ASSETs of Arkansas presents "STEM Innovators"- July 2014

July 2014

STEM Innovators

2014 ASSET Solar Design Competition WinnersCentral HS EAST Helena- West Helena, AR

What is ASSET Initiative?

The Arkansas ASSET Initiative is a multi-institutional, interdisciplinary, state-wide program. Our current project, ASSET II, is designed to strengthen Arkansas research areas with potential for national significance and with major economic development potential.

Our three specialty areas include: plant-based production, solar cell technology, and new power electronics.

The Arkansas ASSET Initiative is part of the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR Program. An integral component of the program is entrepreneurial training, support for commercialization of new technologies, and an educational outreach program that targets the STEM pipeline needed to support the advanced technologies workforce.

ASSETs of Arkansas (Editorial Staff) EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dr. Gail McClure SENIOR EDITOR Marta Collier-Youngblood CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jaime Garcia, Emily Devereux, Alison Brown, Kathy Kirk GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Marta Collier-Youngblood & Jaime Garcia WEBSITE http://www.arepscor.org

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Director’s Welcome

ASSETs of Arkansas Special edition “STEM Innovators” honors the contributions of African American to STEM in Arkansas. This special issue includes several programs designed to get students involved in science and increase the diversity within STEM. In the first section, ASSETs of Arkansas features internationally-known Astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the host of the Cosmos: A Space-time Odyssey during his visit to Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). Next, we feature updates from our GREEN, P3, and VICTER research centers as well as the 2014 ASSET Solar Design Winners at the 2014 EAST Conference.

We also salute the 15 Arkansas students who earned the distinction of being named NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awardees. This 2014 cohort marks the largest group of students from Arkansas to achieve this recognition ever in one year. We credit this accomplishment to our university partners who, at the request of the NSF EPSCoR office, redoubled their efforts to support students in making highly competitive proposals over the past seven years.

We also take this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary service of Dr. Beverly Lyn-Cook (National Center for Toxicological Research) and Dr. Glen Jones, President of Henderson State University, for their strong support of STEM education and research and for their active participation on the board of the Arkansas Science &Technology Authority.

This issue also highlights undergraduate programs such as the Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) STEM Academy, and the Engineering Career Awareness Program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (UAF). These STEM programs support, mentor, and lead STEM minority students into successful careers by providing research experiences and networking opportunities with different universities and engineering firms (see Pages 14 and 20). Both Marta Collier (Education Outreach Director at Arkansas Science & Technology Authority) and T.A. Walton, Diversity Outreach Director for the NSF EPSCoR Vertically-Integrated Center on Transformative Energy Research (VICTER), coordinate visits to different universities and K-12 schools across the state promoting STEM education in Arkansas.

The Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) at UALR and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Center for Diversity Affairs offer numerous outreach programs for students ranging from sixth grade and up to motivate participants to pursue STEM degree pathways (see pg 18 and 22). In addition to the strong educational outreach efforts, UAMS Center for Diversity Affairs and Diversity Affairs at University of Arkansas at Fayetteville offer support to faculty and staff to promote diversity and inclusion.

Finally, on page 26, we provide summartive information on the Arkansas Historically Black Colleges & Universities Undergraduate Programs (HBCU-UP) and the UAF George Washington Carver Research Program, which offer scholarships and research opportunities for under-represented minorities. The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) also an outstanding resource that offers academic programs, scholarships, leadership training, professional development, and access to career opportunities for thousands of members annually.

Sincerely, Dr. Gail McClure Vice President Sponsored Projects

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ARK-LSAMP SCHOLARS

03

Director’s Welcome

06

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Visit

08

Center Updates

10

Arkansas NSF- Graduate

Research Fellowship Program

12

Diversity in Leadership

14

Undergraduate Research Initiatives

16

Outreach Road Warriors

18

UALR Engineering Outreach

20

Engineering Career Awareness

Program (E-CAP)

22

UAMS Center for Diversity

Affairs (CDA)

24

UAF Diversity Affairs

26

Historically Black Colleges

& Universities Undergraduate

Programs

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Astrophysicist A

strophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s lecture at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) Reynolds Performance Hall, was the “talk of the state” for many STEM fanatics. The host of the Emmy Award winning Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey, Tyson began his talk at 7:00pm on Thursday, February 27, 2014, captivating professors, college students, K-12 students, and other members of the community gathered to hear him speak on “The Search for Life in the Universe” . With an image of a musky-bluish –green constellation projected on a giant screen, lights dimmed and the audience watched in hush silence as Amanda Horton, Director of Public Appearances (UCA), walked to the podium to welcome the audience. Dr. William Slaton (UCA) then took the stage to introduce Dr. Tyson.

As Dr. Tyson reached the stage the audience stood applauding and cheering to give him a hearty Arkansas welcome. Dr. Tyson spoke with great energy, enthusiastic, and humorously. The entire time listening toTyson was awe-inspiring, hilarious, motivational, and deeply impacting. As a physics major I was awe struck by his ability to transition from mathematics, biology, chemistry, cosmos, and astrophysics to common things such as candy bars, superheros, and playing with cheerios is a great gift that enables him to communicate science in a fun way.

