NSF increases physics, astronomy scholarship funding for underserved Californians

Date: 
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Irvine, Calif., Oct. 3, 2018 – The University of California, Irvine is one of nine UC and 15 California State University campuses to share in an expanded five-year, $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation for scholarships through the Cal-Bridge program, which helps promising students from underserved backgrounds earn advanced degrees in physics and astronomy.
 
UCI is expected to more than double its number of Cal-Bridge scholars, currently five.
 
“In terms of both the student body and faculty, African Americans, Hispanics and women are severely underrepresented in our field, even though they make up a sizable proportion of the U.S. population,” said Tammy Smecker-Hane, UCI associate professor of physics & astronomy and director of the university’s Cal-Bridge program. “The mission of Cal-Bridge is to correct this disparity and open the doors of opportunity to people who have been left out for too long.”
 
.......................................