Diversity Outreach Efforts Presented by T. A. Walton VICTER Annual Meeting - August 2012

1. Diversity Outreach EffortsPresented by T. A. WaltonVICTER Annual Meeting - August 2012

2. Diversity Outreach Efforts Executive Director’s Vision Current Efforts Plans for 2012-2013

3. Executive Director’s Vision • “We provide industry, academics, and research agencies with GOOD STUDENTS developed through successful and competitive research projects. This in turn creates additional funding opportunities for future students, thus completing the cycle” • Why? • GOOD STUDENTS are the key product of research institutions. • GOOD STUDENTS are necessary to complete highly competitive scientific research, which in turn generates funding for educational institutions. • GOOD STUDENTS complete research reflective of what industry and academia deem most important to benefit society • GOOD STUDENTS acquire skills required to meet the needs of our industrial and government customers.

4. Characteristics of Ideal Student Talent Pools • Student diversity is representative of the local region served by the educational institute • Students are representative of the diverse society in which we live • Students represent the top talent within the state (which has, in some cases, transferred to other out-of-state institutes) • Students reflect the fact that highly competitive opportunities can be found in our state and region • Students have access to competitive funding for advanced studies

5. The Role of Diversity • It is widely accepted as a good business decision • Diversity aligns with the prerogatives and priorities of many funding agencies • Diversity fosters teamwork, experience and valuing differences • Diversity encourages balance of perspective among the different demographics represented in a group • Diversity provides competitive insights to new ideas and approaches to solutions • Diversity promotes global leadership and competitiveness

6. Key Tools and Tactics Developed 2011-2012 • VICTER Power Box Workshop • Delivered in Central Arkansas June 2011. Additional information will be shared in a separate presentation. • VICTER “Wonders Of Wattage” Mobile Demonstration Lab • Utilized in two parts of the State in 2012 (NW Arkansas and Eastern Arkansas) • Demonstrations presented to several hundred K-12 and College Students in 2012 alone. • Presented at the 2012 EAST Conference in Hot Springs

7. “W. O. W.” Demo Leverages Many Creative Support Sources ITEM • “W. O. W.” and graphics • On-board experiments • UA Campus Visits • Travel expenses for K-12 onsite visits • Travel expenses for EAST Conference • On campus tours • Equipment repairs and maintenance FUNDING SOURCE • VICTER • UA/GEORGE Washington Carver REU and ASU Physics Dept. • UA Provost, Admissions, Graduate School, College of Engineering, Vice Provost for Diversity, Honors College • UA ELEG and UA COE Recruitment • ASSET • NCREPT and ASSET • NCREPT Multiple efforts Multiple support sources

8. Current Strategy/Tactics • Centralized professional development workshop (VICTER Power Box) • To be discussed separately • On-site K-12 “W. O. W.” demonstrations • 400+ K-12 students • Visits to three schools in East AR, four schools in NWA • EAST Conference in West Central AR (Hot Springs) • University on-site tours • 200+ K-12 students • Entering UA freshmen • NWA Upward Bound • Monroe, Phillips and Lee County 4H • Engineering Summer Academies • ECAP attendees • Young Latinas • High school STEM groups

9. Future Strategy/Tactics • Continuation of Power Box Workshops • W. O. W. Demonstrations with VICTER partner institutes serving as epicenters (as resources allow) • South and Southeast and North Arkansas expansion (as resources allow) • Continuation of current local area outreach activities • Concurrent appearances with GREEN Mobile in targeted outreach areas • Inclusion of additional demonstrations from VICTER partner institutes and renewal of current demonstrations

10. Future Activities (Pending Additional Funding) • We sponsor many more VICTER Power Box workshops • We take the “W. O. W” demos to more schools across the state. • We sponsor high school campus visits to UAPB, UAFS, ASU, and UALR as follow up to epicenter outreach efforts. • We develop a network of compensated outreach coordinators in partner schools (could be a student). • We recruit a compensated curriculum coordinator familiar with the new Arkansas Common Core requirements to consult and coordinate our efforts with the required curriculum.