Graduate Engineering Education of Underrepresented Populations

Abstract

Abstract Of all segments of science and engineering graduate education, the disparity between minority groups is the greatest, and the participation of nonresident aliens is the highest, in engineering. This paper examines the graduate degrees awarded in engineering from the perspective of representation within the US population, the US engineering schools that grant significant numbers of graduate degrees to underrepresented minorities, and the measures implemented by some of these schools that are particularly effective at granting graduate degrees to underrepresented minorities. In addition, we recommend initial steps that an engineering school might make to increase underrepresented minorities' graduate student participation. Although the specifics can vary from institution to institution, the net result should be the same: a sincere commitment to bring underrepresented minority students into the mainstream of the academic enterprise.