Additional photographs of the 2006 Minorities in Research Science Conference.

The Science Spectrum Magazine Conference on Minorities in Research was located in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference was from September 14-16, 2006. Morgan State, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T, and Elizabeth City State University participated in the conference.

The three quotes of the evening were:

• “Today students must not just be the best in their class, but the best on the market to get the most competitive jobs in industry and research”.- Maria Azua - IBM
  
• “When they achieve, we achieve”- Michael Montelongo- Sodexho Inc.
  
• “We need to show kids- and their parents-the lifetime benefits of investing in education vs. the short-term benefit of getting a low level job that pays wages now, but does not have growth potential.”- Ralph de la Vega -Cingular Wireless

The Diversity Career Expo was a chance for student to meet various companies, universities, and industries. The various booths had information on GEM fellowships, summer internships, career opportunities, and prospective graduate institutions. During the Corporate Career counseling professionals from different industries talked with students about their future after college and requirements for specific jobs.

The most interesting event was The Emerald Award Dinner where I met and took a picture with The Scientist of The Year, Dr. Abhijit Mahalanobis. The theme for this event was “Science for Everyone”. It exposed me to how research is implemented in every industry. Abjihit tells the audience how he has always been around science all throughout his life. Abhijit describes how fortune he was to come from a family that supported him through his education ,research, and career.

- Uniquiea Wade - URE Research Student

On the weekend of September 15-16, I attended the Minorities in Research Science (MiRS) Conference. The conference was held in the Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland; it was headed by Kristie Culler. This opportunity was offered to me by Dr. Hayden through the Undergraduate Research Program at Elizabeth City State University. It was an all expense paid trip that was very informative and useful.

The MiRS conference had a lot to offer. There were various activities that I was able to participate in such as; workshops, seminars, a roundtable discussion, banquets, award ceremonies and also an after party. When the group first arrived on Friday evening, September 15, 2006, there was a registration and Meet and Greet event that took place for all visiting students. There we received our packets and bags that contained all the information and supplies we needed for the weekend. There was a wonderful jazz band and light refreshments available to make the event informal but jazzy at the same time.

Later that evening there was a banquet that honored the “The 100 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business”. This event really enlightened me, it help to realize that any and everyone has an opportunity to succeed in life it is just how much one wants to succeed and how far they will actually go to succeed is what determines how successful they will be. Before every set of recognition to the honorees the Master of Ceremony would expand on a quote. The one particular quote that stood out to me was a quote of encouragement. It was stated as “Look beyond today and into the future as you make decisions about education and career choices”. This quote meant a lot to me because often in life we make decisions without thinking out what it will lead to or how it will affect us in the future. We make decisions that satisfy us at the moment. We must evaluate every situation and decision before we act because we may get some outcomes that we really did not desire. This quote also inspired me to further myself in education so that when I run over stumbling blocks of today I will know that future has much more in store for me.

Lastly there was an “Emerald Honors Award” Ceremony followed by an after party. This event was spectacular. I truly enjoyed myself and I would not trade the experience for the world. This event honored those people who were nominated for honors because they just successfully did their work. Other people could have received the same award but the people that were honored stood out amongst others and displayed a characteristic that the others didn’t.

- TreAsia Fields - URE Research Student