Eastern Michigan University has signed a deal with the Louis Stokes Midwest Center of Excellence to promote minority students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
“It's no secret that women and minorities are underrepresented in the STEM fields,” a message on the center’s homepage said. “To better understand the problem and get them involved early on, we've created a guide to STEM opportunities for women and minorities.”
According to a press release from university communications, the goal is to make peer-reviewed research for the students, increase grant submissions, provide mentoring and research resources and make an online collaborative space to disseminate information, hold conferences, research internships and partnerships with the Argonne National Laboratory.
On its “About Us” page, Argonne is described as a “laboratory of global excellence.” The Chicago-based lab is known worldwide with 15 divisions - including environmental and national security research. With a budget of over $700 million, it employs 3,398 people, including 940 students, according to the website. This new program could give EMU students the opportunity to be one of them.
The LSMCE was created in 2012 and is a part of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation, which is itself overseen by the National Science Foundation.
EMU signed this agreement along with Chicago State University and Indiana University's Purdue University of Indianapolis.
Chiron Graves, a biology professor at Eastern, will be the faculty liaison with the center, according to the press release. Email him at cgraves6@emich.edu.
For more information on the National Science Foundation, go here.
