Minority Scientist

African American Scientist Spotlight

2024-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

Alice Augusta Ball was an African American chemist who made significant contributions to the development of a treatment for leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, in the early 20th century. She was born on July 24, 1892, in Seattle, Washington, and was the daughter of James P. Ball, Jr., the first Black person to graduate from the University of Washington.

Ball pursued her education at the University of Washington, where she earned a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1912 and a master's degree in chemistry in 1914. She was the first woman and first African American to graduate with a master's degree from the University of Hawaii, where she conducted groundbreaking research on the treatment of leprosy.

Ball's most notable achievement was the development of a more effective treatment for leprosy. She discovered a method to isolate the ethyl ester of chaulmoogra oil, which was used traditionally in treating the disease but was not easily absorbed by the body. Ball's method involved creating a water-soluble form of the oil by modifying its chemical structure. This innovation made the treatment more accessible and effective for patients suffering from leprosy.

Unfortunately, Alice Augusta Ball's promising career was cut short when she died at the young age of 24 on December 31, 1916, due to unknown causes. Despite her untimely death, her research laid the groundwork for improved treatments for leprosy and paved the way for advancements in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry.

Today, Alice Augusta Ball is recognized for her pioneering work in chemistry and her significant contribution to the treatment of leprosy. In 2020, the University of Hawaii unveiled a bronze statue of Ball on its campus to honor her legacy and contributions to science and medicine.

References:

1. "Alice Ball." National Institutes of Health: U.S. National Library of Medicine - Changing the Face of Medicine. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_19.html

2. "Alice Augusta Ball: The Woman Who Cured Leprosy." Chemical Heritage Foundation. https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/alice-augusta-ball

Applications are open for the 2024 Graduate Student Research Awards from the Department of Energy! Perform Graduate Theses Research at U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories!

2024-02-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

From The Department of Energy Office of Science's webpage:

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2024 solicitation 1 cycle. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

SCGSR application assistance workshops will be held on March 7, 2024, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. ET and April 18, 2024, 2:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. ET. The first workshop will provide a general overview of the program and the application requirements. It will also include a time for attendees to discuss their potential research topics and their alignment with the SCGSR priority areas with managers of each participating program office; register here. The second workshop will guide attendees through the application process, answer general questions, provide guidance on proposal writing, and feature discussions with scientists and former awardees; register here.

The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory or facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist. The goal of the program is to prepare graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the mission of DOE’s Office of Science. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall graduate theses while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the host DOE laboratories.

SCGSR is open to U.S. Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas relevant to DOE’s Office of Science. Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 1,066 graduate awardees from 161 U.S. universities to conduct thesis research at all 17 DOE national laboratories across the nation.

The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, in collaboration with the Office of Science’s six research programs offices and two research and development and production offices, and with DOE national laboratories/facilities. Program administration support is provided by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

More information on the SCGSR program can be found by visiting the SCGSR program website, attending the program’s virtual office hours which are held every Tuesday between 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET via this Zoom link, or by emailing the SCGSR team.

Summer 2024 research opportunity for high school students interested in microbiology!

2024-02-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

The Change Sequence: Genentech Networking Event 2/20/24

2024-02-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

In honor of Black History Month, Genentech will hold a networking event called The Change Sequence.

This in-person event will take place on February 20, 2024, at the South San Francisco campus from 5:30pm to 8pm.

At The Change Sequence you will have the opportunity to:

Network with Hiring Managers and Senior Leaders across Genentech
Gain insight into Genentech's culture, 2025 D&I Commitments, and the bold initiatives creating impact for our people, patients and communities
Learn more about our Black Director’s Exchange group for senior leaders, and our employee resource group AAIB (African Americans in Biotech).

Don't miss out! Register today at bit.ly/tcs-bhm24.

SCIENTIFIC ADVENTURES FOR GIRLS

2021-05-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

Check out Scientific Adventures for Girls (SAfG) to find exciting science-based activities or opportunities for your little ones!

SAfG offers after school programs, summer camps and more in Oakland, Emeryville, San Leandro, Richmond and Berkeley, CA!

Visit the SAfG website for additional information.

Welcome to 20-1-4: the year of opportunities Galore!

2014-01-01T11:58:00.001-08:00

I wish you all a Happy, Happy New Year!

Summer Research
I want to remind all of you that this is the time of year to begin thinking about your plans for Summer 2014. Many research programs will begin soliciting applications now with deadlines occurring between the end of January 2014 thru March 2014. This blog has some summer research programs listed for you to browse through. The most recent addition is the summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) that is available at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

FAFSA
Also remember if you are applying for college, that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is now available for the 2014-2015 school year. When I applied for college, my parents could not support me financially so I filled out a FAFSA. Thankfully, my college tuition, housing and other fees were primarily paid using grants, loans and work study that I received in my financial aid package. Do not let the cost of attending college deter you!

Conferences
Scientific conferences occur throughout the year. Remember to determine whether the conference you would like to attend offers travel grants/stipends. Many do, but it may be contingent on submitting an abstract to present your research (orally or as a poster). So check out 1) conference dates, 2) abstract submission deadlines, and 3) travel grant/stipend deadlines. Check out conferences here.

I am sure that there are many other things to consider and remember at this time of the year, but these three topics were immediately on my mind. If you would like to share others, send me an email. Best, Minority.Scientist

LearnLab Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

2014-01-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program Description

LearnLab at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh has an exciting summer research opportunity available to undergraduate students. This research program encourages applications from students who would like to conduct research in the fields of psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language technologies. This program seeks broad participation, including members of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Science Foundation (African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering pursuing further graduate study in the learning sciences.

