The Department of Technology & Society

Striving for Diversity and Excellence

The letter The Department of Technology and Society has over a fifteen year history of building excellent programs that promote diversity in secondary, undergraduate and graduate education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and health related fields and promote educational excellence in STEM fields in K-12 education. The Department has become a New York State and national leader in engaging underrepresented students in STEM education. Through an array of programs, funded by state, federal and private sources, DTS served students from middle school to graduate school. Gradually DTS is helping to change the face of STEM education and the workforce.

These programs provide services for students from the junior high to the doctoral levels. The overall shared vision is for greater diversity in the student body and in the professoriate and to promote academic excellence through program activities, such as mentoring networks, tutorial services, enriching research experiences and financial incentives In this way, we hope to motivate and better prepare minority students to succeed in science, mathematics and engineering studies. The Department also seeks to engage K-12 students and their teachers in the study of how mathematical and scientific concepts are applied to the design of technological systems and provide effective professional development of teachers in regional K-12 school districts

Some key program features and accomplishments are:

  • Services for underrepresented minority students from middle school to graduate school in state and federally funded programs since 1987
  • Substantial increases in high school completion, college enrollment and degree production, retention rates and GPA’s for the above students
  • Funds granted by the New York State Education Department and the National Science Foundation and several corporate sponsors
  • Acting as lead institution on several state wide grants
  • Services to 390 pre-college students, 387 Stony Brook undergraduates and 55 doctoral students each year
  • Program emphasis that builds interest in science and engineering careers and prepares students to successfully complete high school, undergraduate studies and graduate school in these areas
  • Emphasis on mentoring, enrichment, academic preparation, career exposure and academic research
  • Support of need curricular and pedagogical change to implement the systemic changes necessary to provide equal opportunity and access for all students in K-12, undergraduate and graduate settings.
  • Data collection, analysis and evaluation to stringently measure all the program’s effectiveness

CURRENT PROGRAMS
Because of changes in funding sources and time limited grants, there is an ever changing list of outreach programs. As programs are phased out and new programs come developed, DTS aggressively pursues grants that meet the department’s vision.
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