Partnerships for Adaptation, Implementation, and Dissemination (PAID): Creating a Culture of Success for Women in Engineering and Science

Louisiana Tech University, Ruston LA

Investigators

Abstract

The College of Engineering and Science (COES) at Louisiana Tech proposes to implement an ADVANCE PAID project, ADVANCEing Faculty , which has as its mission advancing women in STEM disciplines. Specifically, this project will address climate issues with twice weekly Faculty Lunches; a formal faculty mentoring program; innovative worklife policies and support (release time and graduate student assistance); and training modules for administrators/faculty on climate issues. To promote retention/promotion, the project will establish a grant writing program, career networking awards and a distinguished lectureship program to facilitate networking and collaboration with experts from around the country. To enhance professional development this project will offer an executive coaching program; career development workshops; and an annual awards banquet to recognize performance accomplishments. Additionally, specific resources will be created to support: training for administrators and faculty; best practices for recruitment and retention; a talking-points guide on institutional policies; and a resource for guide/coach/mentor best practices. Internally, we will share these through workshops and the OWISE office. Intellectual Merit. This project will adapt existing ADVANCE programs to an innovative interdisciplinary engineering and science team-based environment which should yield greater impact and success. The primary objectives of this project are to: 1) provide a framework and resources to educate all faculty and enable women faculty in STEM to participate in a supportive work environment, reduce isolation, and enhance retention, research productivity and job satisfaction, and 2) apply social cognitive career theory (SCCT), which suggests that beliefs in self-efficacy strongly affect ability to perform career-related tasks and are shaped by (1) personal success experiences, (2) exposure to successful role models, (3) social and verbal persuasive communication, and (4) maintaining a positive work environment. Broader Impact. Given the strong history and focus of this institution on interdisciplinary interaction, this project will serve as an experimental baseline for innovative programs that can be disseminated to other settings. Also, this project will directly impact not only women faculty in STEM fields, through training, mentoring and networking initiatives, but also all faculty and administrators at the university, as well as the women undergraduate and graduate students with whom they teach an interact, by way of the training modules and increased success and numbers of women faculty and leaders in STEM at the university. Further, the innovative programs developed through this program will be widely disseminated via national conferences (WEPAN, ASEE, SWE and FIE) and a program website, as well as the WEPAN digital Knowledge Center.