Joseph Dees, 2020 APS Bridge Program Intern

Biography

SPS Chapter: Henderson State University

I’m graduating from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, in May of 2020 with a Degree in Engineering. I have been accepted to several graduate schools. I am currently in the decision process as to which I will be attending. With a future firmly planted in Academia and reaching out to help future generations in their pursuit of knowledge, I look forward to the opportunity to work with the AIP Bridge Program in their efforts to provide an opportunity to Under-Represented Minorities for pursuing Ph.D. studies.

Having traveled down life’s road for many years, I have had the privilege of encountering a wide variety of people and faced many difficulties along the way. Because of these life experiences, I have found a love of promoting knowledge and helping to provide motivation along that road. Having been a tutor, a research assistant, and serving on the national council for the Society of Physics students, my love for Physics and those pursuing research and innovation within that field has grown tremendously, and I know that passion will carry me forward in helping the Bridge Program in its future endeavors.

Internship

Host: American Physical Society

Project

Abstract

In a time where diversity and privilege are being underscored with events around the nation, the plight of underrepresented minority(URM) students becomes more prevalent. Diversity of background and culture is necessary in the research community as that diversity will drive the inclusion of different ideas and techniques for exploring and learning about the past, present, and future. With many studies evaluating how to increase the number of URM students attending and graduating from colleges and universities with a bachelor’s degree, one question still remains. How can we also improve the quality and quantity of these same students that pursue a post-baccalaureate degree? And more specifically, how do we increase the number of URM students attaining a Ph.D. in Physics? While there are programs, such as the APS Bridge Program, all ready in place to assist in reaching these students, the knowledge of these programs is lacking in many of the colleges and universities that are graduating the highest number of URM students in physics. The focus of this discussion is how to increase the distribution of materials, raise awareness of the bridge program, and solicit highly qualified URM applicants to the APS Bridge Program.

Final Presentation

Internship Blog

Week 1: Welcome to the party!!

As I woke up Monday morning, the air was charged with energy. In just a few moments, I would begin my internship journey, maybe a little bittersweet as we were not able to be in Washington, but exciting nonetheless. The rest of the interns, the SPS staff, and I spent the day on a zoom meeting learning the ins and outs of how the summer was to be structured. It was a beautiful day and a great welcome to the summer.

Early Tuesday, I awoke to prepare for my meeting with my mentor. Brián met with me over zoom, and we established a game plan for my summer. My day was spent perusing through files and getting more knowledge of the APS Bridge Program. What an excellent way to support underrepresented minorities and help them in their goals to attain a Ph.D.

On Wednesday, I began to research and work on a gameplan to tackle my summer, meeting with Brián and Natalie. They helped confirm my path and gave me good insight. While the day was extremely productive, I looked forward to the evening activities with much gusto. The other interns and I had decided to play Jackbox games via zoom. Although not everyone was able to make it, we had an exciting time playing and bonding together. I think that our weekly activities are going to become even better as we learn more about one another.

Thursday was spent pouring over the computer, looking for beneficial ways to help the Bridge Program. Of course this was also a very fun and exciting day, I got a package from SPS today!!! Not only did they send me posters, which I plan on framing and hanging in my future office, but they also sent a t-shirt and mug from the 2019 PhysCon. So exciting!! The best part of the care package was the Stuffed Spherical Cow. I was hoping to get one of these, I just never had the right opportunity to purchase it. What an awesome welcome to the summer gift.

As we quickly moved into Friday, I could not believe the first week was coming to a close. With a brief luncheon zoom meeting with a couple of the other interns as well as our supervisors, we closed out the week—what a way to start a crazy summer.

I look forward to the coming weeks and the innovative social activities even though we are spread across the US from one coast to the other.

Week 2:Settling down and reflecting

Wow, what a week. So much turmoil around us, not only with COVID-19 but also in society with #Strike4BlackLives and #ShutDownSTEM. Will life go back to some sense of normal? What will that normal be when it finally returns?

Monday morning rolls around, and I have a million different things hitting me at once. This internship is fantastic, especially since many do not have the opportunity this summer, but doing so from home has its’ disadvantages. My dogs want my attention, my cats want to lay on my computer while I am trying to get my work done, and my wife, as many would understand, wants my attention as well. As I settle in for the day and begin doing my research, I did tell you what I was working on, right? Probably not. So this summer, I have the privilege of working with the APS Bridge Program to try to raise awareness of the program and develop ways to recruit more underrepresented minorities(URMs) in Physics who want to pursue their Ph.D. What an opportunity!!!!

Having found many other programs with a similar focus, but on a much narrower scale, I determined to find out what they were doing that worked and see if it would be a way to proceed. After spending what seemed like an eternity, probably only a few hours, reading through several different websites for a variety of programs, I finally felt like a had a good grasp on what they all had in common and what was different. Oh, I almost forgot, lunch meeting via Zoom, what a great way to socialize when you span across different time zones. I loved the opportunity to get to know some of the other interns, as well as their mentors, better.

