Getting a Clear Picture: An Institutional Ethnography of Women STEM Faculty at UAF

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) and a sociologist, working with an external advisory board and an ad hoc internal advisory committee, will gather data about the status of women faculty in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). They will conduct an institutional ethnography - a comprehensive research project on women STEM faculty at UAF, focusing on how social institutions shape women's experiences as STEM faculty. The project seeks to get a clear picture of women STEM faculty so leaders among the faculty, staff, and administration can begin to brainstorm institutional changes that will transform UAF into a model of gender equity. UAF is unique; it is America's Arctic University, and is located in an extreme climate and remote locale. A comparatively small university, UAF has several internationally admired STEM programs. The project will begin with a review of two previous studies of UAF, including the University of Alaska Faculty Opinion Survey (2003), and the Study of Faculty Work Life at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2005). The latter was conducted by the UAF Faculty Senate Committee on the Status of Women and contains questions specific to women faculty. The second phase of the project is a comprehensive review of national data and analyses of women in the STEM disciplines and project reports of selected NSF ADVANCE projects. The third, and most time-intensive and resource-intensive phase of the project will generate new data specific to women STEM faculty at UAF. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to gather data. Qualitative methods include focus groups with women STEM faculty, men STEM faculty, and assigned mentors of STEM faculty. Confidential interviews will be conducted with deans in STEM-based colleges, directors of STEM research units, women at UAF who were formerly STEM faculty members but who are now members of UAF administration, and non-retained women STEM faculty. Quantitative methods of gathering data on UAF women STEM faculty include analysis of institutional data gathered by UA Statewide, data kept by UAF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, and a climate survey of all STEM faculty at UAF. Institutional merit: The proposed project will allow the researchers to theorize how gender inequalities are structural and institutional in nature. The cutting edge approach of examining gender inequality as institutional will yield essential information for concurrent planning for institutional transformation. Broader impacts: Getting a clear picture of the status of women STEM faculty at UAF will allow planning for institutional transformation to take place. It is also anticipated that women STEM faculty will be more likely to choose UAF, to stay at UAF, and to become excellent teachers and researchers because the climate will be more equitable as a result of the proposed study. The participation of underrepresented groups, particularly women and Alaska Natives, will be broadened. The project is expected to generate much local and regional attention and interest.