ADVANCE IT Catalyst -Towards Gender Equity in Research Participation within STEM Disciplines at Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

The Tennessee State University ADVANCE IT Catalyst project seeks to attract, retain, and promote women faculty engaged in STEM disciplines at TSU. The purpose of the project is to provide STEM women faculty with the support and coordination necessary to propel them to greater numbers and success in academia with an emphasis on scholarly and research productivity. Specifically, the proposed project will collect and assess data in order to design a sustainable, institution-wide strategic and tactical plan to attract and retain tenure-track women faculty in STEM fields. IT-Catalyst support will also serve to finance provide opportunity for personnel to assemble and assess statistical data on the comparative status of TSU STEM women. Intellectual Merit. The intellectual merit of the proposed project is grounded in several key themes, including: the systematic collection and analysis of faculty data regarding recruitment, development and retention of women, including women of color, in STEM fields at TSU; the use of comprehensive source data; and, the investigation into the suitability and effectiveness of best practices developed by emerging research institutions, research intensive institutions and ADVANCE institutions. Broader Impacts. The broader impact of the proposed project lies in enhancing the research enterprise such that the institution builds its capacity to serve as a resource for economic growth in the region. A greater broader impact of this project is that its findings will be useful for other HBCUs and minority serving institutions and serve as an ADVANCE model for these institution types.