Advancing Gender Equity in Computing and Engineering Academic Professions through Multi-Organizational Collaboration

An NSF ADVANCE Partnership Project

Project Years: 2022-2026

Project Goal:

The goal of this project is to broaden the implementation of evidence-based systemic change strategies that promote equity for STEM faculty in academic workplaces–with a focus on computing and engineering. Systemic change holistically transforms a range of interdependent, mutually reinforcing systems within the organization’s structure to support a broader range of individuals. In this way it is more effective and sustainable than off-the-shelf, piecemeal solutions. It involves addressing organizational culture and environment, making it more inclusive overall. This removes the burden for individuals to change their behaviors to fit the system, and benefits all members of intersectionally diverse groups, not just those who might participate in a particular program. Specifically, this project will amplify each partnering organizations impact on systemic change efforts through the following actions:

1) sharing and integrating evidence-based resources (i.e., evidence-based tools, practices, and materials designed to facilitate the creation of inclusive cultures) into respective resource collections

2) mapping resources onto NCWIT’s Academic Workplace Systemic Change Model

3) developing an online platform that facilitates departments’ planning and implementation of systemic change practices, and

4) deploying a peer-based professional development and strategic planning initiative for computing and engineering departments to recruit, hire, and promote more intersectionality diverse women faculty and staff.

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Lead Partner:

National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), University of Colorado Boulder

Partner Organizations:

• Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN)

• ADVANCE Research Coordination (ARC) Network

• Association of Public and Land Grant University’s (APLU) INCLUDES Aspire Alliance

• Center for Evaluation and Research for STEM Equity (CERSE) at the University of Washington (Evaluator)

Explore each partner’s resources:

• NCWIT Resource Collection
• Women in STEM Knowledge Center
• ARC Network Library
• Aspire Alliance Tools

In addition to evaluation, the project team receives insight from an advisory board. The Project Advisory Board members include:

• Sandra Laursen, Director of Ethnography and Evaluation Research, Research and Innovation Office, University of Colorado Boulder
• Gretal Leibnitz, Founder and Director, ADVANCE Implementation Mentors (AIM) Network
• Susan Metz, Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Stevens Institute of Technology
• Suzanna Rose, Associate Provost, Office to Advance Women, Equity & Diversity, Florida International University
• Jennifer Sheridan, Executive and Research Director, Women in Science and Engineering Leadership (WISELI), University of Wisconsin-Madison

This project is funded by NSF Solicitation: NSF ADVANCE: The material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2204380. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.