnected Programs
At the heart of the initiative is the ASCENDR framework, which integrates four interconnected programs:
- ASCENDR Advising: A cohort-based advising model to increase applications for competitive STEM graduate fellowships.
- ASCENDR Graduate Fellowship: A year-long, funded experience for graduate students aligned with core defense research areas.
- ASCENDR Leadership: A faculty development program designed to cultivate DOD-engaged research leadership.
- ASCENDR Research: A competitive research program supporting interdisciplinary work in emerging DOD priorities.
A fifth, overarching component supports integration across the four programs, ensuring coherence, coordinated communications, and consistent stakeholder engagement.
Project Timeline
The HSI-RSE Project will continue this cycle of programming and summer convening annually through 2030, supporting multiple cohorts of fellows and continuously strengthening the collaboration between Hispanic-Serving Research Universities and the Department of Defense.
