Diversity in Graduate Eduaction
In an era of phenomenal discoveries in physics and related fields, our nation is faced with the challenge of producing a generation of diverse scientific leaders that can tackle 21st century challenges.
Motivation
- Physics as a community ranks at the bottom of science disciplines in educating the growing U.S. minority population.
- Underrepresented minorities (URMs) now make up about a third of the college-age U.S. citizens, yet we graduate less than 10% of our bachelor physics degrees to all of these groups combined.
- The situation at the doctoral level is even bleaker with only about 6% of PhDs granted to URMs.
- Currently, only about 30-35 PhDs in physics are granted to URMs every year nationwide (U.S. citizens or permanent residents). These small numbers allow a program of this type to have a significant and measurable impact on this issue in the United States.
- Improvements that will facilitate this increase will benefit all students with better attention to student development.
Minority Physics Statistics
APS Resolution
The APS Education and Diversity department endorses the Joint Diversity Statement that advocates for transforming the physics enterprise to make it more inclusive. We recognize the need to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in physics and will work within our department to advance this goal.
