Alumni of University of Madras teaches at LaGuardia Community College.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, an assistant professor of biology at LaGuardia Community College, has been awarded the first-ever grant by the City University of New York (CUNY) to create a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) program geared solely toward young women.
Radhakrishnan’s goal is to encourage more females to get interested and become a part of the STEM fields, which have traditionally been dominated by men. The grant, which amounts to $30,000, was announced in a press release put out by CUNY on January 10.
“In developing the program, Dr. Radhakrishnan examined recent research that shows that part of the reason women remain a minority in STEM is that as early as high school a stigma is attached to young women who are interested in science and math. And at community colleges, many women do not have the financial support and childcare assistance they need to successfully pursue a STEM degree,” the release said.
In an interview with the Queens Chronicle, Radhakrishnan explained the importance of getting to girls while their young and developing in them the desire to pursue careers in the hard sciences.
“The first two years of a college career are considered key predictors of whether students will pursue a major in STEM fields,” she said. “This grant will increase women entering STEM fields, gaining research experience and in successfully graduating with a STEM degree in hand.”
LaGuardia Community College, which is located in Long Island City, will offer these classes to women enrolled at its own college as well as those in other CUNY community colleges. It does not explicitly say that men cannot apply to be a part of the program, but women are by far its main demographic of interest.
Radhakrishnan earned her bachelor’s degree in zoology at the University of Madras, and her master’s degree in biotechnology from the same institution. She earned her Ph.D. on a full scholarship at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, earning it in the field of biology.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com