http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-673382.mp3
Albany, NY – NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SERIES
THE SOUNDS OF PROGRESS: THE CHANGING ROLE OF GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
NSU EVALUATIVE RESEARCH STUDY OF STEM PROGRAMS FOR IMPROVED RETENTION, PROGRESSION AND GRADUATION:
THE DNIMAS PROGRAM - DOZORETZ NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICS AND APPLIED SCIENCES PROGRAM AT NORFOLK
STATE UNIVERSITY , PT. 2 of 2 -
While Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to
grow, they are often the least understood and least studied institutions in
higher education. But that's changing at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. They have a grant to study their science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) student scholarship program. It's part of what's
called DNIMAS, the Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences. Last week we learned the goal of DNIMAS is to address the
severe shortage of minority scientists. Their graduates earn degrees in
biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, math, and physics.
This week we learn that the DNIMAS graduation rate is 72%. That compares
with just 26% for the university as a whole. And importantly, more than
90% of DNIMAS students stay in science, engineering, or math.
The Norfolk research is looking at factors that contribute to these
achievements, such as: all students received a full, four-year scholarship; students become part of a learning community ; to reduce feelings of
isolation they live together, take the same classes, eat together, and utilize
a peer mentor-tutoring program. This is to avoid what's commonly known
as the weeding out process, weeding out the weaker students.
This approach can be especially detrimental to women of color
and women in the sciences. Dr. Linda J. Sax calls this the confidence
gap in her new book, The Gender Gap in College: Reinforcing Differences.
Dr. Sax writes that it's ...particularly clear when it comes to women's
participation in the male-dominated fields of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics...the STEM disciplines. Studies have
found that regardless of aptitude, having low confidence in one's overall academic abilities makes one less likely to choose a STEM field as an undergraduate major or for a graduate program. TBOOK completes our
story from Norfolk State University.
Richard Paul reports from Virginia. (10:23)
The preceding material is supported by the National Science Foundation
under grant HRD 0631603. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this story, are those of the authors,
and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.
**(Program Directors and Listeners please note. If you would like to
hear this story again, or the first part which aired last week, and link to
more information about the research mentioned, go online to www.womeninscience.org, click on The Sounds of Progress button,
and scroll down to the above story title.)**
IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN CANADA TOO -
Last week we mentioned that it's also Black History Month in Canada.
Each February, the Department of Canadian Heritage invites Canadians
to take part in events that commemorate the legacy of black Canadians.
It's an opportunity to celebrate and learn about the contributions that
Canadians of African descent have made to the building of Canada.
Indeed, it's a long history. And here are just a few of the highlights.
The first recorded person of African heritage to set foot in what would
become Canada, arrived about 400 years ago. Slavery existed in Canada
from 1628 until it was abolished in Upper Canada in 1793, and then
throughout the entire British Empire in 1833. In 1779 in an effort to win
the war of American Independence from 1775 -1783, the British invited
all black men, women, and children to join the British cause and win their freedom by doing so. Many accepted the invitation, and as a result, 10%
of the United Empire Loyalists coming into the Maritimes were black.
In 1779 the Abolition Act was passed in Upper Canada, now known as
Ontario. This law freed slaves aged 25 and over and made it illegal to
bring slaves into Upper Canada. Thus, Upper Canada became the safe
haven for runaway slaves. The Abolition Act also made Canada the first jurisdiction in the British Empire to move toward the abolition of slavery.
Then in 1833, the British Imperial Act abolished slavery throughout the
Empire, including Canada. Between 1800 and 1865, approximately
20,000 black people escaped to Canada via the underground railway.
This month was officially recognized by the Parliament of Canada in 1995.
And this year Black History Month commemorates the 175th anniversary
of the Act To Abolish Slavery In The British Empire.
Dr. Karen Hitchcock and Glenn Busby report. (2:20)
EDUCATION PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS ABOUT SLAVE TRADE -
We just heard in the last story about slaves using the underground railroad
to escape from the U.S. to Canada. It turns out that path to Canada often
went through western and central New York state. When most history
students think about slavery in America, New York is probably not the first
part of the country that comes immediately to mind. So now, historical
societies in the Hudson Valley area of New York have begun a new
educational program that's introducing students to an unsavory part
of that region's history.
Susan Barnett reports. (3:31)