MAGNET/SEM Minority Access/Graduate Networking in the Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics

Volume 1, Number 1 November, 2000 MAGNET/SEM Minority Access/Graduate Networking in the Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics

A New Metropolitan Area Alliance Promotes SEM Doctoral Study

AGNET/SEM brings together in particular, choose the professoriate as a Inside this Issue: private and public institutions career, is a nationwide initiative which in New York and New Jersey to supports fifteen alliances. According to M NSF Program Director Dr. Roosevelt Y. Partner enhance the recruitment, retention, and Institutions page 2 graduation rates of doctoral candidates in Johnson, “AGEP provides an opportunity the sciences, engineering, and mathemat- for individual institutions to create a more nurturing graduate environment without Project ics. The Graduate Center of the City Direction page 4 University of New York is the lead institu- sacrificing the standards that have made graduate education in the United States tion in a partnership which includes New Mentoring Jersey Institute of Technology, Stevens the best in the world by many standards.” Partnerships page 5 Institute of Technology, Polytechnic The program is based on the premise that University, and six CUNY colleges academic institutions become more effec- (Brooklyn, City, Hunter, Lehman, Queens, tive when they act cooperatively. At a and the College of Staten Island). time when the demand for university faculty is increasing, the program seeks to promote the “preparation and hiring of The MAGNET/SEM alliance is funded “I envision a network highly qualified minority candidates” who through the National Science Foundation’s of SMET profession- can serve as role models for minority SEM AGEP program (Alliances for Graduate als drawing from students. Education and the Professoriate). AGEP, each other’s expertise which is dedicated to increasing the number MAGNET/SEM already is reaching 34 fel- and resources to cre- of underrepresented minority students who lows who are conducting research in bio- ate nurturing gradu- achieve the Ph.D. in SEM disciplines and, chemistry, biopsychology, biology, chem- ate and professional istry, computer science, earth education environ- and environmental science, ments that will engineering, mathematics, become national physics, and speech and hear- models for the pro- ing sciences. Mentoring is an duction of large num- essential part of the program, bers of outstanding and 35 faculty members from minority profession- the four universities are par- als, changing the cul- ticipating as mentors. ture of graduate education in the The CUNY Graduate Center process.” figures prominently in the roster of institutions which Dr. Roosevelt Y. lead in the production of Johnson, minority Ph.D.s in the sci- NSF AGEP Program ences, mathematics and engi- Director MAGNET/SEM fellows at the welcoming reception held at the CUNY neering. It was the recipient in Graduate Center 1996 of the Council of Graduate

MAGNET/SEM is an alliance of The City University of New York Graduate Center, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University, and Stevens Institute of Technology with Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, Lehman College, Queens College, and The College of Staten Island, CUNY. The National Science Foundation Schools/Peterson’s Award for Innovation tion of minority students in SEM dis- Alliances for Graduate Education in the Recruitment and Retention of ciplines. These include: and the Professoriate (AGEP) Minority Graduate Students. In February, 2000, it was among the insti- • the CUNY Pipeline program which Roosevelt Y. Johnson, Program Director tutions honored by the Quality provides preparatory summer insti- Education for Minorities Project, based tutes for prospective minority stu- The CUNY Graduate Center at the Massachusetts Institute of dents interested in doctoral studies leading to careers in college teaching Frances Degen Horowitz, President Technology, for its important contribu- and research; William P. Kelly, Provost tion to the number of doctoral degrees in mathematics, the physical sci- • Project Ascend, which introduces Principal Investigator ences, and engineering earned by and prepares first-generation college underrepresented minority students. Gail Smith, CUNY Graduate Center students for doctoral study;

