Funded DTA Projects
Pathways to Increased Diversity for Grad School and the Professoriate
PI: Audeen Fentiman, associate dean of graduate education and interdisciplinary programs, Engineering; professor of nuclear engineering
Undergraduate research experiences with faculty strongly predict entry into graduate school. The College of Engineering will build on relationships with faculty members at minority serving institutions (MSIs) to engage with underrepresented minority students. Selected undergraduate students will spend two summers conducting research with mentors from Purdue and the MSI and taking Purdue courses, preparing for success in graduate school at Purdue. Faculty members will conduct research to identify mentoring and professional development activities effective in fostering a successful career in academia. Ultimately engineering graduate programs could benefit from a significant increase in the number of enrolled underrepresented minority students.
Team members: Virginia Booth-Womack, director, Minority Engineering Program; Phillip Dunston, professor, Civil Engineering; Susan Fisher, professional development and diversity specialist, Engineering.