According to Neil, children are born natural scientists, questioning and challenging the universe around them.

While “The Search for Life in the Universe” continued, Tyson had a chance to show letters from upset elementary students for removing Pluto as a planet. These statements led to a discussion of how “science learns all the time and updates itself”.

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Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Society of Physics Students with Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson after “The Search for Life in the Universe”.

Later, Tyson discussed how to identify signs of life and how to look for other life in the universe. He mentioned the habitable zones of solar systems as these would be the first place to suspect signs of life. However, he was not referring to a place like Earth, because our planet is thought to be hostile to maintain life. Think of all natural disasters, tornadoes, tsunamis, deserts, and earthquakes that occur each year and how many lives it costs. Earth is not a “safe heaven for life”. The audience reaction to tornadoes caught Tyson’s attention and he commented on being suprised by the number of tornado shelters he had come across that day. With those words the audience felt a sense of comfort and shouted a little bit welcoming Tyson to tornado alley.

After the lecture, there was a 30 minute session for Questions and Answers. Tyson was able to respond to all questions in a manner that the audience could easily understand. As he continued to make this session humorous and inspiring, the session came to an end. People left the auditorium with an amazing experience. They left the building with great curiosity and open mind wondering as they look at the immense sky full of stars.

Contributing Writer: Rebecca Brinker Secretary of Society of Physics Students (UCA)

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GREEN Mantooth Presents Seminar at EPIC Center Dr. Alan Mantooth, director of the GREEN and VICTER Centers, presented a seminar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Energy Production & Infrastructure Center (EPIC) on Wednesday, April 9th. The seminar, titled “Advancing Power Electronics Through Integration of Heterogeneous Technologies” presented information on Dr. Mantooth’s research at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Johan Enslin directs the EPIC Center and also serves on the ASSET II External Advisory Board as well as the VICTER Technical Advisory Committee.

CENTER U

Naseem Awarded Faculty Excellence Award Dr. Hameed Naseem, GREEN researcher, professor of Electrical Engineering, and director of the Solid State Lab at the University of Arkansas was awarded the 2014 William D. Brown and Margaret A. Brown Faculty Excellence Award at the Arkansas Academy of Electrical Engineers on Friday, April 4th.

The award is given annually to a faculty member in the department based on a faculty member’s excellence in teaching, research, service, and collegiality. Last year’s award was given to another GREEN researcher, Fisher Yu.

2014 ASSET Solar Design CompetitionWinners “Your Future is Now” On March 20, 2014, “World of Tomorrow Workshop” was an intense working environment for STEM innovators. Three EAST teams (Environmental and Spatial Technologies, Inc. ) from different schools built 3D models of inventions they had designed via the ASSET Solar Design Competition.

Team Central HS EAST from Helena -West Helena, AR designed a cell phone case clip that connects a small solar cell directly to the back of a cell phone which can then be set solar panel side up to charge the phone.

Team Eureka Springs built a solar oven and team Beebe MS EAST built an automatic solar powered traffic gate to help make traffic easier to control and improve safety around their campus.

It was an unforgettable experience seeing students worked with tools, circuit boards and other materials. Volunteers witnessed how thrilled the participants were focused in their projects. As they built new items for their projects and things did not work as expected, students worked quickly to modify their design. Students used mathematics to figure out the areas, volumes, and focal points to print their 3D designs. While working with circuits, Jeffrey Jones, UALR Engineering undergraduate, explained the basic voltage, amperage and power concepts to the competitors

(Left-Right): Kirk West and Eddie Trauncy 2014 ASSET Solar Design Champions

Jeffrey Jones guides competitors to test their solar cell designs.

After six hours of hard work, the teams finally had their projects completed.

Judges were extremely impressed by the outcomes and all the tools they used. It was extremely difficult for the judges to decide who would take first place in this competition. After much discussion, first place was awarded to the team from Central High School EAST Helena- West Helena, AR composed of Kirk West and Eddie Trauncy.

T.A. Walton assists Eddie Trauncy with measuring a solar cell’s voltage.

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UPDATES Plant-Powered Production Awards Lorence Laboratory

Sonia Elizabeth Castillo Gonzales at the 2014 Create@StAte.

At the 2014 Create@StAte event students from the Lorence Laboratory received six awards after their work was judged by experts in the field. William Blair won 1st Place for Best Overall Undergraduate Poster and he also won the 1st Place for Best Chemistry Poster.

Earl Morris was the 1st Prize Winner for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation in the Division of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and received the 2nd Prize for Best Chemistry Poster. Sonia Elizabeth Castillo Gonzales was the 1st place winner for Best Graduate Student Poster in Environmental Sciences. Mrs. Castillo Gonzalez also won the People’s Choice Award for her presentation at the Three Minute Thesis competition. We are particularly proud of these achievements based on the quality and quantity of poster (over 170) and oral presentations competing at this academic event.

