A step towards increased diversity in the engineering student population: the Science and Technology Entry Program at SUNY-Binghamton

The authors describe the history of the STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) program at SUNY-Binghamton and illustrate the part that the Watson School of Engineering has played in both the STEP 1 (introductory) and STEP II (individual research) programs. Beginning in the summer of 1986 students enrolled in the STEP were introduced to the field of engineering. Those students were selected for participation in the STEP program based on their minority or economic status (family qualifying as being economically disadvantaged). In addition each student had displayed an interest in science and mathematics and was able to show some evidence of academic accomplishments. The students were enrolled in a high school in New York State. The emphasis of the program is interdisciplinary in nature. It allows for an organized exploration of the traditional sciences, from a research perspective, in which the students are introduced to the research techniques and learn of the current state-of-the art in areas ranging from archaeology to psychology. This intensive three-week program of daily seminar-laboratory activities results in the student being able to receive one semester hour of college credit through the Summer Session of SUNY-Binghamton