Building Bridges to Diversity: The Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

Keivan Guadalupe Stassun

Physics & AstronomyVanderbilt UniversityFisk University

Physics & astronomy context

Order-of-magnitude issue:– 25% of population

– 2-3% of physics and astronomy faculty

– 0.5% of P&A facultyat research institutions

Average among PhD granting institutions:– 1 every 13 years

Minority PhD Recipients in Astronomy

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%Native Am.BlackHispanicTotalPercent of all PhDs

Where are the minorities in STEM?

Minority-Serving InstitutionsHistorically Black Colleges & Universities

(HBCUs)– 2% of all US college enrollment– 25% of all African-American bachelor’s degrees– 50% of Af-Am bachelor’s in science/engineering

Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCUs)Community colleges

– 50% of minorities start here

Where are the minorities in STEM?

Historically Black Colleges and UniversitiesTop producers of Black physics undergraduates

are all HBCUs

Where are the minorities in STEM?

Importance of Masters-PhD Transitions

Minorities ~50% more likely to earn Masters en route to PhD.More institutional transitions, with less guidance.

Lange (2005)

Tapping the “second pool”

I would like to ask that we identify and support the “second pool”, the diamonds-in-the-rough that don’t look like traditional candidates. By second pool, we do not mean second class. The second pool consists of individuals who are talented and capable, and can succeed given proper guidance, but who either have not been properly developed or properly evaluated. It is this second pool that we are losing.

- Richard Tapia

NSF Summit Meeting on Promoting National Minority Leadership in Science and Engineering

Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

Get the preparation you need to earn a PhD

1. Earn a Masters degree in physics at Fisk, with full funding support.

2. Get valuable, paid research experience.

3. Receive preparation for the GRE.

4. Get fast-track admission to the Vanderbilt PhD program, with full funding support.

• Astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology

• Biophysics

• Materials science, nanophysics, detector development

• Imaging science

Nashville, Tennessee

Masters-to-PhD Bridge ProgramMasters degree requirements: Classical Mechanics Quantum Mechanics I Electricity and Magnetism I Statistical Mechanics Electives

PhD degree requirements: Above, plus:

– E&M II, Quantum II (physics)– Stars, Galaxies, Radiative Processes (astronomy)– Electives

Courses can be taken in any combination at Fisk and/or Vanderbilt.

Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

Key considerations: Not a “back door”: Must satisfy same PhD

requirements as all PhD students Focus on facilitating successful mentor/mentee

relationships

Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

Facilitating successful transitions: Joint advising committees: Involvement of potential PhD advisors

from the start, enhanced communication and tracking of progress

Requirement of coursework at Vanderbilt: Become known to Vanderbilt faculty, complete PhD requirements

Requirement of research at Vanderbilt: Demonstrate ability in the lab, develop faculty advocates

Ancillary support: Identify problems early on, provide tutoring where necessary

“Professionalization”: Seminar on academic culture, participate in professional meetings

Social networks: Orientation, “Bridge Club”

Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

How to recruit? National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native

Americans in Science (SACNAS) Direct relationships with MSI’s

Whom to recruit? Key principle: Recruit, don’t compete. Focus on

unrealized potential. Take risks: Erect scaffolds of support to ensure success.

Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Students

Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson

Why diversity in astrophysics?