ADVANCE Leadership Award: Women Faculty in STEM Fields: The HBCU Baseline Study

Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Although literature exists which describes the general dearth of women faculty in STEM academic programs, no specific or current data describes the status of women at HBCUs. It is the purpose of this one-year ADVANCE Leadership Award to propose to investigate the status of women STEM faculty at the 106 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Specifically, this project will seek to determine if (a) Clark Atlanta University, one of only three doctoral granting HBCUs, is representative of other HBCUs, and if (b) HBCUs, as a group, reflect the status of women faculty in science and engineering at majority institutions. Additionally, this project will seek to identify through the development and dissemination of a national database, the STEM faculty women at HBCUs, as well as their areas of specialty and research. Finally, Clark Atlanta University proposes to convene the first national conference of HBCU women STEM faculty designed to focus on the best practices for advancing women in science and engineering at HBCUs. A team of nationally recognized experts, including representatives from the original nine ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Awardees, will be invited to lead and facilitate these discussions.