Engaging and Retaining Women Veterans in the STEM Workforce: An NSF INCLUDES DCL Conference to Broaden the Pipeline from Service to STEM

Education Development Center, Waltham MA

Investigators

Abstract

This NSF INCLUDES Conference on Engaging and Retaining Women Veterans in the STEM Workforce is created in response to the NSF INCLUDES program's Dear Colleague Letter (DCL): Supporting the Re-Entry of Women and Women Veterans in the STEM Workforce through NSF INCLUDES (NSF 19-038). The Education Development Center (EDC) will develop and host this convening to address the unique barriers and opportunities for women veterans, particularly those from populations underrepresented in STEM fields, to (re)engage in the STEM workforce. While much is known about the needs of veterans and the transition from service to civilian life, including the specific needs of women veterans, there is still much work to be done to ensure that those who have served the United States can leverage their experiences and leadership expertise into economic opportunities. This convening will raise awareness and provide information to advance services to women veterans and the STEM workforce by providing an opportunity for the various stakeholders to review and analyze the body of knowledge that currently exists, stimulate new ideas and development, and facilitate collaboration across the different stakeholder groups and efforts aimed at helping women veterans transition to civilian life and careers. This convening will bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers; leadership representing universities and community colleges, nonprofit organizations, and federal agencies that serve veterans; and women veterans to address issues through an intersectional lens. The multi-stakeholder group will take a comprehensive approach toward bringing actionable change toward strengthening the pipeline from service to STEM for women veterans. The goals of this convening will be to (1) synthesize the disparate constellations of services available to women veterans, especially those regarding STEM workforce reentry, (2) develop products and publications that will galvanize industry and academia to approach veteran workforce reentry with renewed purpose, and (3) inspire transformative innovation through thoughtful and wide-reaching dissemination of these products. The effort will ultimately lead to a comprehensive report and webinar series that will further the national dialogue about the importance of policies and programs to support women veterans in seeking greater economic opportunities through STEM work. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.