Pictured L-R: William Blair, Dr. Argelia Lorence, and Earl Morris at the 2014 Create @StAte

Increasing Analytical Capabilities at P3 Center P3 has increased its analytical capabilities with the recent acquisition of a Thermo Scientific Dionex HPLC system equipped with photodiode array (PDA) and Corona charged aerosol (CAD) detectors. The CAD detector is highly versatile and provides advantages over the PDA detector by detecting any nonvolatile or semivolatile analyte with or without a chromophore.

This “universal” type CAD detector has multiple applications including lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, ions, oligosaccharides, and polymers. The instrument will be installed at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute in Jonesboro and will be under the supervision of Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar.

Gamma Sigma Delta

Graduate P3 student researcher, Jessica P Yactayo-Chang presented her poster entitled “Testing The Effect Of Elevated Ascorbate On Human Interleukin 12 Accumulation in Tobacco” at the 2014 Create @ StAte.

Alma Laney, Ph.D. candidate in Ken Korth’s lab at the University of Arkansas, recently won first place for his oral presentation in the Ph.D. student competition sponsored by Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture.

Alma presented some of his dissertation research in a talk entitled “Physiological measures and plant grafting as means to characterize stress in saltsusceptible and salt-tolerant soybeans”. Fayetteville campus P3 coordinator Lacy Nelson was a co-author on this work.

Picture: Alma Laney (right) received his first-place award from Dr. Ken Coffey (center), President of the University of Arkansas chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta. Also pictured is Juliet Fultz (left), an M.S. student in the Plant Pathology program, who brought home a second place award in the M.S. category.

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2014 Arkansas- NSF GRFP Students Arkansas’s talent and potential has been distinguished by the National Science Foundation. Each year the National Science Foundation awards the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), the most competitive national award for undergraduate and graduate students. This year over fourteen thousand applications were submitted but only 2000 students were honored to receive the GRFP award. Among those 2000 students, fifteen graduates from the University of Arkansas, Henderson State University, Hendrix College, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Southern Arkansas University Main Campus received the NSF GRFP award. This is the most number of NSF GRFP awards Arkansas had ever received.

ASSET of Arkansas spot the NSF GRFP awards as a great accomplishment for Arkansas since the awards express that Arkansas’s advances in research is very comparative at the national level. As Arkansas’s STEM education continues to improve, its strong higher education system is capturing out of state graduate student’s interest. There are students such as Nasya Moriah Sturdivant and Gregory Thomas Forcherio, NSF GRFP recipients from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and Southeast Missouri State University respectively, who have chosen to conduct their graduate studies at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) helps ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The NSF welcomes applications from all qualified students and strongly encourages under-represented populations, including women, under-represented racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities, to apply for this fellowship.

Name Baccalaureate Institution Holland, Cynthia K Liederbach, Ross Michael McCollum, Frederick Newton O’Hara, Mackie Clare Rogers, Trent Allen Stiritz, William Theodore Wolf, Douglas Carl Dunklin, Jeremy Randall Dunn, Megan Hartman, Jessica Helene Hill, Courtney Leah Urban, Erik Gron Lenow, Jennifer Kathleen Norman, Justin Erwin, William Robert

Henderson State University University of Arkansas University of Arkansas University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Arkansas University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus University of Arkansas University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Arkansas Hendrix College Hendrix College University of Arkansas University of Arkansas

Sturdivant, Nasya Moriah Forcherio, Gregory Thomas

Graduate Institution

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

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Diversity in L

Dr. Beverly D. Lyn Cook

B

everly Lyn-Cook received her master’s and doctoral degree in biology from Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina from 1981-1984. Her research interest is in nutrigenomics, pharmacogenomics, and chemoprevention. She has published in numerous scientific journals. Lyn-Cook is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research (where she has served as chair of the AACRMinorities in Cancer Research Council), the Society of Cell Biology, and the Federally Employed Women.

She served as NCTR’s liaison to the Arkansas Science & Technology board by the governor.

What led you to join the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR)? I was recruited from academia. Actually, I had never heard of NCTR until I was invited to give a seminar. They learned about me and I learned about the Center during that visit. They persisted with their recruitment efforts which has led to an exciting research career over the last 25 years. My attraction to the Center’s mission and goals was why I joined NCTR. What drew you to work in your current field? I was recruited to the Federal Government in 1988 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where I was an Associate Professor of Research in the Chemical Carcinogenesis Division at the Lineberger Cancer Center. My attraction to the National Center for Toxicological Research, which is a national laboratory of the Food and Drug Administration, was its mission and goals to investigate mechanistic and adverse reaction of various drugs. Therefore, this gave me an opportunity to continue working in the cancer field but shifting to efficacy of cancer drugs and why individuals react differently to the same medications, thus allowing me to explore genomics and epigenomics associations.

Did you encounter any obstacles before or during college that discouraged you from achieving your career goals? In the late 70’s when I was in graduate school, very few women were pursuing Ph.Ds in research. However, it was positive role models and mentors from a diverse group of individuals that encouraged me to continue to pursue my career goals.

