Article by Erica K. Brockmeier Photos by Evan Krape and Courtesy of John Jungck
From adapting to climate change to finding new therapies for difficult-to-treat diseases, addressing the challenges facing society requires a workforce that’s adequately trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Not only has the demand for jobs that require STEM expertise grown in recent years, there’s also been an increased awareness of the importance of that workforce being diverse so that the world of tomorrow is more just and equitable. But recent data suggests that many underrepresented minorities still only represent a small portion of the entire U.S. STEM workforce.
To provide underrepresented students with a unique opportunity to learn first-hand what being a scientist and engineer is all about, the University of Delaware’s Center for Hybrid, Active, and Responsive Materials (CHARM) hosted its inaugural summer outreach program. Known as Foundations for Outreach and Recruitment of Great Engineers & Scientists (FORGES), the seven-week summer program provides students from underrepresented populations with exposure to a variety of STEM fields and career paths. The program also welcomed high school science teachers to participate, enabling them to take unique teaching strategies back to the classroom.