Durham, NC - For young faculty members, the first job always brings questions. What's the best way to tenure? How can I teach and do research without sacrificing my family life? What are my committee obligations?

These are questions for all faculty members, but Duke Political Scientist Paula McClain has seen the data indicating that the struggle is even greater for young minority faculty in her field. Last week, more than 50 young black, Latino and Asian political scientists came to Duke for a three-day workshop designed to strip away some of the mystery and help retain minority faculty members in greater numbers.

Nearly 20 prominent political scientists from colleges across the country served as panelists for "Enhancing Research: A Workshop for Political Scientists from Underrepresented Groups." While the number of minorities with doctorate degrees in political science is slowly increasing, they are not receiving tenure at the same rate, McClain said.

"It's important because a lot of the cutting-edge research being done on America's changing demographic is being done by scholars of color; not all, but a lot. Also, the population of U.S. universities is so diverse it's imperative that we have individuals in the classroom representing them," said McClain, co-director of Duke's Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in the Social Sciences (REGSS). "It's not just about making sure we have the pool of doctorates but that once they are in these universities, that they can stay and mentor others coming behind them."

McClain moderated a panel on balancing publishing, teaching and family and social life. The discussion explored issues such as time management, what publications count toward tenure and whether having a co-author is beneficial. Other issues included how to handle the burden of service to the community and the repercussions of engaging in social activism.

REGGS co-director Kerry Haynie moderated a workshop on norms, mentoring and networks. One of the themes was how to understand the official and unofficial behaviors within an institution. Panelists also explored how to approach mentors both within and outside of the discipline, emphasizing that they do not have to share the same racial or ethnic background or even the same ideological perspective.

The workshop was held at the Erwin Mill Building and was sponsored by Duke's Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in the Social Sciences. The conference was partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.