UMEB: Travel to Animal Behavior Society Annual Meetings

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A variety of programs have been developed with the intent of increasing the number of undergraduates from underrepresented groups entering graduate schools and later pursuing research careers in science. While minority participation has increased in some fields of science, other fields have seen little change. No one knows all the factors contributing to the low participation of groups underrepresented in the field of animal behavior, but issues include a lack of knowledge of career opportunities and the image of the field. For example, bright students from traditionally underrepresented groups are often steered towards careers in health sciences if they show an early interest in biology. They may have never seen in textbooks, or heard of through the electronic media, anyone pursuing a career in animal behavior that actually looks like them.The objective of this project is to increase the number of undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups pursuing graduate degrees in the field of animal behavior. This goal will be pursued through encouraging their active participation and networking with majority and minority undergraduates, graduate students and professionals in the field at the Animal Behavior Society's annual meeting.Under this four-year grant, about 15 undergraduate students per year will receive Diversity Travel Awards. They will be selected on the basis of statements indicating financial need, potential to increase diversity at the ABS meeting, how animal behavior fits into their future career plans, and what they hope to gain by attending the ABS meetings. Travel awards will be given only to students who agree to stay for the entire meeting, and priority will be given to students who will present their own research.A two-tiered mentoring program will be developed. Students receiving travel awards will be paired with faculty members or graduate students who will help to orient the undergraduates to the meeting and maintain correspondence with them afterwards. In addition, all undergraduates attending the annual meeting will be given the opportunity to select mentors at an opening dinner for students and mentors, and roundtable discussions on such topics as preparing for graduate school will be organized for all undergraduates attending the annual meeting.The ABS will advertise the opportunity by a poster at the annual meeting, by advertising in the meeting programs of organizations of minority scientists, by sending printed invitations to institutions and programs with large enrollments of minority undergraduates, by sending e-mail to all members, and through its Web site. The meeting registration form will have a line on which potential mentors can indicate their interest.This grant is awarded under the National Science Foundation's program of Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology, which is designed to enable academic institutions and their partners, as well as professional societies, to enhance access to careers in environmental biology (broadly defined) for undergraduate students, particularly those from underrepresented groups.