UA leads nation in departments awarded Sloan scholarship money

Minority graduate students in six science and engineering departments will receive scholarship money from the Sloan Foundation, giving UA the highest number of Sloan-awarded departments in the country.

The Sloan money is geared toward underrepresented, minority students in science and engineering graduate programs. A minority student can receive up to $30,000 throughout the five- to six-year program.

The chemistry department was the sixth science or engineering department to be accepted in the Sloan program. The geosciences department was accepted to the Sloan program about four years ago, said Maria Velez, associate dean of the graduate college. The other four departments were accepted in the last year.

"We're hoping that in the first year of the program, we will have seven Sloan scholars with substantial increments of more scholars every year after," Velez said.

About 17 percent of UA graduate students are minority students. The graduate program's goal is to recruit more Hispanic, American Indian and black students to seek a doctorate degree in science and engineering, Velez said.

These minority groups are underrepresented in science and engineering because they have not seen many role models in these fields, Velez said.

"The purpose is to be competitive in attracting minority students at a PhD. level," said William Shaw, professor of wildlife and fisheries science.

Sloan scholars are given an account from which to draw money at any time during their graduate program to cover costs such as tuition, books, registration fees and other approved purposes. In addition to the Sloan account, they are still eligible for other support and funding that their doctorate program offers, Velez said.

"This program will enable individuals with a spouse and children to return to school and get a PhD.," Velez said.

The six departments accepted to receive Sloan money are aeronautical and mechanical engineering, geosciences, optical sciences, renewable natural resources and soil, and water and environmental science.

"The anticipation is that it will help in retention of minority students and make it easier for them to receive their PhD.'s," said Richard Shoemaker, associate director for academic programs in optical sciences.