Project Connect (PC) is an immersive professional development program designed to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in engineering who pursue careers in the microwave engineering and related fields. Most of the professionals in this area have been educated in the electrical engineering (EE) field with a focus on applied electromagnetics, antenna theory and communication systems. The electromagnetics class in a typical electrical engineering undergraduate program involves vector calculus and abstract concepts without, in many cases, the right facilities or equipment to aid experiential learning. This leaves most students perplexed and disinterested in the field, while they do not fully realize the wealth of opportunities that lie beyond this course. This problem is even more pronounced for students from underrepresented groups as they may have less exposure to the professional and academic opportunities in microwave engineering. Project Connect was birthed out of the need to keep these students engaged in the field by exposing them to a broader view of the field and the impact that they can have on technology.
Each year, the PC program is housed within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Microwave Symposium (IMS). IMS is the flagship conference of the Microwave Theory and Techniques (MTT) Society and is based in North America. The typical attendance at the conference is over 9,000 and there is an associated industry exhibition with more than 700 companies. PC hosts approximately two dozen underrepresented students for four days of community building and professional development, most of whom are juniors or seniors in undergraduate programs, along with a smaller cohort of first-year students in graduate programs. The groups, consistently mixed in gender and ethnicity, get an opportunity for direct interaction with fellow PC participants, practitioners and academics, and leaders in the field and of the MTT society. This interaction is central to the success of the program, and the integration with IMS is representative of the important role that professional societies can play in diversifying STEM participation [1]. PC has been in operation since 2014 [2-5] and is sponsored jointly by the National Science Foundation and the IMS Organizing Committee.
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Inclusive Innovation: Creating a Conference To Promote Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
The College of Engineering at the University of Missouri, Columbia (MU Engineering) develops engineering leaders who positively influence society and bring innovation to the global workforce. Recruiting top students from around the world to fuel an atmosphere of excellence and cutting-edge growth, MU Engineering prepares out-of-the-box thinkers, innovators, and entrepreneurs who stand ready to lead today and adapt to tomorrow. To engage all of our students with industry in an inclusive space, the MU Engineering Office of Diversity and Outreach Initiatives established the Diverse Engineering Professionals Conference in 2017 in partnership with a student committee. The committee included representatives from various organizations, including the National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Engineering Student Council, Society of Women Engineers, and Out in STEM. Industrial sponsorships were secured with assistance from the MU Engineering Leadership, Engagement and Career Development Academy. The daylong conference recognizes diversity organizations and diverse students and their achievements while promoting our core college values of integrity, excellence, and collaboration. The conference includes professional development and diversity education workshops, research presentations, keynote speakers, and a closing ceremony. In its first year, the conference featured nine companies and attracted about 75 attendees. In year two, the conference nearly doubled its impact with 12 companies and 150 attendees, including students from all majors, years, and demographics. The conference was well received across both years and continues to grow as an annual effort in the college. Feedback from company representatives and students re-emphasized the need for an intimate company-student environment like that found at the Diverse Engineering Professionals Conference.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1702841
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10309480
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Technology & Innovation
- Volume:
- 21
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 1949-8241
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.21300/21.2.2020.123
