Increasing participation of underrepresented groups in the environmental and biological sciences is the theme for an upcoming symposium presented by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS). The symposium is scheduled for August 12-13, 2004 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Panel discussions are organized around three topics: identification, recruitment and retention of minorities at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. The symposium will also feature oral and poster presentations by alumni of the OTS Minority Scholars Program and participants of the Research Experience for Faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions Program (REF).

Dr. Dorceta Taylor, director of the Minority Environmental Leadership Development Program (MELDI) at the University of Michigan will deliver the keynote address. Panelists for the symposium include internationally recognized scholars who will present perspectives on the topics. According to Dr. Donald E. Stone, Interim CEO for OTS and Chair Emeritus of Botany at Duke University, "It is vital that we address the absence of human diversity in the environmental and biological sciences in order to ensure that we encourage the best and the brightest to become the next generation of professionals. This groundbreaking symposium will bring together experts from a variety of disciplines to present ideas, share success stories and document the most successful ways to identify, recruit and train underrepresented groups."

'"/>

Contact: Christina Cheatham
christina.cheatham@duke.edu
919-684-5774
Duke University
27-May-2004

Page: 1
Related biology news :

1. Diversity: What people, grain sorghum have in common
2. Diversity hot spots at cold seeps?
3. Diversity of species triumphs
4. Diversity of trees in forests may be caused by soil pathogens, IU biologists find
5. Undiscovered Biological Diversity: A Symposium On Bioprospecting
6. New Areas Of High Biological Diversity Discovered
7. Little-Explored African Genetic Diversity May Hold Key To Human Origins, Medical Questions
8. "Discovering Biological Diversity" Is AAAS Topic For USGS Manager
9. Ralph J. Cicerone nominated to be next National Academy of Sciences president
10. Plant biologists Delmer, Quail, Bennetzen elected to National Academy of Sciences
11. UGA professor Jeffrey Bennetzen named to National Academy of Sciences