UNC Asheville Receives $90,000 Grant from Burroughs Wellcome Fund;
Grant to Fund Summer Bug Camp for Girls, Minorities

Laurel Manion displays her insect collection at the 2004 Bug Camp

Getting an early start on a science career just became easier for local girls and minorities, thanks to a $90,776 grant from Burroughs Wellcome Fund to support UNC Asheville's summer Bug Camp. The University will use the three-year grant to purchase equipment and to supply full camp scholarships to 40 middle school girls, minorities and other students that are underrepresented in the sciences.

Principal investigators for the grant are Tim Forrest, UNC Asheville associate professor of biology, and Herb Pomfrey, UNC Asheville coordinator of biology general education. Forrest and Pomfrey have been conducting the Bug Camp for four years. The camp includes such activities as field trips for collecting insects as well as identifying, curating and experimenting with insects to investigate standard biological principles.

"Our hope is that by the time the students have finished the camp, their attitudes about science have been changed," said Forrest. "We want these students to get excited about biology, to take science classes in high school, and to consider careers in the sciences."

The grant allows the University to offer Bug Camp free to qualifying students, which will open up the world of science to those who need it most as shown by the landmark study, "Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America," commissioned by the American Association of University Women. It was the first national study to clearly link the sharp drop in American girls' interest in math and science after elementary school. In elementary school, 81 percent of girls like math; by high school that number has dropped 20 percent. For boys the decline is 12 percent. The number of girls who like science drops from 75 percent in elementary school to 63 percent in high school. For boys, the decrease is just seven percent. Furthermore, the study show that by high school, 52 percent of boys think they would enjoy being scientists, only 29 percent of girls share that opinion.

The Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development produced a report in September 2000 describing diversity as America's untapped advantage in science-related fields. The report noted that "women, minorities and persons with disabilities currently constitute more than two-thirds of the U.S. workforce. It is apparent that just when the U.S. economy requires more SET [science, engineering and technology] workers, the largest pool of potential workers continues to be isolated from SET careers."

According to the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, of the 10 fastest growing occupations, eight are science, math or technology related. Jobs requiring math and science skills will increase by 5.6 million by 2008.

"Studying the world of insects is an excellent way to explore nature and to begin to get excited about science," said Forrest. "UNC Asheville's Bug Camp shows students that science can be adventurous and fun."

Media Contacts:

• Dr. Tim Forrest, UNC Asheville Associate Professor of Biology, 828/232-5150
• Jill Yarnall, UNC Asheville Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526