Harnessing Research Partnerships for Diversity Outcomes

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Harnessing Research Partnershipsfor Diversity
Outcomes
Michael Wright Center for Hierarchical
Manufacturing University of Massachusetts Amherst
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(No Transcript)
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Fundamentals

• A diverse society needs a diverse ST workforce
• Broad participation is essential
• Centers have an obligation to lead
• It takes a strategy
• Everyone must be involved

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Data Fall 2006 Doctoral Students

• Minorities
• Only 19 out of 834 applicants were minority (2)
• Only 1 new minority student enrolled in 2006
  (down from 7 new minority students enrolled in
  2005)
• No new Black/African American or Hispanic/Latinos
  
• Females
• 28.7 of applicants were women students (26.8 in
  2005)
• 27.5 of entering grad students are women this
  year (down slightly from 30.4 in 2005)

• Departments
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Polymer Science Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrical Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

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Data Fall 2006 Faculty

• No net change in past year
• One Hispanic male faculty hired in PSE

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Our Approach

• Develop a strategic diversity plan for CHM
• Hire Director of Education and Diversity
• Teamwork with Northeast AGEP at UMass Amherst
• Develop relationships with selected institutions
• Invest in a multi-dimensional, long-range,
  integrated program
• Create a culture and community

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NEAGEP
Alliance Institutions
Partner Institutions
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Seven Stages Framework
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Diversity Plan

• Goals
• More women and minority students pursuing
  nanotechnology-related studies
• More women and minority faculty pursuing
  nanotechnology-related research and teaching
• More women and minority individuals involved in
  all aspects of the Center
• Build from existing opportunities
• Create new opportunities
• Develop a well-reinforced ongoing program
• Evaluate

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Student Recruitment Marketing

• Selected institutions
• 38 Northeast US institutions with high minority
  populations
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras and
  Mayaguez
• Mount Holyoke College
• Northeast AGEP recruitment efforts
• Informational materials
• National and regional events
• REU program marketing
• IGERT program marketing

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University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

• Collaboration Meetings with UPR in 2006
• February 17 and May 17 (in San Juan)
• June 8-9 and August 14 (in Amherst)
• UPR Researchers Visiting Campus and Participating
  in CHM Meetings
• Ileana Gonzalez (Prof. C. Cabrera)
• Marilin Perez (Prof. G. Morell)
• Joel de Jesus (Prof. R. Katiyar)
• UPR-UMass Partnership in UPR EPSCOR Proposal

The collaboration with UPR has expanded to an
inter-institutional MOU, as UPR advances its
nanotechnology research strategy for the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
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Student Recruitment Tools

• Combining budgeted recruitment efforts from NSEC
  and IGERT programs
• Marketing plan for events
• Undergraduate Nanotechnology Research Conference
• Support for students traveling to UMass for CHM
  events
• Support for faculty outreach and relationship
  building
• Visiting researchers program
• NEAGEP Fellowships
• 21st Century Nanoscholar Fellowships

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Student Support

• Knowing our nanotechnology students better
• Cooperation (example REU)
• IGERT Program in Nanotechnology Innovation
• Mentoring program
• Student organization

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Summer Undergraduate Research

• 2006 was first year, with 6 participants
• 2007 REU program 9 applications for 5 positions
• NEAGEPs SPUR program--two additional slots for
  CHM
• Upgraded to best campus housing, streamlined
  stipends, two additional weeks

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Outreach in Education Activities

• Director of Education and Diversity has broad
  responsibility for outreach
• Inbound and outbound field trips
• Recruiting urban science teachers for summer
  workshops
• Springfield Tech CC curriculum development
  partnership
• Undergraduate Nanotechnology Research Conference

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Faculty Recruitment and Involvement

• Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing wants to be
  helpful
• Bridge program introduces faculty to CHM research
• 18,000 per year, increasing to 30,000 in Years
  3-5
• NEAGEP extended postdoc program with UPR
• Campus planning for 250 new faculty over 5 years
• Campus process for approving and conducting
  faculty searches

Prof. Derrick Swinton of Lincoln University spent
9 weeks during Summer 2006 in collaboration with
CHM faculty in the UMass Chemistry Department, as
part of the CHMs outreach commitment to NEAGEP
Partner Institution faculty and students.
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Summary Research Partnerships

• Northeast AGEP
• U. of Puerto Rico
• Faculty relationships
• Partnership process is ongoing