Co-Principal Investigators MAGNET/SEM fellowships at the • the Bridge to the Doctorate, which Graduate Center will supplement encourages students pursuing mas- Linda N. Edwards, CUNY Graduate Center existing CUNY financial support, in ter’s degrees in biomedical sciences to Neville Parker, City College addition to granting full tuition continue to the doctorate; remission for two years. The awards Project Administrator include a summer stipend to ensure • the MAGNET Program’s peer men- Godfrey Gumbs, Hunter College that awardees devote themselves full toring and networking resources, time to their academic pursuits. including its monthly luncheon semi- Research Associate CUNY doctoral student Hua Liu has nars, at which faculty, administra- tors, community leaders, and alumni Marilynne Diggs-Thompson worked with Project Administrator Dr. Godfrey Gumbs to develop the state of lunch with students and help to cre- Steering Committee the art MAGNET/SEM website. This ate a sense of community among provides a crossroads for students, minority scholars. Mirella Afron, College of Staten Island mentors, and faculty at participating MAGNET/SEM works closely with its Robert Bradley, Lehman College institutions and will, in due course, participating CUNY campuses and with Ted Brown, CUNY Graduate Center spotlight students’ research. Louis Celenza, CUNY Graduate Center the CASI, LSAMP, MARC, and MBRS programs. The CUNY Conference in Richard Chappell, CUNY Graduate Students will benefit from the Science and Engineering will bring the Center Graduate Center’s well established entire MAGNET/SEM community Judy Lea Cuddy, Stevens Institute of programs for recruitment and reten- Technology together in February. Jozef Dodziuk, CUNY Graduate Center Robert Engel, Queens College Bernard Gallois, Stevens Institute of Snapshots of MAGNET/SEM’s Partner Institutions Technology Joseph Glick, CUNY Graduate Center New Jersey Institute of Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Robert Goldfarb, CUNY Graduate Center Technology (NJIT) Engineering and Science, Inc.). MAG- Leslie Jacobson, Brooklyn College NET/SEM will be part of a pipeline of student support which includes the Ronald Kane, New Jersey Institute of JIT, located in Newark, is the Institute’s Educational Opportunity, Technology public technological university Undergraduate Research Experience, Mumtaz Kassir, City College of New Jersey. Throughout its Gerald Koeppl, CUNY Graduate Center N and BS/MS Programs, all of which pro- history it has been committed to devel- vide paths in SMET disciplines for Jeffrey Osleeb, CUNY Graduate Center oping technological skills in underrep- minority students. Richard Pizer, Brooklyn College resented populations. According to Vita Rabinowitz, Hunter College Dean of Graduate Studies Dr. Ronald Approximately 20% of NJIT’s under- Horst Schulz, CUNY Graduate Center Kane, “Establishing MAGNET/SEM on graduate students are African- Nancy Tooney, Polytechnic University our campus has made our graduate pro- American or Hispanic, and the Dennis Weiss, City College gram directors more aware of the inter- University has active chapters of the est of the NSF in helping minority stu- The MAGNET/SEM Newsletter National Society of Black Engineers dents succeed at the doctoral level.” Editor :Helena Leslie and the Society of Hispanic Engineers. Individuals wishing to be added to the In MAGNET/SEM, NJIT will build on MAGNET/SEM will expand the peer mailing list should contact Marilynne the work it is doing to recruit minority group of NJIT’s Presidential Fellows, a Diggs-Thompson at (212) 817 7540, students under the auspices of the group of the University’s most highly [email protected]. Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate qualified doctoral candidates. Support MAGNET/SEM is funded under a grant Achievement Program and the GEM from MAGNET/SEM will complement from the National Science Foundation. Program (National Consortium for NJIT’s existing efforts to draw into its MAGNET/SEM page 2 The Scope of the Challenge MAGNET/SEM The National Science Foundation Congratulates its Fellows annual percentage NSF's annual goal has set a goal of producing 2,000 The City University of 120 New York 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Minority SEM doctoral degrees 100 per year by the year 2000. The Diana Almodovar, Speech and 80 64.8 67.4 55.6 60 adjoining chart shows the per- Hearing Sciences 50.6 49.5 52.7 60 44.3 centage of that goal reached Adil Benmoussa, Physics 40 between 1990 and 1997. Karin Block, Earth and Environmental Sciences 20 Source: National Science Foundation WebCASPAR database at Amber Bradshaw, Biopsychology 0 http://caspar.nsf.gov/webcaspar, courtesy Nicholas Carrasco, Biochemistry 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 of GEM. Ericka Calton, Biomedical Engineering Steve Castro, Chemistry doctoral programs students who have and New York City Technical Colleges. Claudette Davis, Biology already embarked on highly-paid tech- Polytechnic has also been a partner in Racha Estephan, Biochemistry nological careers. the CUNY LSAMP program. Rima Estephan, Biochemistry Lynda Felder, Speech and Hearing Polytechnic University Stevens Institute of Technology Sciences Laura Hatten, Computer Science t Polytechnic University,” tevens, founded in 1870, is Eduardo Hernandez, Engineering says Dr. Nancy M. located in Hoboken, New Farah Jayman, Biochemistry “A Tooney, Associate Dean SJersey. It is a private universi- Alicia Joseph, Engineering of Engineering and Applied Sciences, ty which emphasizes a comprehensive Estavan Limon III, Biopsychology “MAGNET/SEM funds make it possible and unified approach to engineering, Tibab McNeish, Physics for deserving and highly qualified stu- science, technology, and management. Anika McPhie, Biopsychology dents to conduct Ph.D. research in engi- This is exemplified by its ten interdis- Efua Okoh, Mathematics neering and physical science programs. ciplinary industrial alliances which Jorge Piniero-Barcelo, Mathematics The costs of attending a private univer- focus on solving key technological Jason Rauceo, Biology sity in the NYC area are very high, problems facing industry. Stevens is Miurka Silvestre, Biomedical and we are grateful to MAGNET/SEM one of the few universities to hold both Engineering for providing opportunities for gradu- general and specialized engineering Sophia Suarez Gustave, Physics ate students to succeed.” accreditations in seven disciplines Lorraine Towns, Biopsychology from the Accreditation Board for Selwyn Williams, Biology NACME ranked Polytechnic 23rd Engineering and Technology. nationally among institutions enrolling New Jersey Institute of the greatest number of minority fresh- “Participating in the MAGNET/SEM Technology men in 1997-1998. It was one of the project is the perfect complement to very few private, non-HBCU/HACU our 10-year strategic plan, which Dawn Bennet, Mechanical institutions to rank in the top 25. In includes a commitment to increasing Engineering 1996-1997, Polytechnic ranked 33rd in the number of high quality full-time Karen Hare, Computer Science graduating minority engineers with rel- students at Stevens,” says the Nnemi Nmolim, Chemical Engineering atively few private universities ahead of Institute’s Director of Graduate School Kevin Russell, Mechanical it. The University, which is situated on Services, Judy Lea Cuddy. “Our funds Engineering campuses in Brooklyn and on Long are being leveraged to help fulfill our Island, mostly serves students from low commitment to provide first-year sup- Polytechnic University income families. port for all new students,” she continues. “The collaboration with the MAG- David Hernandez, Electrical For most of the past decade, NET/SEM partner institutions Engineering Polytechnic and CUNY have worked enhances our ability to increase the Andrea Tuckett, Chemical Engineering together to integrate financial, men- number of underrepresented individu- toring, peer, and academic supports to als in science and engineering. The Stevens Institute of Technology help minority students succeed. From workshops, roundtables, and mentor- 1992-1995, a program at Poly funded ing activities provide the support Russell Ford, Environmental by NSF’s RCMS initiative and the needed for our students to succeed.” Engineering Office of Naval Research provided Claudia Giller, Chemical Biology research and transfer opportunities Peter Kurunczi, Physics for students at CUNY’s Medgar Evers MAGNET/SEM page 3 Experience at the Helm: A Tested Team Heads MAGNET/SEM

