Minority PhD candidates expected to rise in Vanderbilt-Fisk partnership

Astronomy professor mentor inspired by immigrant mother

Vanderbilt University is partnering with Fisk University in a partnership designed to encourage minority doctorate degrees in the sciences. The concept is to provide a "bridge" from a master's degree to a doctoral program. In the U.S., minority doctorates in astronomy are bestowed at the rate of 1 every 14 years, but the bridge program expects a frequency of 2 every year.

Vanderbilt University Astronomy Professor Keivan Stassun is featured in this Vanderbilt-produced video about the program. Stassun says that his participation in the program is inspired by his mother, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico.