Twelve divisions and institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) cosponsored this conference to examine the barriers to participation of Puerto Ricans in the United States to careers in science and biomedicine. Areas addressed during the conference included: (1) perspectives from the NIH; (2) historical and modern perspectives of Hispanic contributions to American life; (3) statistical profile of enrollments, degrees, and science/engineering labor force (including 15 tables); (4) education of Puerto Ricans in the United States; (5) status of science in Puerto Rico; (6) organizing Puerto Rican scientists; and (7) recommendations, including those relating to pre-college education, college and graduate education, employment and professional status, compiling a directory of Puerto Rican scientists and engineers, and establishing a network of Puerto Rican scientists, engineers, and students. (SK)