Many members of AT&T Labs Research are volunteer leaders of programs, like those described below, related to our historic mission of encouraging young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

Young Science Achievers

The Young Science Achievers Program® encourages high school students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, especially minority and other students currently underrepresented in those fields. Each year, participating students execute a science project with help from professional scientists who volunteer to help students formulate a budget, write a formal proposal, and then execute the project. With grants provided by the program, students purchase needed equipment and materials for the project, all of which remains with the school at the project’s conclusion.

Young Science Achievers Program is a nonprofit organization that evolved from the Bell Labs Science Grant Program started in 1988. For more information, see http://www.ysap.org/. To talk to a researcher involved in the program, contact Alicia Abella.
 
MentorNet

MentorNet pairs community college, undergraduate, and graduate students in STEM fields with experienced STEM professionals in industry and academia for electronic mentoring relationships.  Mentors and student protégés communicate electronically, via e-mail or social networks, making it convenient and fun for mentors to provide their protégé with advice, encouragement, and access to professional networks.  Since 1997, MentorNet has matched more than 25,000 pairs of students and mentors.
 
MentorNet was funded with start-up grants from the AT&T and Intel Foundations. Today, many other companies, professional organizations, national laboratories and universities participate.
 
To learn more, visit http://www.mentornet.net/. To talk to an AT&T researcher involved in the program, contact Mary Fernandez.

North New Jersey Regional Science Fair

The NJRSF brings together high school students from northern New Jersey to compete in several science and engineering categories. The student exhibits are judged by scientists and engineers who volunteer their time to work with students and teachers to support the science efforts of students. The science fair is highly regarded, with some high schools competing every year and incorporating the fair into their science curriculum.

The fair provides the only route for students from ten counties in Northern New Jersey to gain entry to the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), administered by the Society for Science and the Public in Washington, DC.

The fair was originally founded by AT&T researchers at Murray Hill in 1983. AT&T continues as a sponsor with other organizations. For more information, go to http://www.njrsf.org/ or contact  AT&T Researcher Ken Lyons.

With our AT&T CARES program, Research also supports community-based programs such as blood drives, food banks, and fundraising events, such as AT&T researchers raising money to send children to the Shrine circus or participating in the March of Dimes walk.