LearnLab's REU program allows talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, or one of our research partners. The REU program aims to make LearnLab's programs more visible to students not traditionally exposed to our fields. The REU program supports LearnLab's commitment to training a diverse set of science, technology, education, and psychology leaders.

Applications are encouraged from students who wish to learn to conduct research in a modern academic research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers and experiment in real classroom environments. The REU program will expose students to the excitement and opportunities of a research career. This experience will provide excellent preparation for students interested in subsequently pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree. Although students from other years may apply, this opportunity is most fitting for a student at the end of the junior year of undergraduate studies.

Each student will receive a fellowship stipend of $4000 for the eight-week REU program. Food, housing and travel will also be provided. Students will conduct research in an area matched to the interests expressed in the student's application. Guidance and supervision of the research project will be provided by the faculty member as well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student.

Seminars specific to those participating in the REU program will be held weekly including seminars on graduate admissions and career opportunities in science, education, computer science and engineering. In addition, LearnLab seminars and those held by Carnegie Mellon's Human Computer Interaction Institute and Language Technologies Institute and seminars at Pitt's Language Research and Development Center will be open to the students, giving them exposure to a wide range of research in learning sciences.

REU Program Benefits

There are several benefits that the participating students may receive.

If the student’s research in the summer is of high quality and has added value to an ongoing research project, past students have been asked to be a coauthor on the research team's publication on that subject. Addition of publications to the resume of a graduate school applicant always greatly improves the application.
If the quality of the research is high, the faculty member who advised the student would likely be willing to write a letter of recommendation for the student which could be included in a graduate school application.
Research experience in one of the National Science Foundation's premier research centers will be viewed attractively.
Scholarships may be available for graduate research on projects in LearnLab. The student should inquire about these possibilities during the summer.

REU Program Dates: Students will begin their research experience on Sunday, June 1, 2014 with a welcoming reception and information session. The REU program will end on Friday July 25, 2014 with a poster session in the afternoon.. Submission of an application indicates that the applicant agrees to be present from June 1 to 4pm, July 25, 2014 inclusive.

Application Deadline: Deadline for applications is February 17, 2014. Students will be informed of our decision by March 3, 2014.

Minimum Requirements: Applicants must be current undergraduates who are U.S. Citizens or have current F1 visas. Applicants should have a minimum of 3.5 GPA out of 4.0 although we will consider students who show by other measures that they are exceptional and who have GPAs over 3.2. Class standing and grades in specific subjects that are close to the field of research will also be considered, as are recommendations.

Number of slots/ positions available: LearnLab can accommodate as many as 10 positions, although in any given year, we may decide to fund less than 10 applicants

Funding Source: National Science Foundation

Partner Institutions: Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Learning

Send completed applications to:
LearnLab - Summer Internship Program
c/o Jo Bodnar
3501B Newell-Simon Hall - HCII
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship

2013-09-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

2014-15 Application Deadline: November 1, 2013

"The AAAS Fellowship is an amazing opportunity for scientists but more importantly, it is the best way to incorporate smart, accomplished scientists into the policy making process for the betterment of the nation."

-Dr. Terry Adirim, 2006-07 AAAS fellow at the Department of Homeland Security

The deadline to apply to the 2014-2015 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship class is quickly approaching. For over 40 years, scientists, social scientists, and engineers have applied their knowledge and technical expertise to policy-making while developing valuable career enhancing skills. Join a network of more than 2,800 current and alumni fellows impacting policy and forging new careers!

Please share this information with your networks.

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications is November 1, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Apply athttps://fellowshipapp.aaas.org/

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must hold a doctoral level degree (PhD, MD, DVM, etc.), in any of the following:

- Social/Behavioral sciences

- Medical/Health disciplines

- Biological, Physical or Earth sciences

- Computational sciences and Mathematics

- Engineering disciplines (applicants with a master's degree and three years of experience also qualify).

All degree requirements must be completed by the application deadline.

Visit http://fellowships.aaas.org/04_Become/04_Eligibility.shtml to learn more about eligibility and selection criteria.

BENEFITS

Stipends range from approximately $74,000 to $99,000. Other benefits include health insurance, travel/training allowance and relocation allocation. For more information about benefits, visit

http://fellowships.aaas.org/05_Support/05_index.shtml.

DETAILS

To learn more about the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships, visit:http://fellowships.aaas.org.

HAVE QUESTIONS!

Join us on Facebook or Twitter or contact Fellowships staff at fellowships@aaas.org or 202-326-6700.

American Express OPEN Encourages Diversity In Tech as 2013 FOCUS100 Financial Partner

2013-09-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

One of the MOST Diverse Tech Conferences on the Planet Kicks Off October 4th in New York City with over 80% of speakers women and people of color

New York, August 29 2013 – American Express OPEN joins digitalundivided’s FOCUS100 Symposium and Bootcamp as the exclusive financial partner. The 3 day conference, taking place October 4th – 6th, 2013 in New York City, connects tech companies with founders/co-founders who are black women, angel and venture investors, leading corporations, and those interested in the future of tech.

American Express OPEN offers small business owners products and services to help them grow and run their businesses efficiently. It's a growing community of innovative and successful entrepreneurs and digitalundivided is a proud partner. Valerie Morris, former CNN anchor and financial expert will be leading the OPEN for Women: CEO BootCamp session at FOCUS100. Valerie will present a workshop on “Harnessing the Power of Money” designed to help women CEOs better understand how to build the right team and resources to manage their finances and grow their business.

FOCUS100 continues to bring together diverse leaders in the tech industry. This year, the keynotes include Three-time Grammy award winner, digital pioneer and founder of several Silicon Valley based startups, MC Hammer; MacArthur “Genius” Award Recipient Majora Carter; Lisa Lambert, Vice President of Intel Capital; and Stacy Brown Philpot, COO of taskrabbit.

