BRiDGE

We are a graduate student led initiative that focuses on increasing the representation and visibility of early career scientists from underrepresented groups hosted by departmental seminars. BRiDGE provides a space for open and constructive conversations between current graduate students and BRiDGE Scholars on the obstacles faced by underrepresented groups in STEM. These invited early career researchers are provided with a platform for sharing their research and establishing collaborations at a leading research university.

Learn more at https://blogs.umass.edu/bridge/

Institute of Diversity Sciences

The Institute is a multidisciplinary unit that brings together faculty and students from across UMass and the Five College Consortium to connect scientific research to social impact through public engagement and outreach in order to serve local, national, and international communities

Learn more at https://www.umass.edu/diversitysciences/

What are we doing?

The Institute aims to help expand BRiDGE across the STEM departments at UMass Amherst. Students benefit enormously from these visits. Scientists from underrepresented groups who visit UMass become role models and informal mentors for students. Students get career advice, broaden their knowledge by learning about new cutting-edge research from a wide array of fields, and learn how scientists apply their research to solve important societal problems. 

Last year, BRiDGE students hosted 5 visiting scientists from Departments within the School of Earth and Sustainability. About 200 individuals from 17 departments attended their talks and mentoring lunches.

How can you help?

We aim to expand BRiDGE across the STEM departments at UMass Amherst. Our goal is to engage 250 people in this fundraising effort in order to document the collective interest in sustaining BRiDGE. A donation of as little as $1 demonstrates your support for BRiDGE! You can also show your support by sharing on social media!

Testimonials about BRiDGE from UMass Grad Students:  

“I appreciate the opportunity to sit down with faculty from another institution in a low-stakes environment and having the opportunity to ask questions/discuss topics that are usually not viable in my lab/department.”  

“I never really saw my interdisciplinary work as a broader impact, but I've realized that even the act of community building across disciplines and departments can be a broader impact. Especially if we pool together our stakeholders and are able to produce knowledge that is more useful for them.”  

“I enjoyed talking with her 1-on-1 as well. She helped me to think through a few sticky issues I had been mulling over about the scientific society to which we both belong.”   

"The BRIDGE2Impacts lecture articulated such a clear and thoughtful approach to defining 'impact', and it is causing me to rethink my own approach to defining the impact of my work." 

"I find that one of the surest ways to learn about my options in regards to my career is by listening to the stories of scientists and their journey to their current position."

"I wasn't really sure how to see connections between housing policy and ecology - but Dr. Greenlee changed that perception right away. If we foster a spirit of co-production, our curiosity about our science seems to generate a wealthy amount of research topics and questions."