Who has had the greatest impact on your scientific career? My research mentors have had the greatest impact on my scientific career because they provided the resources which allowed me to be innovative and develop my ideas into research projects that has been rewarding and exciting.

As a scientist, what has been your greatest lesson learned? As a scientist my greatest lesson learned is to always keep abreast of new technologies to address pressing scientific questions, but make sure you have defined specific aims to address your hypothesis. New technologies may produce a lot of data, but you must have the knowledge and tools to apply it to real life situations that affect public health. Today, science requires scientist to think translational, that is how will what you do at the bench become part of the bedside treatment for patients.

What advice would you give to a student about pursuing a scientific career? It is an exciting time to pursue a scientific career. No longer are students restricted to basic disciplines, but science now requires an interdisciplinary approach, where all disciplines are integrated to understand the full question one may address. New areas such as nanotechnology and bioinformatics allows chemistry, biology, math, physics, and statistics to be applied in science. Job opportunities will increase in the future for STEM majors nationally and global.

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Leadership

President Glen Jones

Glen Jones, President of Henderson State University

G

len Jones serves as President of Henderson State University. He was a member of the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority board from 2008-2014, serving as Chair in 2013-2014.

Jones was interim executive vice chancellor and provost at Arkansas State University (ASU) in Jonesboro from July, 2010 to June, 2012. He was responsible for leadership of all academic, research and diversity programs. At ASU, Jones also served as senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and research, executive assistant to the chancellor and associate professor of accounting. Prior to joining ASU, Jones served as an assisitant professor of accounting at Henderson, assistant of business law at ASU, and as an estate planning and business planning consultant.

Dr. Jones received his B.S in Business Administration from Henderson State University in 1992. Then he obtained a juris doctor degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law in 1995. He continued his education in the University of Florida College of Law where he received his master of laws in taxation in 1996.

Tell me about your research (in 3 lines or less using layman’s terms). Currently, my research focuses on understanding sex differences in drug response and adverse reactions. Most of my research has been investigating early biomarkers for a deadly and silent cancer, pancreatic cancer, with hope of understanding how new drugs can increase the prognosis. Additionally, I have established an active research program on understanding the autoimmune disease, lupus and developing new drug targets.

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Undergraduate Research Initiatives

ARK-LSAMP The National Science Foundation-funded Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ARKLSAMP) project, led by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), was first funded in 2008. ARK-LSAMP was initiated by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Dr. Mary E. Benjamin, Dr. Andrew Sustich (Arkansas State University) and Dr. Frank James (Philander Smith College). This science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) program is a collaborative effort of eight colleges and universities to increase the number of underrepresented minority in STEM across Arkansas. The program offers first hand experiences and opportunities for students to advance their careers while completing a STEM degree. Paid research experiences are offered

during the fall and spring semesters in compliance with grant guidelines for the program. In the summer, some ARK-LSAMP students participate in national and international Research Experiences for Undergraduate internships (REU’s). Students are also exposed to research meetings, guest lecturers, and visiting with role model scientists which encourages young college students to continue with their studies. By the end of their college studies, graduates are prepared to make a difference in STEM areas either by working for private research companies, continuing a master’s or PhD program, or work as educators.

ARK-LSAMP Phase II began with the announcement of a new $3.5M award to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to further support the program from 2013 thru 2018. The award speaks of the great collaborative work done by the universities to increase the diversity in STEM fields. Also in this grant award, Phillips Community College has joined the alliance. Dr. Debby King, Vice President of Academic Affairs will be looking over the program at Phillips Community College.

ARK-LSAMP participating institutions: • • • • • • • • •

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Lead) Arkansas State University Philander Smith College Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College University of Arkansas, Fayetteville University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Arkansas at Monticello* Southeast Arkansas College

*The University of Arkansas at Monticello is now a sustaining alliance.

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stem academy Mission: The mission of the program is to increase students’ interest in the STEM areas through on and off campus recruiting, educational and research activities.

Vision: To assist with increasing the minority scientific and technological workforce in the United States.

The science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM Academy) is designed to help increase the number and diversity of well-prepared STEM graduates who will help to staff the U.S and global scientific workforce, which is critical for the economic advancement, health and security of the nation. UAPB offers a 5-6 weeks summer academy for freshmen to prepare qualified students for college and help students succeed in the upcoming years. During the program, students are involved in: • • • • • •

Team building activities Networking Bonding Creating student study groups Meeting professional STEM role models Becoming more conversant with the expectations of a STEM professional

At the end of the summer program, students take a field trip to a major research facility.

From August-May, academy members are required to assist in weekly meetings to share science related information.

Also students are involved in team building activities and study groups to learn from each other. College experience students are available to mentor the younger students. Also, faculty is available to assist students within their field of study.

Goal: The goal of the program is to provide student enrichment in the STEM areas through a redesigned curriculum, research experience along with applied theory and practice of STEM activities.

