If one thing is hopefully clear by now, it’s that there are still many communities that continue to be excluded from STEM spaces through systemic barriers and oppression. We all have a lot of work to do to build a STEM community that is inclusive, supportive, and equitable for POC, LGBTQ+, women, veterans, and disabled people. As such, one thing we enjoy doing at the libraries is gathering resources for communities to make information and tools more accessible for everyone. This resource roundup provides POC, LGBTQ+, women, veterans, and disabled students in STEM with an overview of some of the resources available to you at Rutgers. We recognize that it can be difficult to access and navigate these resources and determine the options available when it is spread across many spaces, especially if you have multiple intersecting marginalized identities. This list is meant to bring information together and be a launch pad to help connect you to people and programs that exist to provide you with tools, support, and a community to help you succeed. It is not comprehensive but attempts to offer broad coverage of the departments, programs, funding, and student groups available that can help you learn more.
If you have suggestions for additional resources, please send them to us in the contact section below!
Rutgers Departments:
Office for Diversity and Academic Success in STEM
Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement
The Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities
Rutgers Resources for Scholarships/Fellowships:
Scholarships and Internships List from DICE
STEM for Education Scholarship Program
School of Engineering Continuing Student Scholarship
Rutgers Programs:
SciWomen: Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
BIO Links at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School: provides School of Graduate Studies graduate students and Rutgers postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to volunteer their time in local public schools.
Access-Med from RWJMS: a BA/MD or BS/MD program between Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and Seton Hall University. The program offers academic support, career counseling, guidance with the medical school application process and biannual pre-medical conferences.
GR2aD: Host programs recruit graduate students from diverse backgrounds and develop initiatives to promote their success. They establish and maintain relationships with feeder schools, direct a summer research program for undergraduates, RISE (Research Intensive Summer Experience) at Rutgers, and develop funding and professional support mechanisms for graduate students.
The Rutgers University Pipeline-Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (RUP-IMSD): provides opportunities for Rutgers undergraduates, particularly those who are from groups historically under-represented in the biological/biomedical sciences in the U.S., to get hands-on training and experience in research in a supportive and mentored environment, and to consider whether biomedical/biological science may be in your future.
Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science: engages underrepresented minority undergraduate and high school students in cutting-edge cancer research, curriculum support, and professional development activities for 10 weeks per summer for two consecutive years at Rutgers Cancer Institute.
Diversity and Inclusion at the School of Engineering
Women in STEM at the School of Management and Labor Relations
The Douglass Project for Women in STEM
Student Organizations at Rutgers:
Alpha Omega Epsilon: is a professional and social sorority for women with an interest in STEM.
Lambda Kappa Sigma: professional pharmacy fraternity open to all women in the pharmacy program.
Phi Sigma Rho: is a national social sorority for women in engineering and technology majors.
S.T.E.M. Ambassadors: is a club of women and non-binary individuals with a passion in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, who have goals to pursue a professional career in these disciplines.
Society of Women Engineers: a non-profit education and service organization, addressing the growing need to support and encourage success among women engineers.
Women in Computer Science: provides a community in which women feel empowered to create with code.
Women in Information Technology & Informatics: founded in 2014 on the mission of empowering women in technology and granting them the connections, skills and mentorship they need to further their careers.
Women in Mathematical Sciences
Women in the Health Professions: goals are to unite and acknowledge women in the scientific community whether in medicine, research, public health, pharmaceuticals, nursing, or other health professions, and to foster lifelong connections for our members which will transcend beyond Rutgers and into the professional world.
Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association: goals are to unite and acknowledge not only Asian Pacific Islanders and Asians, but also those of other races in the scientific community whether in medicine, dentistry, physician assistant, physical therapy, nursing, research, public health, pharmaceuticals, or other health professions.
Minority Engineering Educational Task: a premier organization on campus that promotes the increase of the minority retention within engineering.
Minority Association of Pre-Health Students: an organization that provides underrepresented pre-health students with knowledge, resources, and experience.
RU SACNAS: is an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.
oSTEM: Out in STEM at Rutgers (oSTEM) is Rutgers’ chapter of a national society aiming to advance and support LGBT+ involvement in STEM.
STEM Veterans USA at RU: To establish a Rutgers University student network which helps recruit & assist veterans in STEM fields, while simultaneously building a future professional & leader.
Image credit:
Andy Brunning/Compound Interest
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/science-stem-support-inclusion-diversity-equality/