University of Alabama,Huntsville partners with HBCU & others to bridge gender equality in STEM Fields.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is partners with four other universities in the state of Alabama to help achieve gender equity in STEM, university officials announced today.

The National Science Foundation grant totals $1 million during the next three years. The grant was awarded to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the partners include UAH, Oakwood University, Alabama A&M University, and Miles College. UAH portion of the grant is $189,000 during that 36-month period of performance.

The project, Alabama ADVANCE Partnership for Achieving Gender Equality in STEM, includes historical black colleges and universities (HBCU) and the partnership is expected to further enhance gender equity and inclusion networking.

“ADVANCE has progressed to include looking at the STEM fields using the lens of “intersectionality” – the complex, cumulative manner in which the effects of different forms of discrimination combine, overlap, or intersect,” said UAH Provost Christine Curtis. “This encompasses race, age, sexuality, and gender.”

The project will build on prior NSF ADVANCE work. Prior ADVANCE work was successful in eliminating or changing policies that reduced bias in hiring, tenure, and promotion decisions.

It is expected that at the conclusion of the project all partner institutions will have improved policies, procedures and practices for recruitment and promotion that will increase the visibility, presence and inclusion of women, racial, ethnic minorities and other social identities.

The UAH ADVANCE office has been established in the Provost Office. UAH leadership team members include:

PI: Dr. Judy Schneider, Professor, Mechanical EngineeringCo-PI: Dr. Christine Curtis, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Professor of Chemical and Materials EngineeringCo-PI: Dr. Letha Etzkorn, Professor and Associate Chair, Computer Science

Project goals include the implementation of institutional changes in practices and policies that inhibit gender equity and inclusion in STEM Departments, and increase the representation and visibility of women, racial and ethnic minorities in STEM departments by improving recruitment, retention and promotion practices and policies.

Curated from: uah.edu

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