For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/k34lwfb Contact: stem@uapb.edu for an application.

http://uapbstem.com/index.php/stem/ark-lsamp The program has been successful in seeing students graduate in STEM disciplines and move on to graduate careers in a STEM field. As ARK-LSAMP scholars graduate, by the following semester 50 new participants enroll in the program.

There are numerous students who submit an application, unfortunately some students are turned away because they may want to participate as a paid scholar due to the certain amounts of slots available. One of the greatest challenges for ARK-LSAMP is that students are only supported financially through ARK-LSAMP for one year. Fortunately, the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority has help support students who conduct research in their sophomore-senior years. Some students do not want to conduct the research and elect to drop out of participation.

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Outreach Roa

Marta Collier-Youngblood

Education Outreach Director (Left) EASTCON 2014 students compete in Solar Design Competition (Right) ARK-LSAMP 2014 ASSET Expo booth presentation on undergraduate research opportunities.

M

arta Collier-Youngblood, Education Outreach Director at the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority, cultivates relationships with business and industry to secure support for STEM education in Arkansas. Collier develops strategic plans for outreach and professional development programs that target critical workforce development and that are aligned with strategic areas of both the federal and foundation grants.

Marta also coordinates outreach efforts among multiple university programs. With great efficiency, she is able to manage current ASSET outreach projects while seeking new opportunities to enrich /expand current programs. She also organizes activities and conferences related to outreach and professional development projects and coordinate these collaborative efforts with other state agencies or stakeholders to promote growth of the STEM workforce in Arkansas.

Marta joined the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority with a strong background in communications. While working for the GRid-connected Advance Power Electronics Systems Center Administrator in 2010, she did research and preparation of special reports, grantwriting, workforce development management, conference/meeting planning and coordination, publicity and education outreach management, and performance of general office duties.

Marta is currently working towards an Ed.D., Workforce Development Education- Higher Education Leadership Concentration at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (UAF).

Prior to her studies at UAF, she completed her M.A., Sociology at the Ohio State University in 2004. She completed B.A, EnglishJournalism Emphasis at Tougaloo College, Mississippi in 2002.

The ASSET Outreach projects are: • STEM Undergraduate Research Initiatives: Provides Arkansas students with practical, hands-on experience guided by the top researchers in our state. ASSET strives to support applications that align with the research of P3, VICTER and GREEN. • ASSET Solar Design Competition provides K-12 students an opportunity to learn about solar energy and how it helps to power the world.

• GREEN Mobile- Solar Energy Lab on Wheels: provide outreach to k-12 students, 2 year colleges and the general public. This resource is able to teach students about solar energy and encourage participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

• Biotech-in-a-Box (BTNB): the main outreach activity of Plant-Powered Production, BTNB provides the teacher and classroom with a fully developed hands-on set of classroom activities that integrate current biotechnology.

• Power Box-Energy Education Project Based Learning Kits is designed to develop understanding regarding energy including: the nature of energy, how energy is generated, how energy is used and other issues.

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oad Warriors

T.A. Walton

Diversity Outreach Director

D

iversity Outreach Director, T.A. Walton, directs the external engagement for the NSF EPSCoR Vertically-Integrated Center on Transformative Energy Research (VICTER). Mr. Walton is an active STEM recruiter for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF), visiting rural areas in Arkansas to expose students to the UAF and to Engineering through the use of on-site scientific demos and campus visits each spring. As part of the outreach duties, he also attends science fairs, Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) annual conferences, and visits Arkansas’s schools to promote STEM careers.

Even while students are enrolled to pursue a STEM degree, Mr. Walton continues to encourage and motivate engineering students to continue their educational careers onto the graduate level. Mr. Walton has also mentored several REU students from the George Washington Carver Summer Intern Program on challenging applied research projects to promote the Electrical Engineering Department.

He currently serves as Managing Director for NSF I/ UCRC on GRidconnected Advance Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES) and National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, (NCREPT). In his professional career he also served as Senior Account Executive and Group Manager at Procter & Gamble Corporation.

T.A. Walton, Diversity Outreach Director for VICTER Center.

T.A. Walton earned a B.S in Chemical Engineering in 1981 and a M.S in Chemical Engineering in 1983 from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Mr. Walton was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers in 2011. He has also received the Outstanding Mentor Award, UAF Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, 2010, Northwest Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King Individual of the Year Award in 2006. Walton was a NSF Graduate Fellow in 1982-1984.

For more information please visit: http://www.victercenter.com/educationoutreach/, http://grapes.uark.edu/,and http://ncrept.uark.edu/.

Picture on the left, Mr. Walton at the 2014 EAST Conference. Picture above, Mr. Walton at an outreach activity.

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outreach programs targeting the next generation The Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology at UALR offers a number of outreach programs for students ranging from sixth to twelfth grade to motivate participants to pursue STEM degrees.

Below and on the next page you will find a brief description for some of the outreach programs offered at UALR (for other programs and application requirements/process please visit: http://ualr.edu/eit/additonal-info/ outreach/).

For more information Contact: Vernard Henley, Director of Recruitment and Outreach for the Donaghey College of Engineering. (501) 569-8203.

