Research Project

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Education Research > Diversity

OVERVIEW

CENS diversity initiatives have grown substantially over the last year. We have received almost $1.5 million dollars to fund two of our key diversity efforts. With this increased funding, we have expanded our partnerships, which now include the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Mills College, Loyola Marymount College, and Harvey Mudd College. Further, we have continued to grow and expand our relationship with the UCLA Center for Academic and Research Excellence (CARE) and the UCLA Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED).

Our diversity efforts include: a) undergraduate research program; b) STC undergraduate research recruitment coordination effort; c) NSF Gender Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education grant: Women @ CENS: A Research System; and d) Graduate Student Recruitment Effort. These primary efforts complement our other supporting efforts, which include partnering with other STCs, continuing to increase our funding base to support our diversity efforts, and fostering a culture of openness, active engagement of fall of our diverse community in knowledge creation, outreach, and knowledge transfer.

Our accomplishments this year include:

• Finalized diversity objectives
  Collected and analyzed institutional diversity statistics to establish performance/management metrics, diversity plan, and baseline
• Increased applications for undergraduate research program from 50 to 300 applications
• Of 40 selected undergraduate interns, 100% are US Citizens or Permanent Residents, 50% are female, and 40% are minorities
• Awarded $240,011 to coordinate STC Undergraduate Research Recruitment Effort and invited to submit for second year of funding with expanded budget of $307,000 to include funds for one student at each STC
• Awarded $900,000 for NSF Gender Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education grant
• Started development of plans for Graduate Student Recruitment Effort
  

OBJECTIVES

Undergraduate Research Program

1. To provide summer and academic-year undergraduate research opportunities, with emphasis on recruiting women and underrepresented minority students.
2. To increase the number of under-represented US students who pursue graduate education in engineering and the physical sciences.

Science and Technology Center Undergraduate Research Recruitment Effort

1. To increase the number of under-represented US undergraduate students who apply to and participate in the Science and Technology Center undergraduate research programs.
2. To increase the number of under-represented US students who pursue graduate education in engineering and the physical sciences.

GDSE Effort: Women @ CENS

1. Identify the tools, structure, and processes necessary for a successful gender equitable research experience.
2. Create model summer research program for women designed to promote women’s longer-term commitment to science and engineering.
3. Increase awareness of gender equity issues in the development and implementation of an undergraduate research experience.

Graduate Student Recruitment Effort

1. To increase the number of US under-represented and female students who apply to and enroll in graduate school.

Overall Supporting Diversity Efforts

1. To seek further funding to enhance and expand current diversity initiatives.
2. To collaborate and coordinate with all STC Network initiatives that focus on increasing the number of women and underrepresented minority students in science and engineering.
3. Foster a culture of openness, active engagement of fall of our diverse community in knowledge creation, outreach, and knowledge transfer.

Learn more about our Women@CENS Program