KU News Release

KU sponsors national conference of group seeking to increase minorities in science

LAWRENCE — With Hispanics and Native Americans comprising less than 3 percent of all biological science professors and less than 2 percent of physics faculty nationwide, the University of Kansas hopes for a surge in minority doctoral candidates in science.

KU is a lead sponsor of the 2007 national conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science scheduled for Oct. 11-14 in Kansas City, Mo. Students and faculty from KU, Haskell Indian Nations University and institutions across the country will come face to face with other educators, scientists, administrators and cutting-edge researchers. More than 3,000 people are expected to attend.

The university is offering to pay conference registration fees for 20 students and 30 faculty members from KU and Haskell. Students associated with several federally funded diversity initiatives at both universities also are eligible.

“Underrepresented students, many for the first time, will be surrounded by well-known scientists from around the country whose backgrounds are similar to theirs,” said Marigold Linton, director of American Indian outreach at KU and a past president of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. “Students from our Kansas communities will see KU and Haskell highlighted but will also have the opportunity to interact with many universities and federal agencies in exhibit booths as well as in scientific presentations. Recruitment opportunities abound.”

KU will sponsor a welcome reception with Chancellor Robert Hemenway and a breakout session led by John Augusto, research training coordinator at the KU Center for Research. It will focus on successfully applying to graduate school. KU also will set up recruitment booths for the Lawrence and medical center campuses.

“This is a real opportunity for KU to shine, providing faculty the opportunity to recruit undergraduates into summer research programs, potential graduate students and postdoctoral researchers,” said Jim Orr, director of the Office of Diversity in Science Training, who is the KU local organizing chair. “We are making every effort to ensure the conference attendees from other universities get an opportunity to see KU as a leading research university.”

The Santa Cruz, Calif.-based Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science was founded in 1973 with a mission “to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership, and teaching careers at all levels.” The group’s national conference is the focal point of its activities and receives underwriting from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.

Students from KU and Haskell interested in applying for sponsorship of their registration fees for the conference should contact the Office for Diversity in Science Training at (785) 864-3641 or odst@ku.edu. An application will be posted on the office's Web site.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.