| Date | Event |
| April 2010 | Nature publishes the article, “Keystone Takes Minority Views on Board,” by Kendall Powell in the April 1, 2010 issue of the Journal. |
| March 2010 | Andy Robertson initiates contact with the American Indian College Fund based in Denver and begins discussions. Yvonne Psaila, Director of Marketing develops a second ad campaign for placement in the Winds of change publication which is distributed nationally at Native American colleges, academic programs, community programs and other sites. |
| March 2010 | Diversity in Life Science Programs (DLSP) initiates a review of the landscape of existing network data bases on URM scientists nationally for the purpose of informing its efforts in URM network data base development. |
| March 2010 | Keystone Symposia holds teleconference with Irene Hulede, Operations Manager for the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMSJ), sponsored by the American Society of Microbiology (ASM), to discuss continued collaboration including the Keystone Symposia/ABRCMS Travel Awards, mentoring of ABRCMS research award winners and guidance by Keystone Symposia for award winners in selecting specific Keystone Symposia conferences to attend. |
| March 2010 | Keystone Symposia awarded a $1.37M NIH MARC T-36 Grant to expand initiatives in diversity. The grant titled, Empowering Visible Ethnic Minority Scientists and Trainees at Keystone Symposia, was authored by Andy Robertson and Heather Gerhart, Grant Coordinator and Program Analyst. |
| February 2010 | Andy Robertson invites Linda Burhansstipanov, Grants Director and Brenda Seals, Executive Director of the Native American Cancer Research Corp. (NACRC) to the Keystone Symposia headquarters to give a presentation on the work of the NACRC and to discuss how Keystone Symposia might collaborate with the NACRC. |
| January 2010 | Dr. Jerry Bryant, a microbiologist and Director of the UNCF-Merck Initiative, and UNCF Science Education Initiatives, delivered an invited presentation at the January 2010 Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) meetings in Keystone, Colorado. |
| January 2010 | Andy Robertson initiates a networking activity with research scientists and science administrators whereby each time he is scheduled to fly out of DIA he meets with individuals at the University of Colorado at Denver HSC/Aurora, Colorado State University or other individuals in the Denver/Boulder metroplex as part of Keystone Symposia's outreach to the "local scientific community." Such efforts compliment regular outreach by Laina King to researchers and individuals in the same geographic area. |
| December 2009 | Amgen advised Keystone Symposia of intent to provide $15,000 for each of 2 years to support the Keystone Symposia Fellows Program and other diversity initiatives underway. This funding resulted from the work of Dr. Jo Viney at Amgen, VP James Taylor at Amgen and Dr. Chris Atwood, Director of Development at Keystone Symposia. |
| December 2009 | DLSP contacts the winners of Keystone Symposia/Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) and provides mentoring and guidance regarding Keystone Symposia conference selection, connection with organizers of the conference selected and sharing of this information with Dr. Cliff Houston, founder of ABRCMS and professor at UTMB-Galveston, and Amy Chang, Director of Education Programs at the American Society of Microbiology the sponsor of ABRCMS. |
| December 2009 | Andy Robertson, CSO was notified by representatives at NIH of their "intent to fund" the NIH-T-58 grant proposal written by him and Heather Gerhart in December 2008. |
| November 2009 | Laina King asked to make remarks during the Postdoctoral Workshop session at ABRCMS conference in Phoenix, Arizona. |
| October 2009 | Gustavo Miranda-Carboni researcher at UCLA, Andy Robertson, Laina King and Heather Gerhart present first Keystone Symposia workshop at the annual meetings of the Society for the Advance of Chicano and Native American Students (SACNAS) conference in Dallas. The title of the workshop was "How to Get the Most Out of a Small Scientific Meeting," and was attended by approximately 170 and with an average post conference survey score of 63.48%. Keystone Symposia had an exhibitor booth for the 4th year at the conference. |
September 2009 -
June 2010 | The Keystone Symposia Scholarship Program headed by Jeff Lehman in the program Implementation Department awarded 46 scholarships to URM scientists’ attending our conferences during September 2009-June 2010. A total of 219 travel awards were made to graduate students, postdoctoral students, and industry trainees from emerging nations. |
September –