Engineering Scholars Program (ESP) The objective of the Engineering Scholars Program is to increase the number of students entering engineering programs in Arkansas through exposure to hands-on engineering projects, plant trips, and interaction with industry engineers. The program features academic and lab sessions on various engineering disciplines, including robotics. The program also features counseling and advising sessions to assist students in preparing for college.

High School Research Program (HSRP) The objective of the HSRP is to engage academic high achievers in a focused research environment by proactively mentoring and helping them make informed choices on appropriate course work during their high school years for pursuing future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In addition, the three week residential summer program provides informal peer mentoring by engaging students in faculty research projects, allowing high school students to establish early contact with college students and professors in specific areas of interest.

Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. Dr. Bernard Harris, the first African-American to walk in space, has visited UALR as part of this free twoweek residential STEM immersion camp for 48 Arkansas middle school students.

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Program Accomplishments and Outlook What has been the greatest success for the programs?

We have been able to provide an educational experience for students in grades 6 through 12 at no charge. In addition, we have been able to maintain a high level of instruction and diversity within each program in our attempt to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter engineering.

Approximately how many participants enroll per year (total of all programs)? More than 930 students participate in our outreach events and summer programs annually.

Vernard Henley, Director of Recruitment and Outreach for the What is the greatest challenge the programs face every year? Our biggest challenge Donaghey College of is obtaining more funds to increase the offerings provided each summer. There are too Engineering (UALR). many qualified students turned away due to a lack of funding. When the average grade point average of students denied admission in the Engineering Scholars Program is greater than 3.30, then we obviously are not able to provide an opportunity for deserving students to explore all of the options available for them to make an educated choice on their career.

What is your greatest challenge for recruitment and retention for student participants? The greatest challenge for recruitment is to make sure that students denied in the past do not give up and keep applying for admittance into one of our programs. We give preferential treatment to denied applicants, but some students and their parents do lose hope and we do all that we can to reassure them that they will be given a chance. Another recruiting challenge is making sure our notices about the camps are disseminated to all students, parents and teachers. While the response is great for our programs, we often have to do some grass roots work to make sure under served students receive the information.

What is the most rewarding feeling of conducting the programs? The most rewarding feeling is seeing students who participated in a program in middle school graduate from high school and enter engineering or some other STEM field when they enter college. Based on our student tracking almost 72% of the students enter some type of STEM field.

Pre-College Diversity Engineering Program (PCDEP) The PCDEP was formed in 2007 primarily to increase the number of historically underrepresented students, in grades six through twelve, who are prepared to pursue engineering degrees. However, membership in the program is not restricted to only underrepresented students.

Sponsors : AT&T, Acxiom, Entergy, Caterpillar, Molex, LM Windpower, Mainstream Technologies, Windstream, Goodrich, FIS, Southwest Power Pool, Harrison Energy Partners, ClearPointe Technology, Lewis Architects Engineers, Georg Fischer Sloane, Jay Stanley & Associates, TME, Inc., and an endowment from Haskell Dickinson. We also receive in-kind donations from other companies.

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P A EC Engineering Career Awareness Program (ECAP) ECAP is more than a scholarship. ECAP strives to make sure students are comfortable, confident, and ready to succeed. Starting with the three-week summer bridge program and continuing through graduation and beyond, ECAP students are part of a supportive family, encouraging and looking out for each other.

ECAP Programs help students succeed through: • • • • • •

Summer Bridge Program Freshmen Engineering Program Peer Mentoring Real-World Learning Experiences Ongoing Student Support Help with Careers or Graduate Schools

ECAP is a family. We grow together, we learn together, we succeed together.

I will know my ECAP classmates for the rest of my life.

All students who receive the Silas Hunt or Razorback Bridge Scholarship, and have financial need as determined by the FAFSA, are considered for the ECAP program. These scholarships are awarded to students from under-represented communities who have demonstrated outstanding academic leadership qualities and potential. ECAP covers all college expenses, if the student is accepted into the program.

Under-represented communities include, but are not limited to, under-represented ethnic or minority groups, a student with an interest in a field that does not typically attract members of his/her ethnicity or gender, residence in an under-represented county in Arkansas or a first generation college student.

For more information visit: ecap.uark.edu or contact Thomas Carter (479-575-5009).

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Thomas Carter III, Assistant Dean of Academic and Students Affairs of the College of Engineering (courtesy of UAF)

ECAP was officially established by the College of Engineering during the 2006-2007 academic year.

The first cohort arrived on campus for the 3-week ECAP Summer Program on June 11, 2007. Troy Alley (UA engineering alum) spearheaded the effort along with the College of Engineering.

The program’s goals are to: • Provide a supportive family atmosphere • Increase the retention and graduation rates of under-represented students in engineering • Provide financial assistance to reduce loan debt after graduation Twenty ECAP students are recruited each year. An important objective of the program is to increase the number of students recruited per year by raising more funds to keep the program going and summer interships for the students as well to retain students in the program. The greatest success for the program is ECAP’s retention and graduation rates in the College of Engineering. Students have shared their stories about how ECAP opened doors to a bright successful professional career. ECAP started an alumni giving program through engineering development after the first cohort graduated.

