HR: 0800h
AN: ED31A-0096    [Abstracts]
TI: Minority Retention and Success through Professional Development Initiatives"
AU: * Escalera, J
EM: jennyescalera@yahoo.com
AF: Universidad Metropolitana of Puerto Rico, Apartado 21150 , San Juan, Pue 00928-1150, Puerto Rico
AU: Howard, J
EM: jahowar2@mail.usf.edu
AF: University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue , Tampa, FL 33620, United States
AU: Johnson, A
EM: aisha_johnson04@yahoo.com
AF: University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77004, United States
AU: Padilla, E
EM: epadilla7@yahoo.com
AF: Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Sciences: Earth and Atmospheric Science, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
AU: Renta, I
EM: isha.renta@gmail.com
AF: NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Howard University Research Building 1 1840 7th Street NW Room 305, Washington, DC 20001, United States
AU: Rogers, A
EM: al3aakhir@yahoo.com
AF: University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue , Tampa, FL 33620, United States
AU: Ithier-Guzman, W
EM: ithiergu@marine.usf.edu
AF: University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33701, United States
AU: Pyrtle, A J
EM: apyrtle@marine.usf.edu
AF: University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33701, United States
AU: Whitney-Williamson, V
EM: vivian.williamson@sbcglobal.net
AF: East Central University, 1100 East 14th Street, Ada, Okl 74820, United States
AB: There are several programs at the undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and junior faculty levels all around the United States that are designed and implemented to improve the participation of underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). One of such programs, The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science Professional Development Program (MS PHD'S PDP) is a community of talented minorities from across the Earth system science and engineering disciplines that fosters a nurturing environment for undergraduate and graduate students. Since it's inception in 2003, its mission to facilitate increased and sustained participation in the STEM fields has gained a tremendous amount of support and participation. Despite the need for more support, the program has continued to grow and aide in increasing the academic retention of minority students. Past participants of this program have successfully completed their degree programs and have obtained positions both in academia and at governmental agencies. Receiving approximately 70 applications per year, the MS PHD'S program has succeeded in providing professional development programs that have promoted a great support system through participation in distinguished conferences, constant interaction/communication with meeting mentors as well as MS PHD mentors, and a family of peers. Since formal evaluations and academic tracking are critical components to assessing the effectiveness of the MS PHD'S program, it has been revealed that by participation in the MS PHD'S PDP program minority participation and retention in the STEM fields has grown.
DE: 0855 Diversity
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting