Introducing under-represented students to research through funded programs

A good source of both graduate and undergraduate students to assist with or develop `research' efforts is from programs designed to introduce under-represented students to research. Some of these programs available to students are the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM), Alliances for Minority Participation (AMP), and Minority Academic Career (MAC) to name a few. In order for faculty to work with students in these types of programs, they must be aware of the students who are eligible for or in these programs. In addition, an awareness, by both students and program coordinators, of which individual faculty are interested in the mentoring program, is imperative. At New Jersey Institute of Technology, the authors not only meet the above requirements, but are also involved with programs for minority students K to 12. These efforts which have led to enrollment of students at NJIT, have raised the profile and familiarity of the faculty by students from these programs and led to mentoring involvements. Over the past three years a number of students, both graduate and undergraduate who are in various programs have worked with the authors in numerous `research' projects. These experiences have been rewarding and fulfilling to both constituencies.