Silas Hunt and Razorback Bridge Scholarships are awarded annually.

• Fall 2012 freshmen class 179 Silas Hunt and Silas Hunt Distinguished Scholarships and 62 Razorback Bridge were offered.

• Fall 2011 freshmen class 158 Silas Hunt and Silas Hunt Distinguished Scholarships and 46 Razorback Bridge were offered.

Sponsors: Albermarle Corporation, Eastman Chemical, Cameron, L’Oreal, Hewlett Packard, JB Hunt, Texas Instruments, ABF, Accenture, GE Healthcare, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Garver Engineers, Zeeco, and Pepsico.

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Center for Diversity Affairs (CDA*) The CDA is responsible for recruitment and advocacy for the admission and graduation of candidates from underrepresented minority groups to the six academic programs at UAMS. The CDA endeavors to support UAMS students from all protected and affected minority and disadvantaged groups to ensure that they are academically successful.

The CDA fulfills that role through: •

Partnerships with primary and secondary schools through traditional recruitment activities and programs that prepare targeted students for success in pursuit of health careers.

•

Summer enrichment programs for middle school, high school, and college students from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups to assist with their personal development and academic preparation in health careers (activities include standardized test preparation, research, and shadowing).

•

Advising and mentoring prospective and admitted students from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, from the high school to post-graduate levels as they progress in their education and training.

uams OUTREACH PROGRAMS Undergraduate Programs:

K-12 Programs:

• •

• • • • •

• • • • • •

Student Health Careers Exposure Program (SHEP) Undergraduate Summer Science Enrichment Program-Phase I Undergraduate Summer Science Enrichment Program –Phase II INBRE Scholars Research and Service Learning Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Spring MCAT Program PCAT Prep Summer Program

Summer Science Discovery Program Hey Everybody! I’m Going to be a Doctor!

Bridging the Gap (BTG) ACT Preparation Program (ACT) Student Health Careers Exposure Program (SHEP)

*

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The CDA envisions UAMS as an academic health center where diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency are realized in all aspects of its mission, contributing to a society in which all individuals enjoy equity in health, wellbeing, and opportunity.

A Lifelong Learner

Billy Thomas, M.D., Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at UAMS

Billy Thomas, M.D., M.P.H, a neonatologist and leader of the UAMS Center for Diversity Affairs, is the first Vice chancellor for diversity at UAMS. Thomas earned his medical degree at UAMS in 1980 and completed his residency in pediatrics in 1983. He also completed a fellowship at Case Western Reserve/ Metropolitian Genereal Hospital in Cleveland , Ohio. He received his Master of Public Health degree in 2004 from Tulane University. He is a board-certified neonatologist who for the past 25 years has served on the faculty of the Department of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine, most recently as a professor. His research focus has been vitamin D metabolism with an interest in rickets and low bone density in premature infants.

In 2004, Thomas was appointed associate dean for diversity in the College of Medicine after serving since 1996 as assistant dean. In late 2008, UAMS established a campus Center for Diversity Affairs and Thomas was subsequently appointed assistant vice chancellor for diversity.

Dr. Thomas is the eleventh of twelve children born to Jake and Clyde Thomas in the farming village of Tyronza, Arkansas. Throughout high school, Thomas played basketball for which his talent earned him a basketball scholarship at Arkansas State University (ASU) where he studied zoology.

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Diversity Affairs “ The University is dedicated to making the campus a setting where diversity is valued and celebrated and where neither prejudice nor discrimination is tolerated.”

Purpose Diversity Affairs works to enhance educational and professional diversity by seeking to integrate individuals from varied backgrounds and characteristics such as those defined by race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, veteran, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background and intellectual perspective.

We believe that enhancing diversity and providing an educational and work environment in which thought, creativity, and growth are stimulated is a vital university objective and critically important to the mission of allowing individuals to realize their full potential through equal opportunity.

The units that comprise the arm of this administration, support initiatives and facilitate programs that seek to enhance the university’s ability to recruit and retain underrepresented students, faculty and staff. Diversity Affairs strives to protect the rights of the underrepresented while nurturing a welcoming campus environment.

Facul ty and Students Un i t s Faculty and Student Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance

Vision: A campus community where all students feel welcome, valued, engaged and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance (OEOC) is responsible for the University’s compliance with the laws and regulations relating to equal opportunity and non-discrimination, including sexual harassment. It is the policy of the University of Arkansas, to prohibit discrimination of its students, faculty, and staff and to make every effort to eliminate discrimination within the university community.

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Student-Centric Programs Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science are early intervention programs that help low-income and potential first-generation college students prepare for higher education. The Upward Bound programs bring high school students in grades 9-12 to the University of Arkansas campus on the weekends and during the summer to receive instruction in mathematics, laboratory sciences, composition, literature, and foreign languages. The programs also provide academic and social support through tutoring, counseling, mentoring, cultural enrichment, financial literacy, field trips, college planning, and financial aid application assistance. For students just completing their senior year of high school, Upward Bound provides a summer residential bridge program where participants earn up to six hours of college credit.

