Professor to discuss black honor studies

By: Laura Swift

Posted: 10/3/08

Fred A. Bonner II, associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Texas A&M, will present his lecture, "Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Academically Gifted Black Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: Discovering the Alchemy for Success," at noon Friday in Koldus 111.

"This subject is important because there really hasn't been a focus on high achieving African American students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields," Bonner said.

The lecture is connected to a National Science Foundation research grant that Bonner is working on that concentrates on gifted African American students who study STEM disciplines at historically black colleges.

"We are beginning year two of the three year grant," Bonner said. "We will be traveling to 11 black colleges to study STEM students, where we will be conducting interviews with the students and faculty."

An overview of the grant and a presentation of its preliminary findings will be discussed at the lecture.

The First Friday Lecture Series is a program of the African American Professional Organization the first Friday of the month and is sponsored by the Division of Research and Graduate Studies.