October 2009 | Review, analysis of KS Fellows application process, identification of additional quality control measures, evaluation of what was learned for utilization with future application process. Development of evaluation document to share with applicants was a mentoring and teaching mechanism for applicants and those who inquired about the program. Sharing of outcomes analysis with DAC assessment of why there was such a large degree of interest nationally in this unique program. Further analysis of KS expectations of Fellows admitted to the program. Involvement of 2008-2009 Inaugural Class Fellows in the assessment of the process. |
| September 2009 | Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) meeting via teleconference call. Such meetings provide an oversight function for the Keystone Symposia and its initiatives in diversity. |
| September 2009 | Keystone Symposia initiates a "Peer-to-Peer" activity at each of its research conferences. A formal letter is sent from the Director of Diversity in Life Science Programs (DLSP) to all scientists who indicate ethnic membership in a U.S. designated underrepresented minority (URM) population at the time of registration. These registrants are asked if they wish to meet with other URM scientists prior to the keynote address as a way of enhancing connectedness at the conference and post the conference. |
| September 2009 | The Keystone Symposia Fellows Program Admissions Committee admitted 5 applicants for the 2009-2010 year--the first year post the pilot year of the program. |
| August -December 2009 | Outreach visits and presentations are made by Laina King to researchers, faculty, graduate students and postdocs at University of Colorado at Denver HSC/Aurora, Brown University, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central University-Durham, Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO)-La Jolla and University of California-San Diego. |
| July 2009 | Creation and design of KS Fellowship Program application for admission templates including KS statement of mission and vision; and list of application requirements completed by DLSP. First applications mailed by request to interested individuals 20 July 2009. |
| July 2009 | Keystone Symposia announces September 1, 2009 deadline date for application submissions for the Keystone Symposia Fellows Program year 2009-2010. |
| July 2009 | KS holds internal review meeting on scholarship and award programs including the Global Travel Awards, KS Scholarship Program, KS Fellowship Program and Regional Registration Only Awards. Decision made to include the term “Bicultural” in the list of ethnic membership options in scholarship applications. |
| July 2009 | Keystone Symposia held internal meeting on KS Scholarship Programs/Funding Mechanisms. Decisions made on nomenclature, strategic mission and focus. |
| June 2009 | Laina King presents KS URM and gender participation data to BoD and SAB. |
| June 2009 | The first KS Fellows conclude formal part of inaugural fellowship year and program. Plaques presented. |
| May 2009 | Keystone Symposia’s Marketing Department headed by Yvonne Psaila develops the first ad for placement in the Winds of Change annual publication. |
| May 2009 | Laina King developed 5 year plan to enhance URM participation. KS staff provides significant input to on-going actions of the plan. |
| May 2009 | Dr. JoAnn Trejo, UC-San Diego invited to join the KS SAB as an ad hoc member. |
| May 2009 | KS Internal Work Group on Initiatives in Diversity. Video from MIT First Annual Congress on Diversity shown. Mike Summers, UMBC presentation on video. |
| May 2009 | Heather Gerhart and Laina King attend 3rd Annual Understanding Interventions Which Broaden participation in Research Careers conference—Bethesda, MD. Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan HHMI-Chevy Chase present and Dr. Cliff Poodry from NIH. Multi-level networking, discussion with Dr. Alberto Roca, SACNAS Board regarding postdoctoral student network he is developing. |
| April 2009 | Dr. Ismana Carney contacted Keystone Symposia regarding potential collaboration on a grant-funded project addressing advance science degree attainment by Native American students. KS provided a letter of support for the NSF grant application. |
| April 2009 | KS workshop proposal accepted for October 2009 annual SACNAS meetings in Dallas/Fort Worth. |
| March 2009 | KS Cardiovascular Risk conference in Ashville, NC. Meeting had been focus of many efforts to inform URM graduate and postdoctoral students regarding this conference. |
| February 2009 | Laina King attends annual American Council on Education (ACE) conference and 3rd Annual National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) conference in Washington D.C. Spoke with President Freeman Hrabowski, UMBC, and other individuals working in the diversity field as well as STEM and life sciences. |
| January 2009 | KS Fellows attend KS SAB meeting in Keystone |
| January 2009 | Andy Robertson and Heather Gerhart write and submit NIH, MARC T-36 Training Grant |