“FOCUS100 is a great chance to connect with people who have the same mission as me, expansion of opportunity, expansion of job creation, and creating new avenues of promise for our community”, said Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey.

FOCUS100 redefines the traditional view of “who is tech” by spotlighting top entrepreneurs and innovators who also happen to be women of color. Last year, FOCUS100 reached over 3 million people with 47 million impressions (tweet reach 10/8/12). 30% of the 40 FOCUS FELLOW companies (founded or co-founded by black women) received next step meetings with investors, eight (8) received angel and/or funding. Speakers included Mayor Booker and Majora Carter.

“The Black community, especially black women, are a vital part of the overall tech eco- system, as both consumers and creators” said Kathryn Finney, Founder and Managing Director of digitalundivided. “If you’re looking for diversity in terms of ideas and thoughts around technology and the startup world, then you must attend FOCUS100.”

digitalundivided’s “…ability to attract high profile leaders in the industry who are willing to engage with new entrepreneurs is the game changer for black women in technology who struggle to be seen.", says FOCUS100 panelist Tracey Solomon, co-founder of Hoseanna, an e-commerce company where women can sign up for deliveries of must- have hosiery, leggings and shape wear, among other necessities.

For more information on the event including sponsorship and registration, please visit:

http://www.digitalundivided.com/

For media inquiries, please contact PR Coordinator Amanda Spann at Amanda@digitalundivided.com

About digitalundivided

digitalundivided (DID) is a social enterprise that builds forward thinking initiatives that fundamentally change the digital space by increasing the number of urban women digital

entrepreneurs. Founded in 2012, digitalundivided’s programs and projects, such as the

START series of national workshops and the weekly DIDTechTalk with leaders in the world of tech, have reached over 4 million people.

About FOCUS100

The FOCUS100 (#FOCUS100) is a Startup bootcamp and symposium that connects thought leaders, tech startups founded or co-founded by black women, brand managers,

and innovators. The symposium features keynotes with game changers like Mayor Cory

Booker, MC Hammer, Stacy Brown Philpot (taskrabbit), Majora Carter, Erik Moore (Zappos) and more. The event includes, panels on emerging technologies and a PITCH session with top Angel and Venture Capitalists.

STEM program at NYU-Poly and Northrop Grumman

2013-04-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

NYU-POLY PARTNERS WITH HEAF TO OFFER “STEM” EDUCATION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Science of Smart Cities Program Helps Students Prepare for the “Jobs of Tomorrow” by Exposing Them to Hands-On, Project-Based Curriculum and Leading Energy and Aerospace Experts

NEW YORK – April 18, 2013 – Continuing its tradition of offering the most advanced coursework to its middle and high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and other areas, nonprofit Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) has partnered with the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) to expand NYU-Poly’s prestigious Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) program to HEAF’s seventh and eighth graders. SoSC offers New York City public school students the opportunity to learn and apply advanced STEM knowledge and skills through hands-on instruction, innovative curriculum and field trips with the hope to prepare students to pursue STEM careers.

NYU Poly’s Center for K12 STEM Education builds on an existing academic relationship with HEAF, the leading supplemental education nonprofit in New York City that turns underserved New York City middle and high school students into high-achieving college graduates. Taught by the university’s undergrad students, NYU-Poly’s SoSC offers HEAF’s middle school students the opportunity to learn and understand how various urban systems, including water, waste management, energy and communications, function and how advances in technology and engineering can improve the world’s cities.

Applying what they have learned in these specialized classes, the students visited the downtown Brooklyn offices of Northrop Grumman, a leading American aerospace and defense technology company as well as an avid supporter of STEM education among K-12 students. HEAF students received instruction from Northrop Grumman engineers who covered a range of contemporary urban topics, such as traffic engineering and sustainability. In May, the program culminates in final projects for which students will construct their own model “smart city” using real-world materials and technologies.

Programs such as NYU-Poly’s SoSC that expose students to STEM fields early in their academic careers are more important than ever. The demand for STEM education is increasing both at the federal and local levels, as the U.S. competes to reassert its position as a global leader in the science and technology fields. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2.1 million new jobs in STEM areas will exist by 2020. However, only 23 percent of college freshmen are entering STEM majors, and only a fraction of these students are African American and Latino. Both HEAF and NYU-Poly are recognized leaders in educating underserved communities.

“As President Obama recently stated in his State of the Union address and has reinforced through his Administration’s Educate to Innovate campaign, we need to better equip students for the demands of a high-tech economy,” said Ruth Rathblott, president and CEO of HEAF. “In order to do that, we must increase STEM literacy among students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and provide hands-on, real-world experiences that pique their intellectual curiosity and build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through our great partnership with NYU-Poly and our own curriculum, we are arming our students with highly advanced coursework and exposing them to a higher education experience early on, which will prepare them for college, career and a lifetime of learning.”

“We are delighted to partner with HEAF to provide our STEM curriculum to their students and introduce the field of engineering in the context of urban systems and sustainability,” said Ben Esner, director of the Center for K12 STEM Education at NYU-Poly. “NYU-Poly’s Science of Smart Cities program starts with something young people relate to—their immediate environment—and demonstrates how the tools of science and technology can shape the future they’d like to make happen.”

