More than 450 area students and their families came to Rensselaer to participate in the eighth annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day. The Feb. 11 event, hosted by Rensselaer’s Office of Institute Diversity, featured workshops designed to spur young people’s interest in pursuing careers in science and engineering. Rensselaer’s Black Family Technology Awareness Day is part of a nationally celebrated week of the same name. The theme for 2006 is “Preserving Our Legacy Through Technology.”

		Young people from throughout the Capitol Region got a hands-on science and engineering experience at Rensselaer’s Black Family Technology Awareness Day. Photo by Rensselaer/Steven Morris Photo Gallery

“Black Family Technology Awareness Day is designed to help eliminate the science and technology gap among members of the minority community,” said Kenneth Durgans, vice provost for institute diversity. “By showcasing science and technology in a fun and interactive way, we endeavor to motivate more minority students to pursue careers in these fields.”

The program featured 19 workshops — led by Rensselaer professors, students, and community organizations — that included LEGO Robotics, building roller coasters, creating a hot air balloon using household items, and hands-on interactive sessions exploring engineering and chemistry science experiments. In addition, workshops offering tips on preparing for the college admissions and scholarship process were available for students and their families.

Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson has long warned of what she calls the “Quiet Crisis” in America — the threat to our nation’s capacity to innovate due to the looming shortage in the nation’s science and technology workforce. The shortfall results from a record number of retirements on the horizon, and not enough students in the pipeline to replace them.

“We need to prepare all of our children for the 21st century economy with a technical focus in mind. Effectively using technology in the 21st century is important for full participation in America’s economic, political, and social life,” Durgans said.  “To effectively counter this crisis we need to provide all students, particularly minorities who are underrepresented in the fields, with the programs and mentoring opportunities that will inspire them to pursue careers in science and technology. This event is one way that we can work to make a difference in the future of our children.”

Black Family Technology Awareness Day is part of Rensselaer’s larger effort to interest area young people and their families in pursuing occupations in the fields of science and engineering. Other “pipeline” programs include: Design Your Future Day, to engage young girls in science and engineering studies and professions, Exploring Engineering Day, to spark the interest of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in science, technology, and engineering; and Rensselaer’s Molecularium™ project to teach young children about the smallest forms of matter.

For information on the “Quiet Crisis”, go to: http://www.rpi.edu/homepage/quietcrisis/index.html.

For information on the Office of Institute Diversity, go to: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/diversity/.

Read Press Release.

Published February 13, 2006