Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

The Hampton-Brandeis PREM program aims to bring more candidates from under-represented minority (URM) backgrounds into university labs and offer pathways to advance their careers.

MRSEC graduate students and postdocs who mentor summer undergraduates are provided an interactive 90-minute workshop on “Inclusive Mentoring and Academic Belonging” in which the goals of the workshop are for participants to be able to:

1. Describe stereotype threat and growth mindset

2. Encourage re-attributions of difficulty

3. Encourage belonging based on effort and engagement

The MRSEC has partnered with the Brandeis Chief Diversity Officer, Provost and the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Heller and IBS to offer institution-wide opportunities that aim to broaden participation within the sciences and increase the impact of selected programming.

Undergraduate student engagement in an independent research project has been shown to be a powerful tool for increasing diversity within the sciences so students from under-represented groups are encouraged to apply to the Brandeis REU program. 

K-12 students who are exposed to authentic research experiences in their classrooms will be much more likely to pursue science in college. That is why the MRSEC partners with the following groups to provide introductions to materials research and laboratory tours of MRSEC facilities to future-STEM students. 

1. The Waltham Public School District
2. The Lexington Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program