Diverse Graduate Students from New York and Puerto Rico Attend Conference at Brookhaven

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Conference Encourages Students To Pursue PhDs in Science

August 22, 2008

More than 80 of New York and Puerto Rico's most promising graduate students and their professors met at Brookhaven National Lab August 14-16 for the Fifth Annual Fellows and Mentors Meeting of the Central New York-Puerto Rico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (CNY-PR AGEP).

(from left) NYSTAR Executive Director Ed Reinfurt, BNL Director Sam Aronson, Syracuse University's Gina Lee-Glausner, and BNL's Ken White

The organization is an alliance among Cornell University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Syracuse University, and University of Puerto Rico at MayagÃ¼ez. Funded through a National Science Foundation program, AGEP alliances work to increase the number of domestic African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander students receiving PhDs in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The theme of this year's conference. the first to be held at the Lab, was "Innovation and Technology: Stimulating an Entrepreneurial Environment to Accelerate Technical Discoveries." The event, organized in partnership with the Lab's Office of Educational Programs, was held at the Lab to inspire the diverse group of attendees and their mentors by exposing them to the science, research, and state-of-the-art facilities on site at the Lab.

Members of CNY-PR AGEP, CUNY AGEP, and SUNY AGEP were welcomed to by Lab Director Samuel Aronson and keynote speaker Edward Reinfurt, executive director of NYSTAR, a New York State foundation providing support for new, innovative technologies that will benefit New York's economy. Throughout his speech, Reinfurt linked the future of innovation in New York State to an increasingly diverse body of scientists, researchers, students, and mentors, stating, "I see a tremendously diverse student population-and a growingly diverse faculty-and we are being made stronger because of it."

In a separate conversation, Reinfurt noted his excitement that this year's conference was held at the Lab. "We particularly recognize BNL as a world-class facility, not only at the national level but for New York State as well. We [NYSTAR] promote scientific partnerships with universities and businesses. From the RHIC ring to the synchrotron to the supercomputer, the Lab has the ability to promote scientific advancement as well as economic advancement for the State and for all researchers, including those of different ethnicities," he said.

Through the next two days, AGEP members attended sessions and panel discussions that covered an array of topics ranging from the tactical -- "The Importance of Developing Project Management Skills," and "Negotiating Your First Academic Position" -- to the technical -- "Imaging Addiction in the Human Brain," and "Why and How to Incorporate Synchrotron Measurements into Your Research Programs." Attendees also had time to network with peers and presenters at breakout sessions held to spur creativity and innovation.

Session presenters at the 2008 conference included representatives General Electric, Georgia Institute of Technology, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin, Motorola, Mount Holyoke, and Syracuse University. Lab representatives also participated in several sessions and led tours that introduced AGEP members to the National Synchrotron Light Source and Center For Functional Nanomaterials.

According to OEP Administrator Noel Blackburn, one of the event's co-organizers, "Hosting this year's CNY-PR AGEP conference was important as it introduced new graduate students and their advisors from upstate New York and Puerto Rico to the Lab while building and strengthening their connections within the scientific community. The overall response from attendees was very positive as they all took advantage of the networking time and the exposure to our major facilities. We look forward to future endeavors with the New York AGEP alliances."