Rising Success Rates for Minority PhD Candidates in STEM Fields

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Image Source: umes.edu

Image Source: umes.edu

For most students, completing a PhD is a daunting task, one that many who undertake it don’t finish. The problem is especially prominent among minorities, who are frequently the only people of color in their departments, a fact that can exacerbate the isolation experienced by many doctoral candidates.

A report released earlier this year by the Council of Graduate Schools, however, has unveiled some good news for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. Specifically, the statistics indicate that the number of minority PhD candidates who complete their degree within seven years rose by 5 percent from 1996 to 2005.

Clearly, minority graduate students are making headway, but how, exactly?

Student researchers Jessica Valadez, right, and Vinod Valluri, left, as they cut a DNA plasmid as part of the cloning process for their research work in the lab of Math Cuajungco. Photo by Greg Andersen University STEM Initiative On the Hunt for a Missing Protein Researcher Focuses on Protein Loss Related to Genetic Disorder By Debra Cano Ramos Jessica Valadez, Vinod Valluri and Sirene Helwani are getting the chance to work on a research project that potentially could improve the quality of life for people with a rare inherited disorder. They are working in the lab of Math Cuajungco, assistant professor of biological science, who recently received a three-year, $338,855 National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke grant to study the TRPML2 protein, which could potentially help people with Mucolipidosis type IV. The rare genetic disorder, mostly afflicting children and adults of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, affects brain function and is caused by the loss of a protein called TRPML1. The disorder causes delayed development and loss of motor skills, such as walking, impaired vision and even blindness. The science focus reflects Cal State Fullerton’s heightened emphasis on increasing student interest in the STEM fields, one of the university’s initiatives. http://calstate.fullerton.edu/inside/2011su/Cuajungco-Studies-Protein-Relationship-to-Mucolipidosis.asp

Photo by Greg Andersen, calstate.fullerton.edu

Educational institutions have long implemented various strategies to recruit and maintain minority participation in their STEM graduate programs. A common approach is to introduce these students before enrollment to peer networks, potential projects and mentors, and helpful campus resources. Often, though, this level of support drops off after the first year, and in any case, the most effective methods for retaining minority doctoral candidates remains unclear.