MAGNET/SEM he MAGNET/SEM team brings a Recognizes its wealth of research, teaching, and Mentors Tadministrative experience to its mission of recruiting underrepresented minority students into SEM doctoral programs The City University and encouraging and supporting them as of they embark on scientific careers. New York Dr. Gail Smith, MAGNET/SEM’s Principal Gordon Barr Investigator, is the CUNY Graduate Ki Chon Center’s Acting Assistant Provost with Dr. Godfrey Gumbs presenting the MAGNET/SEM web site Jozef Dodziuk responsibility for the Office of Educational Opportunity and Diversity Programs and is Robert Engel optoelectronic devices. Dr. Gumbs has also also a professor of classics at Brooklyn Ray Gavin studied the microscopic properties of biolog- College. She is a graduate of Montclair Chris Gerry ical systems. He is widely published and State, Columbia, and New York Lane Gilchrist has been a collaborator at world renowned Universities with degrees in classical Steve Greenbaum laboratories such as the Wright Patterson philology. Dr. Smith, who was a Fulbright Godfrey Gumbs Air Force Laboratory in Ohio, the Army Scholar, continues to teach and publish in Zhen Huang Research Laboratory in Maryland, and the the classics while spearheading important Mumtaz Kassir Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge student programs at CUNY. She directed Peter Lipke University. Victoria Luine the Mellon Minority Undergraduate Richard Schwartz Fellowship Program at Brooklyn College Drs. Linda N. Edwards and Neville A. Winifred Strange and is currently Co-Principal Investigator Parker are MAGNET/SEM’s Co-Principal Ruth Stark of the CUNY Pipeline Program for Careers Investigators. Jeffrey Steiner in Biomedical Research: Bridges to the Lucien Szpiro Doctorate and of the CUNY Pipeline Dr. Edwards is an economist whose under- Zahara Zakeri Program for Careers in College Teaching graduate degree is in mathematics. She is Probal Banerjee and Research. Associate Provost and Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Economics at the Dr. Godfrey Gumbs, MAGNET/SEM’s CUNY Graduate Center. Dr. Edwards has New Jersey Institute Project Administrator, is the Maria been active in promoting the role of women of Technology Chianta and Alice Stoll Professor of Physics in the economics profession, serving as a at Hunter College. He is a condensed mat- board member of the American Economic Nadine Audbry ter theorist who holds degrees from Trinity Association’s Committee for the Status of Fadi Deek College, Cambridge and the University of Women in the Economics Profession. She has Ronald Kane Toronto. Dr. Gumbs is known for his work also served as a member of the AAUW Rajpal Sodhi on the photonic and electron transport American Fellowship Awards panel. Her recent Trevor Tyson properties of very small semiconductor publications include Immigration/Migration materials, whose dimensions of interest are and the CUNY Student of the Future. In addi- Polytechnic on the nanoscale. His primary research tion to her academic responsibilities, Dr. draws conclusions on the effect of quantum University Edwards is a member of the advisory board of confinement, impurities, and electric fields The City of New York Independent Budget in applications such as the performance of Frank Cassara Office. Kalle Levon Dr. Parker is the Herbert G. Kayser Stevens Institute of Professor of Civil Engineering at City Technology College and Director of the City University of New York’s Institute for Transportation Kurt Becker Systems at City College. He is the Judy Lea Cuddy Principal Investigator of the Louis Stokes Marc Mansfield Alliance for Minority Participation program Joseph Moeller, Jr. (LSAMP). “Like LSAMP,” he says, “MAG- Charles L. Suffel NET/SEM is a key part of the NSF strategy David Vaccari for increasing access to careers in the sci- Edward A. Whittaker Dr. Gail Smith with Dr. Jeffrey Osleeb, Graduate Center ences and engineering for underrepresent- Trevor Williams Executive Officer in Earth and Environmental Sciences, at ed minorities. LSAMP offers undergradu- the MAGNET/SEM reception ates opportunities to do research, mentor MAGNET/SEM page 4 their peers, and gain experience in ing minority students to join the pro- effectiveness in building a strong the precollege classroom. Its alumni fessoriate in SEM disciplines. By SEM pipeline to the doctorate in the are excellent candidates for MAG- collaborating closely, these pro- New York metropolitan area.” NET/SEM with its mission of groom- grams can reinforce each other’s

