PROPEL team members receive grant to work with mentors on best practices for equitable access to research experiences

PROPEL team members Jeffrey Blanchard (biology), Paula Rees (civil and environmental engineering), Lori Astheimer (psychological and brain sciences), Syde Orange (student success and diversity), along with Madelaine Bartlett (biology), Lisa Depiano (Stockbridge), Martin Hunter (biomedical engineering), Ashish Kulkarni (chemical engineering), Emily Kumpel (civil and environmental engineering), Ruthanne Paradise (chemistry), Brenda Philips (electrical and computer engineering), Shannon Roberts (mechanical and industrial engineering), & Lisa Sanders (psychological and brain sciences) recieved a grant UMass Office of Faculty Development.  The grant "A Bottom-Up Network for Developing Transparent Policies and Mechanisms for Equitable Access to STEM Undergraduate Research Experiences" will bring faculty from departments in the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Engineering are together to learn faculty experiences and traditions in different disciplines and from scholars nationwide.  We can use these practices in our roles as mentors, teachers and more broadly in our communities to effectively mentor diverse undergraduate researchers.  We hope that our collective efforts will lead to transparent sustainable practices individually and in our respective programs.