CNS Core: EAGER: Building Leadership Capacity and Support for Women of Color Faculty

University Of Texas At Dallas, Richardson TX

Investigators

Abstract

Engineering affects the health and vitality of a nation unlike any other profession, and the future of engineering is inextricably connected to broadening the participation of underrepresented groups at the highest levels of society. This project provides and promotes leadership development amongst the most underrepresented population of faculty and administrators in higher education, Women of Color (blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and American Indians or Alaska Natives). Approximately 50 mid- to senior- level, women of color, computing and engineering faculty have been identified to participate in this project. The project will occur in three phases in each of the two years. The first phase of this project focuses on helping women of color, computing and engineering faculty understand who they are as potential leaders, via a set of leadership development assessments. The second phase brings these women together with senior colleagues and certified facilitators to learn about leadership strategies and tools; to assist participants in interpreting the results of their individual assessments; to develop a personal, leadership development plan; to facilitate discussion on case studies related to leadership and management; and to describe the role race and gender play for women in leadership positions and organizational advancement. The third phase builds a strategic alliance across a subset of historically underrepresented and often overlooked members of the computing and engineering professoriate to encourage and support their advancement into STEM leadership positions. Upon completion of this project there will be a cadre of women of color leaders equipped and prepared to step into academic leadership positions (i.e. Department Chair/Head, Dean, Provost, President) or a senior research/technical leadership role (i.e. Director of an Institute or Research Center). Additionally, the project will have created a network of mid- and- senior women of color who can provide support to one another as they advance through higher education’s administrative ranks. This work, and subsequent projects modeled like it, are critically important to increasing the proportion of leaders who are women and positioning them for success. 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.