UC helps boost minority participation in sciences

Ryan Hynd's career as a mathematician took a leap forward in 2003 when he attended a UC Berkeley recruiting program for minority students.

Then an undergraduate at Georgia Institute of Technology, Hynd said he received valuable assistance in applying for graduate schools by attending the Berkeley Edge Program. After that experience, he made the decision to choose UC Berkeley for graduate study – if it chose him. It did.

Hynd entered the university in 2004 and is now working on his doctoral dissertation with plans to graduate in the spring. He is one of the hundreds of graduate students benefiting from UC's Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate programs. Campus programs such as Berkeley Edge are offered under the umbrella of UC's participation in the national AGEP program and are aimed at increasing the diversity pool of scientific researchers and faculty. Sponsored through the National Science Foundation, AGEP encourages African Americans, Native Alaskans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders and Hispanics to go into advanced careers in mathematics, science and engineering – fields that are historically underpopulated by minorities.

From 2001 through 2008, at the 66 universities participating in AGEP, the number of doctorates awarded to underrepresented minorities in science, mathematics and technical fields increased 33.9 percent (UC accounted for nearly 25 percent of the gain), according to a study on AGEP’s effectiveness released this year by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"Our outreach programs not only deliver a benefit to the students we serve, but they also benefit the scientific community and society as well," said Steven Beckwith, UC's vice president for research and graduate studies. "Research thrives through collaborating and embracing a broad diversity of viewpoints. That’s how great discoveries happen.”

Hynd, who moved to the United States from Jamaica with his mother when he was 5, compares the benefit of research diversity to the world of music, where many different cultures make enriching contributions.

"I don't see why more of that can't happen in math, science and engineering," Hynd said.

The AGEP programs at UC campuses connect with participants throughout their graduate careers. They hold networking events, retreats and speaker series with professors.

"One thing they try to do is create a community," said Hynd. "I guess the hope is you don't feel left out and alone."

At UC San Diego, the Competitive Edge Summer Research Program gives students an opportunity to begin research in their field the summer before their first graduate school term.

Christopher Murphy, UC San Diego’s AGEP coordinator, said by the time fall quarter starts, participants know their way around and have adjusted to their new environment.

"I feel like there are a lot of challenges in graduate school," said biomedical science major Isabel Canto, a Competitive Edge participant. "The different cultures come into play. In my culture, family is very important. It's important to have a social network."

Canto found that network with the other graduate students participating in the program. There are practical benefits as well, like a guaranteed spot in graduate student housing, which influenced her decision to study at the San Diego campus.

Stephanie Huelga, another Competitive Edge participant, said by the time classes began she felt way ahead of students who were just arriving on campus.

"Participating in AGEP gave me a great jump start, not only into research, but into the grad student life in general," said Huelga, a bioinformatics student. "Since it was the summer time, people were more available, and I had the opportunity to interact with some top researchers I may not have been able to interact with otherwise."

Huelga entered graduate school anticipating a career in the biotech industry. Now she is leaning toward becoming a professor and academic researcher – exactly the influence the AGEP program hopes to have on students.