Troy, N.Y. — More than 300 area students and their families came to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today to participate in the seventh annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day.  The workshops, designed to spur young people’s interest in pursuing careers in science and engineering, were hosted by Rensselaer’s Office of Institute Diversity.

 “The Black Family Technology Awareness Day is designed to help eliminate the science and technology gap among members of the minority community.  By showcasing science and technology in a fun and interactive way, we endeavor to motivate more minority students to pursue careers in these fields,” said Kenneth Durgans, vice provost for institute diversity. “We are working to eliminate the so-called ‘digital divide’ by providing young students and their families an opportunity to develop an understanding of and appreciation for science and technology.”

Rensselaer professors, students, and others led hands-on workshops held throughout the day on a range of topics including:  exploring engineering and math through LEGO Robotics, exploring fuel cell technology while building model race cars, learning about computer technology from a child’s perspective, and exploring chemistry via hands-on interactive science experiments.

Durgans noted that there is a growing need to prepare more people in the United States for careers in science and engineering. The current science and engineering workforce is aging and expected to retire in record numbers over the next decade, according to the National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators. At the same time, fewer students in the U.S. are choosing to pursue careers in science and engineering. In addition, minority representation in these disciplines is only one-third of the representation in the U.S. population at large.

“We need to prepare all 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.”

Rensselaer’s Black Family Technology Day is part of a nationally celebrated week of the same name. The theme for 2005 is “Education and Application.”

Contact: Jessica Otitigbe
Phone: (518) 276-6050
E-mail: otitij@rpi.edu