Fostering a more diverse graduate program in physics: MS-to-PhD Bridge Program, holistic admissions, APS support, and institutional commitment

Lack of diversity in physics and other STEM PhD programs is a well-known chronic problem. In recent years, less than 7% of domestic physics PhDs awarded nationwide have gone to students from underrepresented minority (URM) groups, even though they make up 35% of the college age population. Increasing diversity in a physics PhD program can seem to be a daunting task, especially if the program receives a low number of “traditionally qualified” applicants from URM groups who are also actively recruited by other universities. I will discuss activities and strategies at the Ohio State University (OSU) that preceded and coincided with an increase in the representation of URM students in the OSU Physics PhD program from less than 5% of domestic students in 2012 to almost 20% in 2017. These include building a core group of committed faculty colleagues, establishing an MS-to-PhD Bridge program (inspired by successful STEM Bridge programs at San Francisco State, Fisk-Vanderbilt, and Michigan), partnering with the APS Bridge Program for nationwide recruiting and other support, working with colleagues in Physics Education Research to develop new academic support programs, expanding holistic PhD admissions practices, and securing commitments of on-going support from offices and units around campus. I will also discuss on-going and future efforts, opportunities, and obstacles for increasing diversity in graduate programs at OSU and elsewhere. I would like to acknowledge the essential contributions of OSU Bridge Program Co-Director Jay Gupta and many other colleagues who have worked so hard to help these efforts succeed.