Escape rooms are collaborative puzzle solving activities that require the participants to utilize logical reasoning and teamwork. With a slight refocusing on previously acquired knowledge, escape rooms can also be used to test and promote learning of certain topics. This paper describes the development of a one-hour in-person STEM focused escape…

Many efforts have been made to enroll more women and other underrepresented groups into STEM fields, including the current NSF-funded S-STEM (S-4) program at our University. S-4 aims to increase enrollment and retention in STEM majors through student activities such as a summer transition to University program, the development of a Learning…

When Black and Latino students are given advanced opportunities, they thrive alongside their peers. However, only a fraction of eligible students is enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses, which means that most Black and Latino students are being denied vital learning opportunities that can set them up for…

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines suffer from chronically low participation of women and underrepresented minorities. Diversity enhancement initiatives frequently attempt to mitigate skill deficits such as math skills in an attempt to improve preparedness of these students. However, such interventions do not address…

Reviews of the state of biology fieldwork in UK schools and universities at the beginning of the twenty-first century (Barker, Slingsby, and Tilling 2002; Smith 2004) were not entirely pessimistic; rather they suggested ways forward that might lead to an increase in fieldwork. Whether their hopes have been realised has, perhaps, been revealed by…

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the United States faces a host of problems including low recruitment and retention in STEM disciplines, under-representation of multiple segments of the US population, and a host of other issues. These problems are well recognized and a variety of solutions are being implemented…

The war on cancer has been waged for nearly 40 years, yet the cancer burden remains high, especially among minority and underserved populations. One strategy to make strides in the war on cancer and its disparate impacts is to increase the diversity of the cancer research workforce. We describe an approach to recruit a diverse population of future…

Summarizes the report on undergraduate education in biology published by the National Science Foundation. Discusses the problems and recommended solutions for each of three areas: laboratories and course development; enhancing the quality of teaching; and recruitment and retention of students. (YP)

"Chronicle of Higher Education" presents an abundant source of news and information for college and university faculty members and administrators. This May 13, 2005 issue of "Chronicle of Higher Education" includes the following articles: (1) "A Connecticut Muslim in King James's Court" (Pulley, John L.); (2)…

Enrollment of pharmacy and nonpharmacy students in graduate courses in the biological sciences within pharmacy are examined. Suggestions are made for assessing the relative quality of these students, for finding the reason for an upswing in nonpharmacy enrollments in the biological sciences, and for recruiting pharmacy students to this area. (MSE)

Proceedings of the Conference on Issues in Minority Science Education are presented. An overview of Atlanta University's Resource Center for Science and Engineering, which sponsored the conference, and a rationale for the conference are provided. Seven panel discussion reports are given, including such topics as curriculum and faculty development,…