Diversity Initiatives

 

The LSU Department of Chemistry faculty have been engaged in the past 14 years in focused efforts to recruit and retain minority - primarily African American - graduate students. At this time, the department hosts the largest number of such students (32) of any graduate chemistry program in the country. Other individual efforts include:

 

• active recruiting at HBCU's by Professors Warner, Watkins and others (for example, Dr. Watkins has just returned from visits to Spelman and Morehouse Colleges in Atlanta);
• regular group visits from HBCU's (e.g., recent visits include Xavier and Morehouse students) hosted by the department and headed by Dr. Stanley;
• Dr. Strongin is P.I. for the NIH-sponsored "Initiative for Minority Student Development (IMSD)" program, encouraging LSU undergraduates from under-represented groups to perform research in biomedical science labs in preparation for M.D. and Ph.D. graduate programs;
• Dr. Cartledge is P.I. for the NSF-sponsored program "Environmental Research Opportunities for LA/MS/TX STEM Minority Undergraduates", a multi-disciplinary summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) which draws students from Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas;
• Dr. Watkins is P.I. for the NSF-sponsored summer REU program "Research in the Chemical Sciences at Louisiana State University" which draws students nation-wide and includes at least 50% minority participation;
•  Dr. Cartledge (previously) and Dr. Watkins (currently) represent the Department and College in the Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-LAMP), sponsored by NSF and led by Southern University;
• Dr. Warner and Dr. Watkins are active participants in the Graduate Alliance for Education in Louisiana (GAELA), an NSF-sponsored program co-hosted with Tulane University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Dillard University, and Southern University at Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The program aims to substantially increase the number of minorities entering Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) doctoral program, graduates from which will then join the ranks of the professorate.
• Dr. Watkins serves on the Advisory Board of Southern University's NSF-sponsored SMART program (to increase minority participation in STEM disciplines) and on the board of GEM (Graduate Education for Minorities, Inc.); he is also campus representative for GEM Ph.D. Science Fellowships.

 

Submitted by Steven F. Watkins (swatkins@lsu.edu)

4/15/2004