HEAF’s participation in NYU-Poly’s SoSC is just one example of how HEAF is exposing its students to college-level work and direct experience with higher education institutions. Last year, an NYU-Poly graduate student mentored HEAF’s high school students through the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition, during which HEAF students designed, built and programmed robots to compete against other high school teams. HEAF frequently partners with a number of other prestigious universities – such as Barnard College, where students have studied humanities including women’s history, and Touro College, where students have studied health education – to expose them to college-level work that is often not available to inner-city students. For more than 20 years, HEAF has an unmatched track record of success with 100 percent of students graduating high school and 98 percent pursing higher education. This compares to 65 percent of all New York City students graduating high school and only 37 percent of African-American and Hispanic male youth completing high school in four years. For more information about HEAF or the Smart Cities program, visit www.heaf.org. For more information on NYU-Poly’s K12 Center for STEM Education, visitwww.poly.edu/k12stem.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On May 18, 2013 at 12 p.m. ET, HEAF students will present their Science of Smart Cities projects at HEAF (2090 Adam Clayton Powell Junior Boulevard, New York, N.Y. 10027). Media are invited to attend.

About Polytechnic Institute of New York UniversityThe Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and the Polytechnic University, now widely known as NYU-Poly) is an affiliated institute of New York University, soon to be its School of Engineering. NYU-Poly, founded in 1854, is the nation's second-oldest private engineering school. It is presently a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences, rooted in a 159-year tradition of invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. It remains on the cutting edge of technology, innovatively extending the benefits of science, engineering, management and liberal studies to critical real-world opportunities and challenges, especially those linked to urban systems, health and wellness, and the global information economy. In addition to its programs on the main campus in New York City at MetroTech Center in downtown Brooklyn, it offers programs around the globe remotely through NYU-Poly. NYU-Poly is closely connected to engineering in NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai and to the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) also at MetroTech, while operating two incubators in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.poly.edu.

About HEAF

The Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) is a high-impact supplemental education and youth leadership nonprofit that turns high-potential but underserved New York City public school students into high-achieving college graduates. HEAF enrolls qualifying students in middle school and supports them until they are successfully admitted to ― and graduate from ― four-year colleges. HEAF offers a variety of after-school, Saturday and summer educational and youth development programs that enable students to develop the intellectual curiosity, academic ability, social values and personal resiliency they need to ensure success in school, career and life. HEAF’s track record of success is unmatched in the industry: 100 percent of HEAF students graduate college, 100 percent go on to higher education and 35 percent obtain advanced degrees. For more information about HEAF or to get involved, visit www.heaf.org.

National Space Biomedical Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

2013-04-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

NSBRI is a NASA-funded, non-profit research consortium charged with developing biomedical countermeasures and technologies for potential health problems that could occur in astronauts either during long-duration spaceflight, on exploration missions, or upon return to Earth. NSBRI’s current program, aligned with NASA’s exploration objectives, consists of approximately 44 science and technology projects organized into research teams.

NSBRI invites ground-based research applications for Postdoctoral Fellowships. Minority.Scientist briefly summarized the details of this fellowship opportunity below, but please review the entire application for more information. Good luck!

Proposals: Proposals can either address topics of interest to one of the seven existing NSBRI research teams, or the supplemental cross-cutting research area of Food Science, which has importance to both NSBRI and the NASA Human Research Program (HRP). The seven research teams are as follows:

Cardiovascular Alterations
Human Factors and Performance
Musculoskeletal Alterations
Neurobehavioral and Psychosocial Factors
Radiation Effects
Sensorimotor Adaptation
Smart Medical Systems and Technology

Who can apply: The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration.

Duration: Postdoctoral Fellowships will be competitively awarded for two years, with an opportunity for a third year renewal, in any laboratory in the U.S. conducting biomedical/biotechnological research aligned with NSBRI’s goals

Stipend: First year- $42,500; Second year- $43,775

Deadline: June 7, 2013

NSBRI-RFA-13-01: NSBRI Request for Applications Soliciting Postdoctoral Fellows

Dory Yochum Scholarship, $5000

2013-04-10T13:15:00.002-07:00

MentorNet to award $5000 to an outstanding woman protege in STEM

DEADLINE MAY 15, 2013

MentorNet announced today that it will award $5000 to an outstanding woman protege in honor of its long time champion and Chair of the Board of Directors, Dory S. Yochum.

On December 5, 2010, MentorNet was profoundly saddened to lose Dory. She worked for 32 years at AT&T Labs, rising to the position of Vice-President and Chief Operations Officer. She also served on the Board of Fraser Research and as Chief Administrative Officer of PalmSource. Dory was a leader in research and technology and an exemplar for our protégés and mentors. To honor and promote her legacy, MentorNet has launched this first annual Dory S. Yochum Scholarship.
To be eligible, a candidate must be a woman currently pursuing any postsecondary degree in any field of science, technology, engineering or math at a partnering campus or society and a current or former protege of MentorNet.

Apply by May 15, 2013 by sending an email to DoryPrize@mentornet.net with the following:

A description of your experience as a MentorNet protégé, your current status and pursuits as a student, and your career ambitions. Your entry can be in any medium:

video or animation (no more than 2 minutes),

audio (no more than 5 minutes), or

text (no more than one page);
Recommendation from a MentorNet mentor;
Resume or curriculum vitae, including your contact information

DEADLINE MAY 15, 2013

Scientific Conventions April 2013

2013-04-05T11:44:00.001-07:00

Interested in a little time away from the lab? Want to meet up with others in your field to talk about your studies? Then check out these conferences happening in April 2013! If you attend, Minority.Scientist would love to hear about your experience.