| December 2008 | Laina King made invited presentation at American Society for Cell Biology–Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) meetings, networking activities, invited remarks by Laina King at UNCF Fellows dinner—San Francisco |
| November 2008 | Admission of 3 research scientists into the pilot KS Fellows Program. |
| October 2008 | 2nd KS Internal Work Group Meeting on Initiatives in Diversity |
| October 2008 | Andy Robertson, Laina King and Dana Wood attended ABRCMS conference in Orlando. KS awarded 2 scholarships to award winners, multi-level networking, initial discussions with Dr. Cliff Houston, Founder of ABRCMS regarding possible collaborations. |
| October 2008 | Andy Robertson, Laina King and Heather Gerhart attend annual SACNAS conference in Salt Lake City. Engaged in multi-level networking, reviewed student research posters. |
| September 2008 | First face-to-face meeting of DAC, Breckenridge, CO |
| September 23-28, 2008 | First implementation of initial suggestions of Keystone Symposia meetings from focus group. Andy Robertson holds informal session on “How to Get the Most Out of a Meeting.” Laina King, Andy Robertson and Heather Gerhart present poster at poster session, “Diversity – Perspectives and Limitations: How you as a scientist can help.” |
| August 11-12, 2008 | Laina King invited to tour basic science laboratories at National Jewish, Univ. of Colorado at Denver-Aurora by Phil Sanchez, Ph.D. and Ernesto Salcedo, Ph.D. Jesus Rivera-Nieves, M.D. invites Laina to tour his research lab at Univ. of Colorado at Denver HSC and discuss networking strategies to enhance participation at Keystone Symposia meetings |
| July 16, 2008 | Formal report on the first focus group is generated |
| July 7, 2008 | Invited focus group participants arrive at Keystone Lodge for evening reception and all day meetings July 7 and 8. Informal reception held evening of July 7. |
| June 20, 2008 | Laina King, DLSP presents report during Board of Directors meeting at Keystone Lodge titled, Perspectives and Initiatives: A Report on Diversity Activity. The focus group effort is discussed as part of the qualitative research effort on diversity enhancement |
| Early June 2008 | Letters of invitation with corresponding email messages and telephone calls go out to invitees |
| Late May 2008 | Identification of focus group invitation list from subgroup of Keystone Symposia Underrepresented Minorities scholarship recipients |
| April 2008 | Conference call between DAC and Keystone Symposia staff to discuss the NIH T36 grant application outline |
| April 2008 | Keystone Symposia appoints Dr. Laina King, Director of DLSP to a new full time, exempt position to lead and coordinate diversity activities |
| February 2008 | A. P. Sloan Grant funded |
| December 2007 | Conference call between DAC and Keystone Symposia staff to discuss recruiting for the position Director, Diversity in life Sciences and grant development for the A.P. Sloan proposal |
| November 2007 | Andy Robertson and Dana Wood attend ABRCMS |
| October 2007 | Andy Robertson and Heather Gerhart attend SACNAS meetings in Kansas City, MO. |
| October 2007 | Submission of A.P. Sloan grant application |
| September 2007 | Established Keystone Symposia/ABRCMS Travel Awards – 2 awards (student registration and up to $1,000 in travel subsidy) per year. Recipients are determined by a blind drawing from among student attendees at ABRCMS who have received an award for their oral or poster presentation at the meeting. Keystone Symposia has committed to 4 years (8 awards). |
| July 2007 | Conference call between DAC and Keystone Symposia staff to discuss Diversity Initiative Plan Outline, including actions, targets and objective measures |
| April 2007 | Initial development of A. P. Sloan grant application to support diversity initiative, including idea of focus group |
| April 2007 | Andy Robertson and Heather Gerhart visit NIH & HHMI to share Keystone Symposia Diversity plan and invite Dr. Tuajuanda Jordon to participate on Diversity Advisory Committee |
| Spring 2007 | Diversity Advisory Committee recruitment |
| Mid-fall 2006 | Andy Robertson CSO and Phillippa Kassover, Director of Development meet with Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in New York, NY. |
| Fall 2006 | Andy Robertson CSO and Heather Gerhart, Grants Coordinator/Program Analyst attend conference on diversity, University of Washington – Seattle |
| April –September 2006 | Email dialogue between Mike Summers and Andy Robertson |
| March 2006 | Publication of Summers and Hrabowski article in Science. CSO review and contact of Dr. Summers. Article, “Preparing Minority Scientists and Engineers.” 31 MARCH 2006 VOL 311 SCIENCE; Page 1870-1871. |
| 2001-2002 | Keystone Symposia received a $50,000 grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to support participation of URM scientists attending our conferences |
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