A panel of distinguished African-American scientists gathered to discuss the future of minorities in science, engineering and mathematics last night in the Arco Forum at the Kennedy School of Government.

The panel focused on how minorities can bolster the science and math skills of students of color and how to cultivate the interest of minorities in those academic areas.

The event at the Arco Forum was part of the fourth annual conference on American Minorities in Science, Engineering and Mathematics in the Twenty-First Century, sponsored by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

As part of this weekend's conference, Shirley A. Jackson, chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a distinguished theoretical physicist, was given the Harvard Foundation Award for her contributions to intercultural and race relations.

Jackson, who is the first black and the first woman ever to become Chair of the NRC, spoke earlier yesterday at a luncheon reception held in her honor at Pforzheimer House.

Panel Discussion

At the Arco Forum last night, panel participants were largely in agreement that minority students must be careful not to isolate themselves from other members of scientific communities.

The participants also agreed that minority students must be flexible in their plans and ambitions to deal with the volatile job market in these areas.

The comments of one speaker, Dr. Harold Amos, Harvard Medical School professor of microbiology and molecular genetics emeritus, drew fire from a handful of audience members.

"We [minority communities] have been finding excuses for not doing things. We have to encourage science in our communities," Amos said.

According to Amos, there is not enough of an intellectual environment in the homes and communities of minorities for science to flourish. Minorities must take more responsibility for the lack of scientists among their numbers, Amos said.

Despite the suggestion by a few audience members that the educational system, not the minority community, is to blame for the lack of minorities in the sciences, other speakers came to his defense.

"There is a lack of exposure [to science], a lack of a success model in our community. In the end, we have to save ourselves," Jackson said.

Honorary Reception

In her remarks at the luncheon reception yesterday, Jackson related her experience as a "trailblazer," at MIT, part of a small community of African-American students at the school during the '60s and early '70s.

She was the first black woman to receive a doctoral degree in any subject from MIT.