Conference Session

Socioeconomic Track - Technical Session II

Collection

2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference

Authors

Cherie D. Edwards, Virginia Tech; Walter C. Lee, Virginia Tech; David B. Knight, Virginia Tech; Karl W. Reid, National Society of Black Engineers; Trina L. Fletcher, University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff; Gregory Meeropol, National Society of Black Engineers

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Socio-Economic Status

engineeringexperiences to over 20,000 children since 2007 through the Summer Engineering Experience forKids (SEEK) program, which is hosted in cities across the nation. In providing this magnitude ofoutreach, SEEK has developed a model for effectively increasing access to high-quality out-of-school engineering learning opportunities for youth in low-income communities. The aim of thispaper is to 1) provide a detailed overview of the strategies used by NSBE that increase thelikelihood of reaching students from low-income households via SEEK, and 2) examine thechallenges in leading large-scale outreach efforts and lessons learned over time. IntroductionAs science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields

Conference Session

Socioeconomic Track - Technical Session II

Collection

2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference

Authors

Dawn Anita Hunter, The University of Texas, Austin; Efren Enrique Dominguez, University of Texas, Austin; Tricia S. Berry, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Socio-Economic Status

-residentialprograms.We are living in an era where technology drives breakthrough discoveries acrossvarious disciplines. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics projects a 20-33% increase inscientific and technical occupations within the coming decade [1]. There is a criticalneed for computationally trained STEM professionals who will fuel the nation’seconomic growth. There is also a need to increase diversity in the STEM pipeline, whichcurrently has a low share of minority and women participation. Reports by thePresident's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the U.S. Department ofCommerce, point to the critical importance of recruiting and training additional diverseindividuals for STEM fields [2]. The nation faces a large discrepancy between