April 6-10
American Association for Cancer Research- Washington, DC

April 7-11
American Chemical Society, Spring- New Orleans, LA

April 11-14
National Science Teachers Association- San Antonio, TX

April 20-24
Experimental Biology- Boston, MA

April 22-25
BIO 2013- Chicago, IL

April 30-May 2
Food Safety Summit- Baltimore, MD

Summer Science Opportunities for YOUTH

2013-03-29T10:38:00.003-07:00

I came across this webpage today that lists many opportunities for young people to get involved with science-related activities for Summer 2013. Opportunities include internships (paid and unpaid) at places like Kaiser Permanente, NASA, MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Francisco, California Academy of Sciences, and the list goes on. I am so happy to find this resource and be able to share it with you, as you all know how excited I am to expose young people to science. Thank you to the Stanford Office of Science Outreach for putting together this great resource!

Contents of the link as described by website: This is a listing of summer science opportunities for students interested in gaining work experience, extending their lab skills and/or going deeper into science!!! This list is provided for informational purposes only, and does not imply endorsement or recommendation by Stanford’s Office of Science Outreach.

Link to resources: Summer Science Opportunities-Internships, Programs and Camps Summer 2013

Blerdology Hackathon

2013-03-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

Blerdology Rallies Brick City Blerds

with Rutgers Business School

at #BlackHack Newark Charity Hackathon April 6-7

Who:  Blerdology, the woman-led social enterprise dedicated to increasing the number of African Americans in technology and the first organization to produce hackathons specifically for the minority tech community

What: Blerdology will be hosting a hackathon with the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development at Rutgers Business School, MailChimp, Brick City Development Corp and Initiative Consulting Group to benefit the Center for Collaborative Change April 6-7, 2013. The hackathon will close out a 4-day tech weekend celebrating innovation and the advancement of technology throughout the Brick City.
#BlackHack Newark will bring minority coders and developers to build new and innovative apps and websites in a friendly competition format. #BlackHack attendees are exposed to a wealth of industry insights and business consulting and have the opportunity to get their resumes in the hands of top tech corporations. Building projects on site for little to no costs, #BlackHacks are a novel way for budding entrepreneurs to get their projects off the ground, a fun way to benefit budding tech communities, and an unmatched opportunity to meet and recruit the top minority tech talent from around the world.
Though the event is minority focused, tech enthusiasts from all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to come. Blerdology is still accepting student start-up projects and local business participation for the event.

Newark Tech Weekend:
WEDNESDAY, April 3^rd

·         Tips for Entrepreneurial Success with Mike Michalowicz , Author of The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Business in any Field

Rutgers Business School, 6:30 pm, Register at http://rbsaa.org

THURSDAY, April 4^th

·         TEDxNJIT

NJIT, 5-9pm, TEDxNJIT.com/register

FRIDAY, April 5^th

·         STEM Day at St. Phillips Academy

·         The Future of Newark Tech: A Policy Discussion

NJIT, 12-2pm

·         Newark Tech Happy Hour

Loft 47, 5-8pm, RSVP at NewarkTechHappyHour.eventbrite.com

SATURDAY- SUNDAY, April 6-7

·         Brick City Blerds: #blackhack NWK

Rutgers Business School, 9am-9am, Register at blackhacknewark.eventbrite.com

For additional information on Blerdology please visit: Blerdology.co

For sponsorship inquiries or interview requests, please contact Amanda Spann, CMO at 904-476-8003 or  pr@blerdology.co

Upcoming Conferences!

2013-03-20T12:07:00.003-07:00

Check out the upcoming conferences! Thank you to the New York Academy of Sciences for this information!

The Bone Marrow Niche, Stem Cells, and Leukemia:

Impact of Drugs, Chemicals, and the Environment

May 29-31, 2013 (New York City)

www.nyas.org/BoneMarrow

* Register by April 26, 2013 for discounts on registration!

* Oral Presentation & Poster Presentation Opportunities! Deadline: April 5, 2013.

* Early Career Investigator and Underrepresented Minority Travel Fellowship and Family/Child-Care Grant Applications! Deadline April 5, 2013

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Chemical Biology Discussion Group Year-End Symposium

June 5, 2013 (New York City)

www.nyas.org/CBDGYearEnd2013

* Oral Presentation & Poster Presentation Opportunities! Prizes will be awarded! Deadline: May 10, 2013.

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Nanotechnologies in Cancer Diagnosis, Therapy, and Prevention

June 11-13, 2013 (Moscow, Russia)

www.nyas.org/NanoMoscow

* Register by May 22, 2013 for discounts on registration!

* Oral Presentation & Poster Presentation Opportunities! Deadline: April 24, 2013.

* Early Career Investigator and Underrepresented Minority Travel Fellowship and Family/Child-Care Grant Applications! Deadline April 24, 2013

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Probiotics, Prebiotics, and the Host Microbiome: The Science of Translation

June 12, 2013 (New York City)

www.nyas.org/Probiotics2013

* Register by April 5, 2013 for discounts on registration!

* Oral Presentation & Poster Presentation Opportunities! Deadline: March 22, 2013.

* Early Career Investigator and Underrepresented Minority Travel Fellowship and Family/Child-Care Grant Applications! Deadline March 22, 2013

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Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopthy

June 19-20, 2013 (New York City)

www.nyas.org/PML2013



* Register by May 13, 2013 for discounts on registration!

* Oral Presentation & Poster Presentation Opportunities! Deadline: April 29, 2013.

* Early Career Investigator Travel Fellowships Available. Deadline: April 29, 2013

Professional Development Workshop at Carnegie Mellon University!

2013-03-20T12:01:00.001-07:00

Call for Participation

2nd Annual Learning Science Workshop

Research and Innovation for Enhancing Achievement and Equity

http://www.learnlab.org/opportunities/summerworkshop.php

June 22-23

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh PA

Applications Due May 5, 2013

No Cost To Attend

Overview

LearnLab, an NSF Science of Learning Center (SLC) at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh, has an exciting summer research opportunity available to early career researchers in the fields of psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language technologies.

