Increasing Diversity and Enhancing the Curriculum within Engineering Technology at RIT

Many colleges and universities have put forth a considerable effort to improve their curricula and increase diversity within their student body. It is in these colleges and universities best interest to improve the preparation of students, namely women and other underrepresented groups, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through curriculum development and other activities such as research. Much of this effort is brought to fruition by acquiring grant funds that can be used to explore new teaching methods and increase underrepresented enrollment. Summer research opportunities can also be used to accomplish the goal of improving the curriculum and increasing diversity. This paper will describe some of the activities that have been completed to increase diversity and improve the curriculum at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department and will identify some of the effort that will take place in the future. An overview of what the students accomplished will be given as well.