Because there are so very few minority individuals in plant sciences, minority students tend not to perceive plant sciences as a viable career option. This works to perpetuate their underrepresentation unless measures are effected to improve their perception of this field. To address this problem, Dr. Poff and his colleagues have designed and implemented a program to acquaint increased numbers of minority students with professional career opportunities in the plant sciences. The program has several components, including summer research for minority students, for which funding is provided by this grant. Each summer, eight students will be supported for ten weeks of research with a faculty mentor in plant sciences. The students also will participate in social and professional-development activities and will visit an industrial laboratory. They will be encouraged to present the results of their research at their home institutions and at national meetings. Recruitment of participants is aided by outreach activities of plant-science faculty members at Michigan State University, who give one-week courses at predominantly minority institutions. Michigan State also offers a graduate-level course on mentoring in a culturally diverse environment. Of the 26 minority student participants in the first 6 years of this program (supported by the Department of Energy and other sources), approximately half are working toward professional careers in the plant sciences.