The workshop is targeted to senior graduate students, post-docs and early career faculty. The workshop seeks broad participation, including members of underrepresented groups as defined by NSF (African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering a research or faculty position in the learning sciences.

This two-day workshop immediately precedes the LearnLab Summer School (www.learnlab.org/opportunities/summer/).  Our research theme is theresearch and innovation for enhancing achievement and equity, including these five areas:

·      Enhancing Achievement through Educational Technology and Data Mining.  Using domain modeling, and large datasets to discover when learning occurs and to provide scaffolding for struggling students. Seewww.learnlab.org/research/wiki/index.php/Computational_Modeling_and_Data_Mining.

·      21st Century Skills, Dispositions, and Opportunities. Re-examining the goals of education and assessment and considering transformative changes in how and where learning occurs.

·      Opening Classroom Discourse.  Studying how classroom talk contributes to domain learning and supports equity of learning opportunity.  See LearnLab's Social-Communicative Factors thrustwww.learnlab.org/research/wiki/index.php/Social_and_Communicative_Factors_in_Learning.

·      Course-Situated Research.  Running principle-testing experiments while navigating the complex waters of real-world classrooms.  Seewww.learnlab.org/research/wiki/index.php/In_vivo_experiment.

·      Motivation Interventions for Learning. Implementing theory based motivational interventions to target at risk populations to improve robust student learning. Seehttp://www.learnlab.org/research/wiki/index.php/Metacognition_and_Motivation

The substantive focus of the workshop is the use of current research and innovations to enhance achievement and equity at all levels of learning. Activities will include demonstrations of the diverse set of ongoing learning sciences research projects at LearnLab, and poster presentations or talks by participants. Participants will also meet with LearnLab faculty in research groups and various informal settings. We will provide information about becoming a part of the Carnegie Mellon or University of Pittsburgh learning science community.

In addition to these substantive themes, the workshop will provide participants with opportunities for professional development and the chance to gain a better understanding of the academic career ladder. These include mentoring that focuses on skills, strategies and "insider information" for career paths. Sessions will include keynote speakers and LearnLab senior faculty discussing professional development topics of interest to the attendees. These may include the tenure and promotion process, launching a research program, professionalism, proposal writing, among other topics. There is no cost to attend this workshop

We are very pleased to announce that the workshop will have two distinguished keynote speakers:

Nora S. Newcombe, Ph.D. is the James H. Glackin Distinguished Faculty Fellow and Professor of Psychology at Temple University. Dr. Newcombe is the PI of the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center (SILC), headquartered at Temple and involving Northwestern, the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania as primary partners. Dr. Newcombe was educated at Antioch College, where she graduated with a major in psychology in 1972; and at Harvard University, where she received her Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Relations in 1976. She taught previously at Penn State University.

A nationally recognized expert on cognitive development, Dr. Newcombe's research has focused on spatial development and the development of episodic and autobiographical memory. Her work has been federally funded by NICHD and the National Science Foundation for over 30 years. She is the author of numerous scholarly chapters and articles on aspects of cognitive development, and the author or editor of five books, including Making Space: The Development of Spatial Representation and Reasoning (with Janellen Huttenlocher) published by the MIT Press in 2000.

Tammy Clegg, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the College of Education with a joint appointment in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland. She received her PhD in Computer Science at Georgia Tech in 2010 and her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from North Carolina State University in 2002. From 2010-2012 Tamara was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Maryland with the Computing Innovations Fellows program. Her work focuses on developing technology to support life-relevant learning environments where children engage in science in the context of achieving goals relevant to their lives. Kitchen Chemistry is the first life-relevant learning environment she designed along with colleagues at Georgia Tech. In Kitchen Chemistry, middle-school children learn and use science inquiry to make and perfect dishes. Clegg uses participatory design with children to design these new technologies. Her work currently includes creating new life-relevant learning environments (e.g., Sports Physics, Backyard Biology) to understand how identity development happens across these environments. From this analysis, she aims to draw out design guidelines for life-relevant learning activities and technology in various contexts (e.g., sports, gardening).

About LearnLab

LearnLab is funded by the National Science Foundation (award number SBE-0836012).  Our center leverages cognitive theory and computational modeling to identify the instructional conditions that cause robust student learning.  Our researchers study robust learning by conducting in vivo experiments in math, science and language courses. We also support collaborative primary and secondary analysis of learning data through our open data repository LearnLab DataShop, which provides data import and export features as well as advanced visualization, statistical, and data mining tools.

To learn more about our cognitive science theoretical framework, read our Knowledge-Learning-Instruction Framework.

The results of our research are collected in our theoretical wiki which currently has over 400 pages. It also includes a list of principles of learning which are supported by learning science research. The wiki is open and freely editable, and we invite you to learn more and contribute.

Application Process

Applicants should email their CV, this demographic form, a proposed presentation title and abstract, and a brief statement describing their research interests to Jo Bodnar (jobodnar@cs.cmu.edu) by May 5, 2013. Please use the subject Application for LearnLab Summer Workshop 2013. Upon acceptance, we will let you know if you have been selected for a talk or poster presentation.

Costs

There is no registration fee for this workshop.  However, attendance is limited so early applications are encouraged.  Scholarships for travel are available. Scholarships will be awarded based on your application, including your research interests, future plans, and optional recommendation letter.

The NeXXt Scholars Program

2012-07-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

The informational PDF flyer can be downloaded by clicking here.

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science, technology, and societies worldwide. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large.

Visit us at www.nyas.org.

The New York Academy of Sciences

2012-03-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Check out these events and opportunities from The New York Academy of Sciences!

