Science NextGen VOICES

I would advocate for quality mentorship in science. The 2012 Executive Report from President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) reported that even though women and minority groups represent 70% of college students, they remain underrepresented among students who receive undergraduate STEM degrees. The report states that retaining more students in STEM majors is perhaps one of the fastest options to providing the STEM workforce the United States will need for its future economic success. The challenge then is how do we both recruit and more important, retain more minority students within the STEM pipeline? The key is in inspiring students early in the STEM pipeline. If I had 5 extra hours per week, I would devote it to mentoring and giving talks to high school and middle school minority students. I strongly believe that strengthening the quality of mentorship within the STEM pipeline is crucial if we are to diversify the STEM workforce. I was lucky to have had the exposure, support, and guidance of my parents, science teachers in high school, professors in college and grad school, and many informal mentors. I would also focus on advocating for the strengthening of mentorship channels by encouraging universities to provide incentives for their staff and professors to spend more of their time mentoring and improving their mentorship skills. In doing so, it may be possible to recruit and perhaps even retain more minority and also non-minority students in the STEM pipeline.