GSE/DIS: Effective Strategies to Diversify Academic STEM

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

New Mexico State University is assembling leading academic administrators from four Carnegie Doctoral/Research University Extensive institutions that are also either a minority serving institution (MSI) and/or an ADVANCE-funded institution. The working team of administrators will produce a publication tentatively titled "Effective Strategies to Diversify Academic STEM" and a Powerpoint presentation. These products will synthesize, in an accessible, efficient format the rich literature on gender, race/ethnicity and science and technology to provide concrete strategies for recruiting and retaining diverse students and faculty-especially women and minorities. The publication and presentation will be produced over the course of a one-year writing project. Administrators will learn current research on diversity in higher education and then form writing groups in preparation for a retreat-style conference in Summer, 2005. Dissemination will be accomplished in three ways: 1. All participants will agree to make presentations at a conference in their field during the 2006 calendar year. 2. The publication will be sent to the presidents, provosts and deans at all 151 Carnegie Doctoral/Research University Extensive institutions. 3. The NMSU ADVANCE web site, www.nmsu.edu/~advprog, will provide pdf versions of the documents. Intellectual Merit Deans and department heads play a critical role in bringing about institutional change within academia. Leaders at these levels must translate the broad goals and objectives of the institution framed by higher administration (including governing bodies like boards of regents) into concrete outcomes by developing strategies to encourage faculty members to behave in accordance with those goals and objectives. The project emphasizes communication among a diverse group of administrators and co-PIs to educate each other-and then their national peers-about how to diversify STEM fields, especially among the professoriate. Broader Impacts Ultimately, the project seeks to bring about changes within the participating institutions and at all 151 U.S. Carnegie Doctoral/Research University Extensive institutions. Information developed will be presented at 20 or more conferences in various disciplines-including higher education administration, and science and engineering disciplines-reaching broad audiences with concrete research-based information and strategies about how to recruit and retain women and minorities in science and engineering at all levels of academia.