**Deadline for Poster Abstracts and Travel Fellowship Applications this Friday, March 23, 2012**
12th International Conference on Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders Conference
Conference dates: May 21 - 23, 2012
Website & Information: www.nyas.org/MG12

**Deadline for Abstracts is Monday, March 26, 2012**
Genome Integrity Discussion Group Meeting
Event Date: April 2, 2012
Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/Apr2012

**Deadline for Poster Abstracts next Friday March 30, 2012**
Fetal Programming and Environmental Exposures: Implications for Prenatal Care and Pre-Term Birth Conference
Conference dates: June 11 - 12, 2012
Website & Information: www.nyas.org/FetalProgramming

*Call for Poster Abstracts. Deadline: April 06, 2012
5th Annual Advances in Biomolecular Engineering Symposium
Event Date: April 27, 2012
Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/BiomolEng2012

*Call for Abstracts. Deadline: April 08, 2012
Malaria 2012: Drugs, Vaccines, and Pathogenesis
Event Date: April 17, 2012
Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/Malaria2012

*Call for Poster and Short Talk Abstracts. Deadline: Friday, April 27, 2012
Inositol Phospholipid Signaling in Physiology and Disease
Conference dates: June 26 - 27, 2012
Website & Information: www.nyas.org/Inositol2012

*Call for Poster Abstracts. Deadline: May 18, 2012
Chemical Biology Discussion Group Year-End Symposium
Event Date: June 6, 2012
Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/YearEnd2012

UPCOMING EVENT:
Monday, April 9, 2012 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Introduction to Scientific Teaching
http://www.nyas.org/ScienceTeaching
Dr. Matthew R. Marcello will introduce key elements of Scientific Teaching in this interactive workshop based on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute/National Academies Summer Teaching Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology. He will introduce the core Scientific Teaching concepts (active learning, diversity, and assessment) and practical information on how to incorporate these concepts into the classroom to improve your teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. The workshop will provide current and future faculty the knowledge and skills to incorporate scientific teaching principles into their courses.

About the New York Academy of Sciences
For nearly 200 years, the New York Academy of Sciences has brought together extraordinary people working at the frontiers of discovery and promoted vital links between science and society. The leading minds of academia, industry, and government depend on the unique forum the Academy provides for insight into the most important questions in all disciplines of science. For more information, visit www.nyas.org.

Black & Proud to be College Bound 2.0 March 17, 2012

2012-03-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Black & Proud

to Be

College Bound 2.0

"Black 2 The Future"

A College Readiness Conference for Black Males

Saturday, March 17th, 2012

8:00am - 4:00pm

Berkeley City College

2050 Center Street Berkeley, CA 94704

Opportunities for students to engage with technology!
Sessions on SAT/ACT, A-G requirements, STEM, and more!
Transcript Evaluations by Counselors (bring YOUR transcripts!)
Raffles, prizes and giveaways!
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

This one-day convening will highlight the crossroads of education and technology, focusing on tech tools and careers! Students will learn about and test various tech apps that can meet their academic needs and further their preparation for college. Additionally, students will meet black tech industry professionals who have developed innovative apps and are creating pathways for future black entrepreneurs in technology.

Through the College Bound Brotherhood, the Kapor Foundation seeks to expand the number of African American young men in the Bay Area who are prepared for a college education.

We support organizations that provoke social change in communities of color en route to equality.

Finding a postdoctoral position

2012-03-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

I know it has been quite some time since I last wrote- that is how busy things have been for me. Within the last year I have published a first author manuscript, mentored an undergraduate summer research student, defended my thesis, graduated from my doctorate program and relocated to start my postdoctoral research position. Phew, yeah I know... it all happened so quickly and I have lots that I want to share with you about each of these events. First I will start with how I approached finding a postdoctoral position.

Identify exciting research
Thinking about finding a postdoctoral position nearly gave me an anxiety attack. But I calmed down and initially approached the search by identifying labs whose research greatly peeked my interest. I view the postdoctoral position as a great opportunity for me to modify my research focus, but remain within the broader scope of what my graduate work centered upon. With this in mind, I scrolled website after website of numerous labs located at a very short list of universities where I wanted to conduct my postdoctoral research. After reading a variety of research summaries, I decided to further investigate the labs whose research made me feel "giddy." (I know that sounds unprofessional, but if the research does not garner feelings of excitement, then I know that is not the lab for me.)

Explore the publication record
For these labs whose research I found interesting, I next explored their publication history. Most lab web pages display the most recent or impressive articles that they have published. However, I also visited the NCBI PubMed website to view a more thorough publication record. To do this, I went to PubMed and typed in the last name and first initial of the principal investigator of the lab followed by [au] (For example, Researcher X [au]) and clicked "search." Sometimes I had to add a key word to narrow results when the professor's last name and first initial was too common). Conducting this publication search was important because examining the lab's publication record shows the types of journals in which a lab publishes; i.e. journals that feature clinical, technical, or basic research, etc.

Review trainees
Exploration of the publication record also gave me insight into the composition of trainees in a given lab. How so? Well, articles always provide a listing of contributing authors. I cross-referenced the authors' names with the lab's website, and began to learn that some labs were primarily comprised of postdocs, whereas others had a mixture of individuals at various stages in their career and from varying disciplines, i.e. graduate students, undergraduate students, technicians, biostatisticians, clinicians, etc.). Depending on the publication date, some of the authors of an article no longer were present in thatalab. So it was important to do a little more research to see where trainees went after leaving the lab. Most significantly, I wanted to know what became of the postdocs once they left the lab. Did they go move into faculty appointments...go to industry/biotech...land a position in government? Tracking past trainees this way allowed me to get a sense of how the training received in the potential lab facilitated movement of the trainees into their current positions. Some lab websites readily displayed such "where are they now" information and supplied me with instant answers. However, when not provided, I simply Googled.