Talent Search Talent Search is an early intervention/educational opportunity program. Serving students in grades 6-12, the program promotes skills and disseminates information necessary for successfully entering college and completing a baccalaureate degree.

Emphasizing personal/career development, financial literacy, technological/ academic skills, and ACT readiness through college preparatory workshops, students are prepared for the rigors of higher education. Campus visits, academic monitoring/ advising, and guidance in the completion of college and financial aid applications serves the individual needs of participants and their families. Summer enrichment and campus-based events are hosted as funding permits and provide opportunities for institutional collaboration and faculty involvement.

Dr. Charles RobinsonVice Chancellor for Diversity and Community at University of ArkansasFayetteville.

Mission: The Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education provides academic, cultural and social programs intended to promote inclusiveness, foster achievement and assist in the development and advancement of a diverse student body.

Student Support Services -- “Excellence is the Expectation!�

Student Support Services (SSS) is designed to provide a powerful combination of programs and services to students who are first-generation, and/or modest-income, and/or individuals with disabilities. The services that SSS provides place emphasis on individual assessment, counseling, advising, and skill building. The overarching goal of the University of Arkansas Student Support Services program is to empower students, assist them in achieving academic excellence, and seeing them through to GRADUATION! College Access Initiative College Access Initiative’s goal is to improve ACT testing frequency and performance among Arkansas high school students representing under-served populations and communities, and ultimately to increase college access, readiness and retention through outreach programming and partnerships with schools, community groups and educational organizations and through mentoring programs for college students.

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Historically Black Colleges & UniversitiesUndergraduate Programs (HBCU-UP)

H

istorically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have awarded a large share of bachelor's degrees to African American students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and nine of the top ten baccalaureate institutions of African American STEM doctorate recipients from 2006-2010 are HBCUs. To meet the nation's accelerating demands for STEM talent, more rapid gains in achievement, success and degree production in STEM for underrepresented minority populations are needed. The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at HBCUs as a means to broaden participation in the nation's STEM workforce. To this end, HBCU-UP provides awards to develop, implement, and study evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. Philander Smith College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) are part of the HBCUs program. Support is available for Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Research Initiation Awards, Implementation Projects or Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects, and other funding opportunities.

Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP) provide support to achieve a short-term, well-defined goal to innovate or improve the quality of undergraduate STEM education at HBCUs. The Broadening Participation Research (BPR) in STEM Education track provides support for research projects that seek to create and study new theory-driven models and innovations related to the participation and success of underrepresented groups in STEM undergraduate education. Research Initiation Awards (RIA) provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to

Philander Smith College HBCU-UP students at Research Day at the Capitol March 6, 2014. pursue research at the home institution or at an NSF-funded research center, a research intensive institution or a national laboratory. Implementation Projects provide support to design, implement, study, and assess comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the number of students receiving undergraduate degrees in STEM and enhance the quality of their preparation by strengthening STEM education and research. Within this track, Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Implementation Projects are intended for HBCUs with exemplary achievements and established institutionalized foundations from previous Implementation Project grants.

This program provides educational opportunities for undergraduate students. It also provides indirect funding for students at this level or focuses on educational developments for this group such as curricula development, training or retention. To inquire about possible funding opportunities not directly from NSF, please look at the active awards for this program.

To learn more click the NSF logo.

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George Washington Carver Research Program at UAF The George Washington Carver Research Program was begun in 1997 to recruit superior graduates of colleges and universities serving primarily underrepresented students.

The Carver Research Program includes agreements between the University of Arkansas and 37 institutions across the south-central and southeast United States. One aspect of the program is to recruit current undergraduates from George Washington Carver Research Program institutions for specific undergraduate summer internship positions.

YouTube video: http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=5HEepqaojnI#t=73

All interns work directly with a faculty mentor and are exposed to various aspects of graduate study including standarized preparation, research and presentation skills, and the graduate application and funding process.

Contact: Shani Farr Newton in the Graduate School, Coordinator and Director of the Carver Research Program Phone: 479-575-7038 For more infomation visit: http://carver.uark.edu

National Society of Black Engineers Mission: “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., NSBE offers academic excellence programs, scholarships, leadership training, professional development and access to career opportunities for thousands of members annually.

With over 2000 elected leadership positions, 18 regional conferences and an annual convention, NSBE provides opportunities for success that remain unmatched by any other organization.

The torch symbolizes members’ everlasting, burning desire to achieve success in a competitive society and positively affect the quality of life for all people. The lightening bolt represents the striking impact that will be felt by the society and industry due to the contributions and accomplishments made by the dedicated members of the National Society of Black Engineers.

NSBE has since grown from six to over 31,000 members and the annual meeting has blossomed into the Annual National Convention, hosting over 8,000 attendees. NSBE has 99 active NSBE Jr. pre-college, 250 student and 68 professional chapters. For more information click on the NSBE logo.

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