Over the next ten years, the United States will need to train an additional 1.9 million workers in the sciences. Increased participation of women and minorities is essential in meeting the projected need for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering (SME) workers. Women, who received 56% of B.A.'s overall, comprised 37% of the SME bachelor degrees conferred in 1998, while underrepresented minorities received just 12% of SME degrees awarded. A recent national study examining trends in undergraduate education reveals a steady decline in student interest in the physical sciences and mathematics over the last 30 years. African-Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans possess strong cultural values of group and community membership that may be at odds with the perceived levels of individualism and competition associated with the sciences. For women, perceptions of competition and difficulty with majoring in the sciences are paired with low self-ratings of ability in analytical fields that have traditionally been male-dominated. There are also retention issues that must be addressed. Approximately 50% of students entering college with the intention of majoring in SME change majors within the first two years. This digest reports on some of the innovative programs that are being developed in order to address these problems. Contains 12 references. (NB)