Learn how the lab is funded
Also, to be sure that the funding situation is secure for at least three years, I reviewed what funding the potential lab possessed. If the lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), then this information can be accessed on the NIH RePORTER web page. On this site, I also learned what the potential lab has funding for, which allowed me to better understand the goals of the research and the duration of funding.

Time is short right now, so I will continue describing this journey in another post. In an upcoming post, I will share my experience with how I contacted and applied to prospective labs.

Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Scientific Summer Internship Program

2011-12-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Below is a great opportunity to perform PAID scientific research during Summer 2012. Good luck! -Minority.Scientist

Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
Scientific Summer Internship Program
Application deadline: January 6, 2012
Program Dates: June 4th - August 10th, 2012

Program Overview
Imagine performing research at a leading global pharmaceutical corporation while gaining practical experience and contributing to the search for new disease therapies. Through the scientific intern program at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), your contribution to the search for new disease therapies can begin before you graduate. Our program is designed to introduce talented students to drug discovery and to train them in experimental work in this area. NIBR's research covers many disease and technology areas, and allows us to closely match your specific interests with one of our labs.

Applications are currently being accepted for opportunities in Biology, Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Chemistry, and Computer Science. Our program is a paid, full-time summer internship at our Cambridge, MA research facilities. Financial support towards housing and travel will be available and based on the Company's non-discriminatory assessment of the applicant's financial need.

NIBR is committed to providing transformative opportunities to students from unique cultural, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds that will benefit from such an experience. This includes, among others, talented individuals who are currently underserved in the sciences, for example, first generation college students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and individuals with learning differences.

To apply to the Internship Program in Cambridge, MA click here.

For internships at our other research sites (Emeryville, CA; Basel, Switzerland; East Hanover, New Jersey; Horsham, United Kingdom), please visit http://www.nibr.com/careers/internships.shtml

Principal Scientist Positions AVAILABLE!

2010-12-09T17:01:00.002-08:00

The Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) is recruiting individuals to serve as the Principal Scientist of the major Institutes within the NIFA. (4 positions available!)

Institute of Food Production and Sustainability

Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition

Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment
Institute of Youth, Family and Community

Each Principal Scientist will provide executive scientific leadership and direction; develop strategies to confront current and future issues; promote ideas that will impact program direction; and play an integral role on the NIFA Executive Council.
Please Note: - This position can be: Permanent (Career Senior Executive Service); Term (a competitive appointment for a period of more than one year but not more than four years); or Short-term via an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) appointment.

To be considered, applications MUST be received no later than

midnight, January 31, 2011.

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Moss
JDG Associates, Ltd.
1700 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 340-2210
moss@jdgsearch.com

In the tunnel

2010-06-25T07:12:00.008-07:00

I was recently informed by one of my thesis committee members that I am IN THE TUNNEL meaning that completion of the PhD is near. YES!!!!

With that said, I am writing a manuscript and considering where to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship. I am SO excited to be doing these things.... but I feel a little anxious about the next stages of my career, namely finding that postdoctoral research position.

Finding the right lab to conduct postdoctoral research is extremely crucial to the advancement of my career. Everything must be considered, including (in no particular order of importance because it's all important):

Research focus (because whatever I choose to study at this stage will define my career, right?)
Geographical location (where do I want to spend the next 5+ years of my life?)
Mentoring capabilities...What type of mentoring style (hands-on or hands-off) does the principal investigator have?
What are the social dynamics of the lab?
What type of grants/funding does the PI have?
How successful were past trainees of the potential PI? (where and how often did they publish, what kind of position did they obtain after leaving?)
Big lab or small lab?
Well-known or up-and-coming mentor?
What type of collaborations does the mentor have with other labs or industry?

There are always other things to consider, so did I leave anything out??

For now, I am narrowing down the labs that I am interested at a few different universities and based on the criteria specified above.

Cross-Talk Fellowship!

2010-06-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a great opportunity to attend the CROSS-TALK meeting hosted by the University of Debrecen in Debrecen, Hungary to be held August 31 through September 4, 2010!

CROSS-TALK is an Initial Training Program, funded under the FP7 (European Commission). CROSS-TALK gathers 14 young researchers and 4 associated fellows in Europe in the field of the human microbiome metagenomics to study the health-promoting cross-talk between intestinal microbiota and Humans.

CROSS-TALK is offering fellowships to young researchers to attend this meeting and more information about the conference is available at the Cross-Talk website. Applications are welcomed until July 20, 2010. Check out the agenda for this meeting.

More about CROSS-TALK (information gathered from the Cross-Talk website):

The objective is to train a new generation of young scientists, to meet the growing demand for researchers with training in host-microbe interactions and metagenomics, a new supra-disciplinary calling for competencies in microbiology, cell biology, immunology, human physiology, high throughput technologies and bioinformatics, through a personal and adapted training program.

CROSS-TALK has the overall scientific objective to answer key questions on the role of the host-gut microbiota cross-talk in the development and maintenance of a healthy gut and to achieve major breakthroughs in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the dialogue between the intestinal microbiota and hosts.

CROSS-TALK will provide individual training through research projects and organise 3 types of group training events: 1) network meetings allowing scientific exchanges within the network and meeting between all ESRs and supervisors; 2) spring schools focused on the development of transferable skills with a strong involvement of the economic sector and meeting between the economic players and the ESRs; and 3) workshops, time to broaden scientific knowledge and talk with recognized scientists not only in the field of CROSS-TALK but also in cognate fields which represent other career perspectives for the ESRs. Their combination will lead to young researchers who can meet the need of the metagenomics discipline for new curricula and the requirements for European trans-sectorial careers.