Harnessing Research
Partnerships
for Diversity Outcomes
Michael Wright
Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Broad Base of Nanotechnology Research
Over 50 Faculty Members in 8 Departments
MassNanoTech Institute
Organizing Nano Research,
Education, Industry Access,
Facilities, and Outreach
Throughout UMass Amherst
IGERT Program in
Nanotechnology Innovation
Providing enhanced interdisciplinary
training in nanoscale device
development, emphasizing
technology assessment,
commercialization and applications
Center for Hierarchical
Manufacturing
An NSF Nanoscale Science and
Engineering Center specializing in
innovative manufacturing processes
and technologies for materials, devices
and systems at the nanoscale
Fundamentals
 A diverse society needs a diverse S&T workforce
 Broad participation is essential
 Centers have an obligation to lead
 It takes a strategy
 Everyone must be involved
Data: Fall 2006 Doctoral Students
Numbers of Students
Race/Ethnicity
Applied
2006
Asian/Pacific Islander
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino
White/Non-Hispanic
Non-Resident Alien
Non-Reporting
Total
Gender
Accepted
2006
13
3
3
71
707
37
834
Applied
2006
Female
Male
Total
Departments
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Polymer Science & Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
4
0
1
51
99
16
171
Accepted
2006
239
595
834
Enrolled
2006
1
0
0
21
53
2
77
Enrolled
2006
54
117
171
19
50
69
Percentages of Cohorts
Total
Enrolled
7
3
11
103
286
18
428
Total
Enrolled
106
322
428
Applied 2006
1.6%
0.4%
0.4%
8.5%
84.8%
4.4%
100%
Applied 2006
28.7%
71.3%
100%
Accepted
2006
2.3%
0.0%
0.6%
29.8%
57.9%
9.4%
100%
Accepted
2006
31.6%
68.4%
100%
Enrolled
2006
1.3%
0.0%
0.0%
27.3%
68.8%
2.6%
100%
Enrolled
2006
27.5%
72.5%
100%
Total
Enrolled
1.6%
0.7%
2.6%
24.1%
66.8%
4.2%
100%
Total
Enrolled
24.8%
75.2%
100%
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)
Data: Fall 2006 Faculty
Chem
Phys
PSE
ChE
ECE
MIE
Total
Total Faculty
2006
21
27
14
12
32
25
131
2007
21
26
16
14
31
24
132
2006
3
6
3
2
8
7
29
2007
3
5
4
2
7
7
28
2006
1
1
1
0
0
0
3
2007
1
0
2
0
0
0
3
2006
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
2007
1
0
1
0
0
0
2
2006
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2007
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2006
3
1
1
2
2
2
11
2007
3
1
1
2
2
2
11
Minority, incl. Asian
Underrepresented
Hispanic
Black
Female
• No net change in
past year
• One Hispanic
male faculty hired
in PSE
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
NEAGEP
Alliance Institutions
U. Of Massachusetts Amherst
Boston University
M.I.T.
Penn State
Rutgers
U. of Connecticut
U. of Maine
U. of New Hampshire
U. of Rhode Island
U. of Vermont
Partner Institutions
Bennett College (NC)
Jackson State U. (MS)
U. of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (PR)
Lincoln U. (PA)
Medgar Evers/CUNY (NY)
Seven Stages Framework
Tell
Others
Hear
About
Come and
See
Be
Successful
Try Out
First Year
Make a
Decision
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
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
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 interinstitutional MOU, as UPR
advances its nanotechnology
research strategy for the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
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
Student Support
 Knowing our nanotechnology students better
 Cooperation (example: REU)
 IGERT Program in Nanotechnology Innovation
 Mentoring program
 Student organization
Summer Undergraduate Research
 2006 was first year, with 6 participants
 2007 REU program– 9 applications for 5 positions
 NEAGEP’s SPUR program--two additional slots for CHM
 Upgraded to best campus housing, streamlined stipends, two
additional weeks
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
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 CHM’s
outreach commitment to NEAGEP Partner Institution faculty
and students.
Summary: Research Partnerships
 Northeast AGEP
 U. of Puerto Rico
 Faculty relationships
 Partnership process
is ongoing