Bulletin of the American Physical Society
Joint Fall 2011 Meeting of the Texas Sections of the APS, AAPT, and Zone 13 of the SPS
Volume 56, Number 7
Thursday–Saturday, October 6–8, 2011; Commerce, Texas
Session B1: Special Session: Minority Recruiting |
Hide Abstracts |
Chair: Harry Swinney, University of Texas at Austin, and Heather Galloway, Texas State University--San Marcos Room: Sam Rayburn Center Second Floor, Room C |
Friday, October 7, 2011 9:10AM - 9:30AM |
B1.00001: The APS Minority Bridge Program Invited Speaker: Physics has one of the lowest participation rates for underrepresented minorities and women of all Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Things are improving for women and while still not representative of the population, the trends have been encouraging. Underrepresented minorities, however, have not been as fortunate. I will describe the current status of participation in physics, and a new program being launched by the American Physical Society that aims to significantly increase the number of minorities who receive PhDs in physics. The Minority Bridge Program is bringing together representatives from doctoral granting institutions and universities that educate minority students to establish a set of model programs based on the successes of existing efforts and capitalizing on the strengths of the American Physical Society. Our goal is to improve graduate education for all students by improving the opportunities for minority students. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 7, 2011 9:30AM - 9:50AM |
B1.00002: Building Sustainable Systems that Support Success of Underrepresented Students Invited Speaker: The number of physics majors at Florida International University has grown from 37 declared majors in 2003 to 143 in 2011. This growth provides us with an opportunity to investigate the components of FIU's educational system which have contributed to this growth and the overall success of our students at FIU. Understanding student success at FIU is important because FIU is a research intensive Hispanic Serving Institution which has a majority of students who have been historically underrepresented in physics including, minority students and women. Our primary efforts have focused on developing supportive learning environments through the implementation of Modeling Instruction in several sections of introductory physics and providing dedicated space for student collaboration outside of class. We provide data indicating that the Modeling courses support enhanced learning, attitudes, and retention and that the space is being utilized by students to integrate into the physics department. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 7, 2011 9:50AM - 10:10AM |
B1.00003: Crisis in Texas Higher Education: The Need for Leadership Invited Speaker: Texas has the fastest growing Hispanic population in the nation. Hispanics will soon comprise a majority of the state's population. Yet this population has a high school drop-out rate of nearly 60\% and is vastly underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines in the student bodies and faculties of the state's universities. The scientific and economic health of the state is threatened with the formation of such a large scientific underclass. But Rice is making a difference, positioning its underrepresented minority students for STEM leadership throughout the state and nation. The speaker will discuss several successful national award-winning undergraduate and graduate programs that he directs at Rice University that are being heralded as models for the state, region, and nation. [Preview Abstract] |
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700