Minorities in the Chemical Workforce Diversity Models that Work: A Workshop Report to the Chemical Sciences Roundtable (2003) / Chapter Skim
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8 Reports from the Breakout Sessions
8 Reports from the Breakout Sessions
Pages 93-105
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From page 93... ...
Rigoberto Hernandez, Georgia Institute of Technology: As in our earlier breakout session, our group discussion centered around a series of key questions and our attempts to answer them. One of the key questions discussed within our group is, When should we identify future chemists?
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From page 94... ...
So, assuming that no other factors contribute and that the average turnover of a faculty member is about 20 years, then the chances of obtaining a faculty position are about 1 in 20. This is a very conservative estimate because many chemistry faculty in this country earned foreign doctoral degrees, and the average turnover rate is probably longer than 20 years.
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From page 95... ...
The experience at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) , in which they have created both a critical mass entering and exiting the pipeline at the undergraduate level, is consequently grounds for hope that we can achieve the necessary numbers.
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From page 96... ...
Mentorship programs in the form of tutorials with undergraduates working together with high school students can actually build confidence in the undergraduate student simply because they have something of value to share with the younger high school student. This also gives the high school student an opportunity to see that there is a life in science that is rewarding and enjoyable.
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From page 97... ...
Perhaps ideas like identifying firstgeneration college students, identifying local zip codes, or family income could be a means to make sure that the underrepresented population is inclusive as we try to diversify. And finally, while we are busy concentrating on the Ph.D.
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From page 98... ...
So along the lines of money, the next question that arose in our group was, for undergraduate education, which is more important: to have faculty who have significant research money, competitive money, and are producing peer-reviewed articles, or to have block grants for the institutional environment for the educational base? Well, I think it depends on what the institution is.
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From page 99... ...
Minority faculty enter the system with enough stigma associated with them already. To set aside funds suggests that they came in under different criteria than normal faculty, and it presents a problem, particularly at a majority institution.
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From page 100... ...
This was drilled into them deliberately by President Mays to counteract the negative images African Americans received from the larger society. We have lost this feeling in the African American community that we have to be better and work harder.
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From page 101... ...
Billy Joe Evans, University of Michigan: I think that many issues impact what we do in chemistry, but to a considerable extent, I think that we in chemistry can override and overcome some of those broad issues and be successful, without having to consider factors outside of our control.
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From page 102... ...
We need to be careful about that, because the words that we use turn people on and off to the kinds of things that we would like to change. Further, I would argue that even if diversity does not continue to be a value, I think we can all agree that the quality and level of participation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and women in the chemical sciences are unsatisfactory.
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From page 103... ...
Billy Joe Evans has defined mentoring, and his definition says what I think has been a profoundly important and effective way of bringing students into the chemical workforce and giving them the attention needed for undertaking careers in chemical sciences. That has been studied at the undergraduate level.
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From page 104... ...
, with little experience, is typically assigned to teach the lower-level courses populated by students struggling to grasp new and challenging concepts. I do not think that this a good policy because junior faculty are preoccupied with adjustment and career issues, such as doing the right things that will enhance tenure and promotion possibilities.
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From page 105... ...
In our department, I try to give junior faculty a teaching assignment that matches the strengths they can best offer our majors (their fresh ideas, discipline, and research expertise) , in a seminar, discussion, or advanced-level class, for example.
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