center, data on trends and changes in the job market, and links to the many useful on-line books, job and research funding listings, and disciplinary society web sites. The NextWave has open forums on topical issues, feature articles on alternative science careers, site reviews, news articles, and nuts-and-bolts science career advice columns.

Minority-group students can obtain guidance and scholarship aid through NACME, Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Ave., Suite 2212, New York, NY 10118-2299 (Telephone, 212/279-2626; URL, http://www.nacme.org). The New England Board of Higher Education also has materials of value for minority-group and other students (45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111; Telephone, 617/357-9620; Fax, 617/338-1577; URL, http://www.nebhe.org). Remember, however, that e-mail is not always confidential.

A number of organizations focus on gender-related issues. Two key organizations are the Association of Women in Science (http://www.awis.org) and the Society of Women Engineers (http://www.swe.org). They should be able to provide guidance or point you toward a related discipline-specific organization.

Students with disabilities may obtain guidance from the following organizations:

• Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD); 614/488­4972. Promotes education, communication, and training.

• Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC); 800/848­4815. A focus on disability issues.