Tuesday started off early, especially since I had a progress meeting with my mentor. Compiling the information so that we could have a meaningful discussion took a small bit of time in the morning, but all went well. I presented the data, and it seemed like progress was in the right direction.

Wednesday, oh what a day. Today was #Strike4BlackLives and #ShutDownSTEM. I spent the day in quiet contemplation as I read many articles and researched the plight of blacks in science, and particularly in Physics. Although the day wasn’t about working on my project, it very much coincided with what I was tasked to do. Honestly learned a great deal today, but I also realized how much I still needed to learn. We were supposed to have our intern outing today; however, it ended up getting rescheduled for Thursday. What a shame, I really wanted to take this opportunity to talk to the other interns to understand their feelings and opinions. Hopefully, we can talk tomorrow.

Thursday was spent researching and trying to find contact points with several of the successful programs. With little luck in finding the right people, however, I continued to delve into the programs and successes with a renewed vigor. As the night began to roll around, again, it was to be a postponed evening with the other interns. This time it was moved to Sunday, not a good day for me, but I hoped I would have the opportunity to make it. I spent the rest of the evening considering the sociopolitical turmoil around the US.

Friday, the end of the week, but when you are working virtually from home, it feels no different than any other day. Finally, I was able to make progress, I have some names and email addresses. Now to compose an email and try to make meaningful contact. The day passed fairly quickly, as did the weekend. I was able to poke my head in for just a minute on Sunday night for the intern outing but unfortunately could not stay long. Hopefully, we can touch base more next week.

As I finish up the week, I wonder how much of where I am and what I am is based not on talent and achievement, but on opportunities that were given to me. Someone once said it’s not what you, but who you know. I think it’s more than that. It’s not what you know or who you know, but sometimes it just comes down to where you come from. It is a sad world we live in.

Week 3:Really!!!!

Wait, what did you say??? It can’t be week 3!! Where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday when this crazy summer started. Will anything ever be the same? This summer has been exhilarating. If you had asked me how my internship would work in a virtual environment, I would have called you insane. How can we interact and provide beneficial progress without being in the same location? Well, the summer of COVID-19 and BLM will forever change many work environments and the way we look at our future.

This week has been a whirlwind. I spent most of my week compiling information about various physics departments, undergraduate programs to benefit underrepresented minorities, and graduate programs that serve underrepresented minorities. Only the start of what I need, but I can see where the information may help in the future to reach out to Physics URMs and encourage them in their pursuit of a Ph.D.

I had the opportunity to communicate with several friends and even some strangers. The information has been very eye-opening and provided a focus as to where I should place my attention. More to come on this next week.

Wednesday night, we had a great interaction with many of the other interns over zoom. While most of the evening was spent with icebreaker type questions, I feel that it was an excellent opportunity to get to know my fellow interns better. That is one dynamic of the summer internship that I am definitely missing, the living and relying on each other in a strange environment. I can tell from the diversity of my fellow interns that it would have been a magnificent relationship building and networking opportunity. I hope that our interactions via Zoom allow us to form bonds of friendship that will last long into the future.

As I procrastinated and did not get my blog post done on time this week, I will cut it a bit short. However, look forward to next week as it should be much more informative.

Week 4: What to say

AS I reflect on the events that have passed so far this summer, I can’t imagine how the world is changing. Amidst it all, the fundamental building blocks of the universe are never changing. Our understanding of the changes on a daily basis. With each passing day, it becomes more and more evident the need to find the great thinkers of tomorrow. It is not always the ones that are the most accepted, or those that we think have the most talent that makes the greatest changes in our knowledge. Often, like a thief in the night, we are taken unawares by those that make astounding discoveries. Today there are many scientists and thinkers that are passed over because of their social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. This is a far cry from the idealistic world we imagined would be the 21st century. When the depth of your social network is more important than the talent and knowledge you bring to the table, we lose opportunities for advancement on a daily basis. It is evident that the decisions that we make, whether it be as an individual or as a society, are forever changing the present and the future.

While the task given to me this summer seems small, the weight and importance of ensuring those deserving an opportunity to pursue post=graduate education are afforded the opportunity to become far more pressing with each passing moment. As I begin to reach out to Universities and programs around the nation, the knowledge that it takes so much out of my hands and places it at the whim of a few keystrokes is almost maddening. But in truth, a few keystrokes seem to be what is currently holding so much together. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is impossible to consider life returning to a point where we go about our day by doing more than walking across the hall to our in-home office. Separation of work and home has become almost non-existent. This is our reality—telecommuting to every meeting and interview.