MAGNET/SEM’s Mentoring Partnerships Russell Ford and David Vaccari, Stevens Institute of Technology

t thirty-one, Russell Ford Mr. Ford holds a BS in chemical engi- was already a successful neering from Syracuse University and environmental engineer earned his master’s at Stevens, where A he worked with Dr. Vaccari. “Dave when his longtime mentor, Dr. David Vaccari, who is a professor in Vaccari and I served together on the Stevens’s Department of Civil, Ocean, Research Committee of the New and Environmental Engineering, con- Jersey section of the American Water vinced him that he could make an Works Association,” he says. “Dr. important contribution to his field by Vaccari brought my research interests returning to the Institute for his Ph.D. to the Committee’s attention, and it “Russell,” says Dr. Vaccari, “is a well immediately understood their implica- respected engineer in the water indus- tions for the field. I saw that I could render an important service by pursu- Russell Ford collecting data at a water treat- try in New Jersey. MAGNET/SEM ment plant has enabled him to take time off from ing these ideas.” work to focus on research.” Mr. Ford has collected huge data sets Mr. Ford’s thesis is entitled on which to base his analyses of the Optimizing Filtration for the Removal relationship between filter perform- of Microbials Using Multivariate ance and causative variables. In Statistical Analysis. His research is addition to generating safeguards for aimed at generating a mathematical public health, his project is develop- model to predict and optimize the ing a powerful new tool for statistical performance of filters in response to analysis. He is pioneering the use of variables at water treatment plants. an alternative to artificial neural His findings should provide the water networks which has the advantage of industry with important new tools for producing much simpler mathemati- keeping such microbial compounds as cal interpretations. Giardia and Cryptosporidium out of Dr. David Vaccari the water supply. Sophia Suarez-Gustave and Steve Greenbaum, Hunter College, CUNY

ophia Suarez-Gustave is a Gustave with the institutional sup- fuel cells. “Fuel cells,” says Dr. CUNY success story. A grad- port necessary for her to fulfill her Greenbaum, “are devices much like uate in physics of the Hunter immense potential. Ms. Suarez- batteries which convert chemical S Gustave, who has been part of the energy to electricity. It is believed BA/MA program, she passed the very tough physics Ph. D. qualifying exam Mellon, MBRS, and LSAMP pro- by many experts that, during the at the CUNY Graduate Center on grams at Hunter and the Graduate next century, they will be a vital her first try. The exam, which is a Center’s Bridge to the Doctorate, can major hurdle, is only one of the truly profit from MAGNET/SEM. obstacles Ms. Suarez-Gustave has “The community of minority physi- overcome on her road to the doctor- cists, especially women is small,” ate. As a single parent, she has had says Dr. Greenbaum, “and the fact to balance the competing claims of that MAGNET/SEM is an alliance of family and a demanding academic four institutions should provide discipline. Sophia with invaluable peer contact.” Dr. Steve Greenbaum has been Ms. Suarez-Gustave’s mentor through- Ms. Suarez-Gustave’s doctoral research centers on the study of ion out her academic career. He is Sophia Suarez-Gustave and Dr. Steve Greenbaum and molecular transport through devoted to his students and has been with a high power state NMR probe in the lab at determined to provide Ms. Suarez- membranes being developed for Hunter

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power source for important applications such as electric In addition to her research, Ms. Suarez-Gustave has cars.” Ms. Suarez-Gustave’s main research tool is been teaching a general physics course at Borough of nuclear magnetic resonance. She is also involved in the- Manhattan Community College. “Teaching,” she says, oretical modeling of ion transport processes and has been “has been developing my ability to communicate what I invited to spend this coming January at Los Alamos know about physics to others. I enjoy the interaction National Laboratory doing research in that area with a with the students, and it keeps lower-level physics fresh colleague of Dr. Greenbaum’s. “In a real way,” says Ms. in my mind. At some point I hope to combine university Suarez-Gustave, “MAGNET/SEM is making it possible teaching with my career in research.” for me to go to Los Alamos. The program’s support allows me to concentrate exclusively on my studies. I “Hunter’s physics graduates are being accepted into have wanted to work in a national laboratory since I first some of the most prestigious graduate programs in the visited Los Alamos as an undergraduate Mellon Fellow. country,” says Dr. Greenbaum. “For those who want to This is a great opportunity for me to put theory into prac- be in New York, CUNY provides excellent resources. The tice, and I have been taking the appropriate courses in MAGNET/SEM alliance is expanding opportunities, and quantum mechanics to be prepared.” that is important.” Mark Your Calendar CUNY Conference in Science and Engineering MAGNET Roundtables The Graduate Center Friday, February 23, 2001, 9am-5pm October 20, November 17 The all day conference will include presentations and a poster December 8, February 16 session highlighting the work of the students in CUNY’S MAG- March 9,April 6 NET, BRIDGES,AGEP, PIPELINE, MARC, LSAMP, MBRS, McNair, May, 11 AND CASI research programs. Deadline for abstracts is January 10, 2001. For further information call the Office of Educational All meetings are on Fridays from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 212 812-7543. the CUNY Graduate Center.