Connecting with Minority Students

American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS)
1444 I (Eye) Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 628-1500
http://www.aibs.org/

For Immediate Release
5 November 2006

For more information, contact:
Abe Parker: aparker@aibs.org

AIBS exhibits and presents a session at the annual conference of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

Washington, DC. Under the banner “Science Revolution in Minority Communities: What Progress Have We Made?” SACNAS held this year’s annual meeting in Tampa, Florida on October 26-29. “The mission of SACNAS is to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership, and teaching careers at all levels.” http://www.sacnas.org/

AIBS, along with the National Evolution Synthesis Center organized a session titled “Exploring careers in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology” at the annual meeting. The following four biologists served as panelists:

  • Bruce Rinker – Director, Environmental Lands Division, Pinellas County, FL
  • Margaret Lowman – Professor and Director of Environmental Initiatives, New College of Florida
  • Emilio Bruna – Assistant Professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida
  • Bryan Rybarczyk – Coordinator of Undergraduate Research Initiatives, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina

Over 40 people, mostly undergraduate and graduate students, attended the session. The panelists summarized their academic and career experiences, which seldom followed a straight path, and offered suggestions on coursework, opportunities to explore that help career decisions, and career options. AIBS also hosted an exhibit booth at the conference, which attracted over 2300 students, faculty, teachers, and other scientific professionals, to provide information to participants on education and diversity initiatives.