We had our first lousy movie physics night this week. The group chose to watch “The Core.” While there are many things that I could say about the movie, none of them would portray an accurate representation. Through the use of NetFlix party, we all were able to stay synced on the viewing of the movie and also have an interesting perfume. Again, as I prepare to close my eyes and wake up in a new week, I must ask myself how will the world be different tomorrow. Will it be different because of the things that I have done, or maybe things that I have not done.

Week 5: A Time of Remembrance

While there are many things that I could talk about on this day, today is a day of remembrance. You might ask what we are to remember? Two Hundred Forty-Four years ago, our forefathers founded this country. While everyone will agree that this country is not perfect, we can also agree that it is our country. The laws set down all those years ago are what give us the rights that we enjoy today. Thomas Jefferson said it best when he penned the words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These words, while many may debate the intent, still hold true today. It does not matter the color of your skin, the country of your ancestry, how you choose to worship, or to what gender you identify, we all were created with the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

In a time when turmoil spans this great nation, and pandemic grips the throats of humanity, it is all the more prevalent that we should hold this day in remembrance. With each passing day, we must recognize the blood, the sweat, and the tears of every American who has labored to give us the freedoms that we currently enjoy. These freedoms are what make America the nation that she is, and are what separates us from any other nation. In towns all across the country, the celebration of this great day has been placed on hold. John Adams once penned these words, "[Independence Day] will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. " While these celebrations have been removed from many areas, others still continue. But even then, we must celebrate the freedoms we have within each and every home in this great land. I speak not for any reason other than the desire to always keep these freedoms.

If this great nation is to continue, it won’t be politicians and lawmakers that keep us free. It is the duty of every American to remember that each of us has the same rights and liberties. The equality of each of us, though not always practiced, was stated in our founding documents and must be what we continue to strive for today. By joining hands with your neighbors, and your neighborhoods, in your cities, across every state and in every corner of the nation “we the people” can ensure that the America of tomorrow will continue to be better than the America of yesterday and will be a land in which our future generations can be proud to say, “We celebrate the fact, that on this day America was founded, and we are American.

Week 6: Wait, it’s that time all ready!!!

So I feel like I have blinked and my summer has disappeared. With each passing day, the end of the summer draws ever nearer. I’m very thankful for the opportunity this summer has presented. Today I want to reminisce about some of the benefits, as well as the challenges that have been given to all of the interns as we progress through the summer.

Each morning I wake up and get to eat breakfast with my wife. This seems like such a simple thing, but with my departure for grad school quickly approaching, every passing moment is something we both cherish. I also get the opportunity to help with the little challenges that we face on a daily basis. The other night, one of my inside cats escaped. Thankfully, my wife did not have to crawl under the house by herself and rescue poor Arwen. It would have been challenging for me if I had been thousands of miles away. Ahh, yes, she asked me today to fix a couple things around the house. Again, this would be very difficult if I was not at the house to fix it. While each of these seems very minor, every one of them means the world to me. One last blessing that I want to highlight is the fact that I can take my time as I begin packing for my upcoming move. I was so worried that I would have to fly home, throw everything loosely into my car, and then head out on the highway.

Challenges, they are quite long but can be summed into just a few. Forming better bonds with the other interns and the staff. This summer is not only about the work that we can accomplish, while it is very important and helpful to each of the sponsors, but it also is not the only focus. Normally, the summer interns use this opportunity to form bonds of friendship that will last a lifetime and to create networks that will benefit in the long journeys that life has in front of them. We span 4 time zones. It can be very challenging to pin down a time that everyone can be available to hang out and chill. To take time away from each of the many activities that pull at us during our daily lives. We are no longer just down the hall from each other. The benefit of sticking one’s head inside the door and asking, do you want to go hang out, it just doesn’t exist. While I hope that each and every one of us has the opportunity to meet our mentors as well as the SPS staff in person, these 10 weeks would have been a great opportunity to learn more about them and build bonds that would propel us into the future.

This week has been crazy for me, not only have I had the opportunity to compile a list of over 400 universities with the heads of each of their physics department as well as a way to contact them, but I have also reached out to several HBCUs in order to establish communications and ensure knowledge of the APS Bridge Program is being spread to their student populations. The success of future physicists rests on the shoulders of the role models of today. We must ensure that new ideas and fresh eyes are available to examine the challenges of the future. By assisting those to follow after and tapping into the untouched assets of many underrepresented minorities, we ensure not only a bright future but also a future full of diversity and broad thinking. I hope that the next four weeks will provide great progress, but only time will tell.

And finally, I would be remiss not to mention our virtual picnic. Ah, what a glorious time. AS we all gathered to listen to Dr. John Mather but alas he had to postpone his visit. We spent a couple hours playing games and getting to know each other better. It was a very enjoyable time and just another example of challenges that were overcome this summer.