At some point in our professional lives, we all have a bridge to cross. More often than not, an inspiring mentor has been critical in helping us along the way. This is most true when undergraduate students aspire to transition into graduate studies from being passive receptors of knowledge into full-fledged research innovators. For many, this is a daunting challenge beset with hurdles, not all of them relevant to the eventual success as a creator of knowledge. In this article, we discuss some initiatives under way to address the lack of diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Our aim is to touch on some of the most recent developments that are especially of interest to the Materials Research Society (MRS) and its members. Click here to read more.