Diversity Programs

Committed to improving diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines by encouraging participation by women, persons from Native American tribes, and others from underrepresented groups in our activities.

Overview
CMOP is creating pipelines from K-12 education through graduate school to increase access, and removing barriers to STEM education for underrepresented groups. CMOP has activities designed to increase access and retention for underrepresented groups and is involved in  diversity-related activities and collaborations.

Highlights

Native American Initiative
CMOP is building a truly unique synergy with the Native American community in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, allowing us to work across all scales of the Center’s initiatives: Research, Education, and Knowledge Transfer. From its inception, CMOP has had the support of pivotal leaders within the Native American community, key individuals who have influenced policy decisions at the tribal, regional, and national scale.

Early Pathways
The center supports a K-12 partner program with established record in both gender and ethnic diversity (SMILE), are helping another K-12 partner program (Saturday Academy) increase ethnic diversity via targeted fellowships. We are  building collaborations with Native American K-12 programs and creating a network of collaborations with minority-serving undergraduate institutions, and in particular with the Northwest Indian College and the CEA-CREST Center at California State University – Los Angeles.

Leadership and Recruitment
Participation of women in leadership and in the student body, and we are making solid (relative to Pacific Northwest demographics) progress towards inclusion of underrepresented students.

Activities and Connections
CMOP has established a foundation for long-term diversity programs. The following are samples of the center's diversity activities and outreach:

» K-12 Teacher Resources
» Ocean Observatories Camp
» Oceanography Camp
» Summer Apprenticeships
» SMILE Program—Teacher Workshops
» Saturday Academy
» Native American Initiative
» Undergraduate Internships
» Graduate Programs
» Faculty Positions

Long-Term Commitment
There is no simple or fast solution to increasing diversity in STEM disciplines. The center is giving preference to multi-prong, often long-term, approaches that are self-sustainable, are based on natural interests of targeted groups, are exportable, and for which CMOP can be a transformative catalyst. The center recognizes that, although the issue is national, accounting for local and regional specificity is essential for effective and sustainable action.

For suggestions or more information, please contact Vanessa Green, Director of Higher Education and Diversity, or Karen Wegner, Director of K-12 Education.