UMassGives 2023

The Institute of Diversity Sciences (IDS) is a multidisciplinary unit that brings together faculty and students from UMass and the Five Colleges to promote STEM research on topics focused on equity and social justice. By sponsoring team-based research opportunities and career development programs for underrepresented students in STEM, IDS attracts, nurtures, and expands the successes of diverse students in STEM.

Gifts donated through UMassGives will be used to fund two IDS programs: 

1. The Leadership Academy, is a professional development program for underrepresented students in computer science and engineering; Scholarships for this program are used to provide a stable and high-speed internet connection so they can learn without interruption, the opportunity to miss work to attend classes each week for 6 weeks, or other financial barriers that may prevent them from taking advantage of this important professional development opportunity.
2. Students conducting research projects in multidisciplinary teams mentored by STEM faculty on topics related to social justice or equity. 

The Leadership Academy, in its 4th year (2022 cohort photo below), is a year-long, interactive, cohort-based program that brings together students who are historically marginalized in technology and engineering to create a close-knit community. The program starts with a 6-week summer component followed by a 9-month mentoring component where students are mentored by industry leaders from technology and engineering companies such as Dell, MathWorks, MassMutual, Nokia, and others.

The Leadership Academy, in its 4th year (2022 cohort photo below), is a year-long, interactive, cohort-based program that brings together students who are historically marginalized in technology and engineering to create a close-knit community. The program starts with a 6-week summer component followed by a 9-month mentoring component where students are mentored by industry leaders from technology and engineering companies such as Dell, MathWorks, MassMutual, Nokia, and others.

In addition, your donations will support students involved in team research projects that target inequity-related social problems. Each year, IDS funds several multidisciplinary team projects led by faculty from multiple disciplines working with students on research connecting STEM to social justice. We would like to raise additional funding to support more students to work on these projects. A couple of this year’s projects will be examining:

• Effect of transportation barriers on Black maternal health
• Role of engineering infrastructure in protecting economically underserved communities from the negative impacts of climate change. 

All gifts to the Institute of Diversity Sciences are deeply appreciated. We thank you for your support in these efforts. Together, we will work to advance equity through research-based solutions to societal problems.