Empowering Women in Science

Chemistry Merit Program for Emerging Scholars

The Merit Program is a challenging program for a select group of undergraduates. The program targets students with high potential who are members of groups, such as ethnic minorities and women, who tend to be underrepresented in the areas of science, mathematics and engineering. The program also targets students from small high schools. The Merit Program is not a remedial program. To be invited into the program, students must have high academic potential and be committed to excellence. One of our main goals in the Merit Program is to develop a community of scholars among the Merit students. The students in our program work together to solve difficult course problems, develop friendships based on common academic interests, and inspire each other to maintain a high level of commitment to excellence.

Women in Mathematics Science and Engineering (WIMSE)

WIMSE is one of the Living/Learning Communities in the University Residence Halls at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. WIMSE provides 135 women majoring in mathematics, science, and engineering curricula with resources, activities, and programs to enhance their academic and social experiences. The goal is to unite classroom and residential experiences to build a positive foundation for a future career.

MentorNet

The E-Mentoring Network for diversity in Engineering and Science provides opportunities for women studying science, mathematics or engineering to connect with other women having experience in these fields in the working world. Interested "protégés" fill out a profile and are assigned a mentor with whom to correspond to via email. Additionally, MentorNet has an E-Forum, resources, and a database for resumes of "protégés".

Summer Research Opportunites Program (SROP)

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a summer program that provides undergraduate students from populations underrepresented in graduate study at Illinois with an opportunity to explore careers in research. The program at Illinois provides each student with an experience that will help strengthen his or her knowledge, skills, and understanding of graduate school. The many activites offered through Summer Research Opportunities Program will afford participants an opportunity to establish important relationships with faculty in their respective fields of study, conduct graduate-level research under the supervision of a University of Illinois renowned faculty member, become acquainted with the culture of graduate school, and to learn what is needed and expected of them as graduate students in their discipline at the University of Illinois.