Collaborative Research: The Women Engineering Faculty Leadership Network

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

While the number of women engineering faculty in entry-level positions continues to grow, the demographics of the engineering academy clearly show a scarcity of women in mid-career and senior-level faculty positions. Although individual institutions can progress in their efforts to increase the participation of women engineering faculty in leadership positions, the scarcity and isolation of women engineering faculty make change slow and difficult without the support of faculty from other institutions. Therefore, it is imperative that steps be taken to connect women engineering faculty members from around the country to discuss and explore the challenges and opportunities of academic leadership. We propose to catalyze widespread institutional change through the development of the "Women Engineering Faculty Leadership Network," a central training and mentoring program/community for 1) transformative leadership skills development; 2) mentoring support for women engineering faculty, and 3) making critical connections between existing organizations that provide services supporting women engineers both in education and industry. Transformative leadership is founded on the concept of collaborative leadership, i.e., leadership that is shared among members of an organization. This form of leadership emphasizes the importance of trust, open communication, shared vision, and shared power. The core of collaborative leadership is a commitment to enhancing the human capital of another for the advancement of a common cause; it is a model of stewardship that can affect change at all levels, from eliminating the micro-climate inequities found in departments to reshaping the broader aspects of institutional culture. We propose to bring these future women faculty leaders together in a supportive environment to learn transformative leadership techniques, which are not commonly practiced by the male-dominated faculty in their own institution, and to partner them with successful women academic leaders who can help prepare them for the challenges of academic leadership. This proposal seeks to bring women engineering faculty together to effect institutional change through a grassroots effort to increase the number and rank of women engineers in academic leadership positions nationwide. To accomplish this goal we propose sponsoring Leadership Development Conferences, Advanced Leadership Conferences, SWE conference workshop, an Institutional Transformation/Advance Leadership Workshop and a Leadership Summit, as well as creating a unique women faculty mentoring e-community. We believe these activities will have a major impact on transforming the academic environment across the nation by including gender-equity issues in leadership training material and transforming the paradigm of academic roles and rewards. This proposal is being submitted as a collaborative proposal between Iowa State University, Louisiana State University, University of Central Florida, University of Connecticut, Syracuse University, and the University of Utah with collaborators from the University of Texas, El Paso, University of Maryland, University of Pennsylvania, University of Connecticut, University of California, Davis, University of Guelph, Canada, and Kettering University. Other faculty from Howard University, Texas Christian University, and Northeastern University have agreed to serve on the Executive Board of the project. Broader Impacts Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Groups: The networking, training, and web-centered mentoring will support the professional development of women engineering faculty and, specifically, leadership development. The importance of diversity is central to this proposal. Enhance Infrastructure for Research and Education: This program will enhance the organizational and human infrastructure of academic institutions. The partnering in the proposed activities crosses geographical, disciplinary, and institutional boundaries. The broader impact of this program will include a cadre of leaders who will help to motivate and sustain a new paradigm of academic roles and rewards. Broad Dissemination: The program will result in a new network of mentors. The program will build new connections among organizations, which will serve to both broaden and strengthen diversity efforts. Benefits to Society: Leadership is essential to institutional change, and the leadership model in this program is founded on values that will improve the institution and its ability to serve society.