Most people are aware that New Jersey Institute of Technology has a strong commitment to diversity and is recognized nationally as a leader in graduating engineers of color.
Most people don’t know that among NJIT’s many programs and initiatives is the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Experience in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention at NJIT, a summer program that introduces students from underserved communities into the world of cancer research.
Nellone Reid, a senior university lecturer, directs the 10-week program that brings a handful of college and community college students to the school each summer for an introduction into cancer research.
Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, the program includes research, education and training activities for students from underrepresented minority groups. The students are introduced to research focused on cancer diagnosis, therapeutics and mechanistic modeling.
Participants receive a $6,000 stipend, on-campus housing and meals, compensation for travel expenses — and a unique opportunity.
“A lot of our students come from smaller schools, community colleges or (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) — schools that don’t have as much research as NJIT,” he said.
The students work together, but they also are assigned an individual mentor who guides them on a cancer research project.
Reid said the students not only get training on different devices, they also get to present their work at an undergraduate research symposium at the end of summer. More so, the students often get a chance to repeat their presentations at national conferences.
Last year, some students went on to present at chemical and biomedical conferences.
Reid said the experience is invaluable — for one key reason: confidence.
“We don’t just want to expose students to this type of research, we also want to build their confidence, allowing them to see that they are able to do this type of work,” he said.
This year’s cohort has five students: one from Hampton University and two each from North Carolina A&T and Alcorn State University.
Reid said the program often helps participants to go on to graduate school in a STEM-related field.
“A student that was here two years ago just graduated from Alcorn State University and is going into a medical M.D./Ph.D. program — in which he’s getting trained as a medical doctor, but he’s also allowed to do research to get his Ph.D.,” Reid said.
Creating the next generation of scientists — especially those from underserved communities — has long been the mission of NJIT.
Reid said it is vitally important to science.
“If you look at the numbers, there really hasn’t been much change in terms of bringing more minority subgroups into this field, whether it is people of color or women or any other community,” he said.
“That’s why a big thing we want to do here is not just expose students to this type of research, but also build their confidence, and to the point that they realize they are able to perform at this high level.”
For information about NJIT, go to njit.edu.
