HR: 15:10h
AN: ED23B-07    [Abstracts]
TI: Reaching out to Hispanic Serving and Historically Black Institutions in Houston: Why are these institutions important to NASA's space science program?
AU: * Morris, P a
EM: smithp@uhd.edu
AF: University of Houston-Downtown, 1 Main St., Houston, Tx 77002
AU: Obot, V
EM: obot_vd@tsu.edu
AF: Texas Soauthern University, 3800 Cleburn Ave., Houston, Tx 77004
AB: Research institutions welcome the idea of recruiting and retaining minority students for their graduate programs. If they are offered the opportunity to select a minority student from a "recognized majority" or from a minority institution, the preference will be to select the student from the "recognized majority" institution. There are many reasons, including their perception that the minority institutions are disconnected from mainstream science programs and that their students lack research experience. Other reasons are that minority institutions are not interested in promoting research, especially space science (Sakimoto et al. 2005), and their faculties are not capable of participating in NASA missions. Why should majority institutions work with students and faculty from minority institutions? First of all, there are a number of faculty members at minority universities who received their Ph.D. from tier one research institutions and have excellent backgrounds, but lack research facilities. Treating these individuals with courtesy, respect, and allowing them to participate as equal partners and supporting their scientific endeavors will positively impact the minority community. The research skills of the minority faculty will be updated and this will ultimately result in improving the training and scientific background of their students. The population in the United States is changing as our newest immigrants are predominantly from Latin American countries, Africa and Asia. Many representatives of these populations, will be attending minority institutions, especially if they are the first generation of their family endeavoring to become college students. The potential collaboration of between majority and minority institutions will be important in training these populations to be successful members of society and participate in future space science programs. Sakimoto, P. J., J. D. Rosendhal. 2005. Physics Today, Vol 58.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005