The proposed project is intended to provide early research experience and other university associations to academically qualified African American, Hispanic, and Native American students to encourage their participation in professional careers in the physical and mathematical sciences, especially through attainment of advanced degrees. The research experience will be provided in faculty laboratories where research in areas of astronomy, chemistry, geology, mathematics (including computer science), and physics is being performed. The program is designed to provide continuous (academic year, ten hours per week; summer, 40 hours per week for eight weeks) research and faculty mentor exposure through the students' junior and senior year and possibly the first year of a graduate program. This project design permits continued contact and reinforcement of degree and career objectives for the student. Both summer and academic year (AY) activities will include weekly (summer) and biweekly (AY) interactive colloquia that will include student reports of their research activities to the group and discussions of topics of broad application, such as career objectives, ethics in science, and computer applications to science problem solving. Career perspectives and student social interactions will be enhanced by including (AY colloquia) students of the "Minority Access to Energy-Related Careers" program, in which student summer research is conducted in DOE laboratories in the western states.
