Career Development for Young Scientists
Educational Programs
Chris Holland (REU, Morehouse College, biology major), Valerie Bennett (Asst. Prof. of Physics, Morehouse College) and Prof. Howard Stone (Chem. Eng.) discuss Chris REU project on microfluidics in Prof. George Whitesides’chemistry laboratory.
David Evans (Senior Admissions Officer, Harvard College) addresses REU students, faculty, and mentors at a luncheon sponsored by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural Relations early in the summer to welcome and support the students.
Our educational objective is to provide an exciting research environment and opportunities for career
development for young scientists. Many students get their first exposure
to research in our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
The interdisciplinary nature of the research in the Center provides a
wonderful example of how materials scientists, physicists, biologists,
chemists and engineers work side-by-side to forge new discoveries.
Strong efforts to recruit talented female and minority students have been
made by our Center faculty members during campus visits and through collaborations
with faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
In 2003, 48% of our REU participants were members of under-represented
groups and 58% were female. In addition to mentoring the research projects,
special activities have been initiated to encourage students recruited
from these institutions to pursue graduate study (lower right) and ultimately
form a pool of well-prepared, enthusiastic and self-motivated future scientists and engineers.
Harvard MRSEC (DMR-0820484)
