Scholars Program in Research, Education & Science (SPIRES)

 SPIRES (Scholars Program in Research, Education & Science) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program run by the SEES Program in the College of Science. This program combines the academic excellence and research rigor of a polytechnic university with sector-specific career training and workplace psychology training to make graduates more competitive in the modern STEM fields and to increase their retention once in the workforce.

Cal Poly Pomona lies within a rapidly growing high-tech industrial area where the demand for skilled workers with a Bachelor's level degree is growing. The aims of this program address the needs of the U.S. and California to produce and retain more domestic STEM professionals. SPIRES is designed to (1) promote the engagement and retention of low socio-economic scholars in the STEM fields through the awarding of research scholarships , (2) integrate sector-specific career skills into the training of scholars so they may exceed workplace demands in industry and academia upon completion of their BS degrees, and (3) minimize attrition of students within the STEM workforce by incorporating a series of workplace psychology workshops that teach how to navigate less hospitable work environments and teach how to establish an equitable workplace.

The Cal Poly Pomona SPIRES program is funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF grant 1834186) and the Science Educational Enhancement Services (SEES) program at Cal Poly Pomona.