ADVANCE Adaptation: Advancing Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in STEM (AIDE-STEM)

Cuny City College, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

TThe overall goal of the City College of New York (CCNY) 's ADVANCE Adaptation project is to implement institutional transformation that fosters an equitable and supportive professional environment for all faculty, with a particular emphasis on women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) STEM faculty. The persistent underrepresentation of women and BIPOC faculty in STEM at CCNY and across the nation undermines the attainment of a diverse, well-prepared STEM workforce and national prosperity. The reasons for the persistent underrepresentation are complex. The solutions to address this persistent underrepresentation require new and multi-faceted integrative approaches rooted in the primary forces that drive academic careers: research, teaching, and service. This project will work to ensure that women and BIPOC faculty are supported so they can thrive in all three of these pillars. The project has three key activities: 1. Increase the promotion, retention, and mentoring of women and BIPOC STEM faculty. 2. Improve workload equity and internal support for research and collaboration. 3. Foster an inclusive environment for all by decreasing systemic racism. CCNY is uniquely positioned in the CUNY educational system because it includes the CUNY School of Medicine and Grove School of Engineering. Results from a prior NSF ADVANCE Catalyst award at CCNY have informed the development and design of the current project. The Catalyst institutional self-assessment work, which included faculty interviews and climate surveys, indicated that women and BIPOC faculty have differential experiences in mentoring, understanding of policies and procedures, and career progression at CCNY. The CCNY project will adapt best practices from several past ADVANCE institutions. Together, the suite of activities is comprehensive and designed to address the systemic issues identified in the Catalyst project and faculty surveys. The NSF ADVANCE program is designed to foster gender equity through a focus on the identification and elimination of organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of diverse faculty in academic institutions. Organizational barriers that inhibit equity may exist in policies, processes, practices, and the organizational culture and climate. ADVANCE "Adaptation" awards provide support for the adaptation and adoption of evidence-based strategies to academic, non-profit institutions of higher education as well as non-academic, non-profit organizations. This project was supported by a co-funding from the HSI Program, which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs. 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.