For Asian American Students, Science Success Bears A Cost

Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Asian Americans in academic science. It addresses issues concerning Asian American students. The second part, to appear in the May 29 issue, will examine the representation of Asian Americans on academic faculties and in university administration. A growing number of government and private programs throughout the United States are aimed at increasing the ranks of underrepresented minorities in university science classrooms. But one mino

Myrna Watanabe

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Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Asian Americans in academic science. It addresses issues concerning Asian American students. The second part, to appear in the May 29 issue, will examine the representation of Asian Americans on academic faculties and in university administration.

A growing number of government and private programs throughout the United States are aimed at increasing the ranks of underrepresented minorities in university science classrooms. But one minority group--those of Asian ancestry- -is commonly perceived to be disproportionately represented in academia compared to the general population.

MAKING IT BIG: Founder Chang Yi Want, center, talks with United Biomedical staff.

Statistics from the National Science Foundation and other governmental and professional organizations seem to confirm this perception. Anecdotal evidence obtained by The Scientist through interviews and correspondence over the Internet also point toward a substantial Asian representation in the academic student body.

For Asian ...

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