More than 50 science under- graduates and five faculty members from More- house, Spelman, and Clark Atlanta universities visited Duke graduate science programs April 28. It was the second year that science undergraduates from Atlanta's historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) visited Duke, and organizers hope that the event will become an annual one.
Participants saw work in physics, math, chemistry, biology, computer science, engineering and biomedical sciences. While biomedical sciences and engineering have seen improvement in their ability to attract under-represented minorities, other science programs have more work to do. Organizers said the event helps development relationships between Duke and HBCU institutions, publicize Duke's graduate programs, offer students summer research opportunities and expose excellent students to opportunities in scientific research.
Pictured, James C. Phillips, manager of the Macromolecular X-Ray Crystallography Facility, shows visitors around the lab.
Duke organizers include Charlene Blake (biomedical sciences); Jeff Forbes (computer sciences); Calvin Howell (physics); Arlie Petters (math); Roxanne Springer (physics); Adrienne Stiff-Roberts (engineering); and Tomalei Vess (Graduate School).