Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics

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This award supports the Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (DITE). DITE is a research mentoring workshop-centered program that seeks to facilitate the successful transition from junior faculty status to tenured associate professor for economists from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups (especially African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans). The gross underrepresentation of economists from these groups in the ranks of university faculty, particularly in economics departments, creates an imperative for a special effort to insure that junior faculty from these groups develop the research and teaching profile that will lead to tenure. The American Economic Association (AEA) supports the professional development of minority economists via three major avenues, the AEA Summer Program and Minority Scholarship Program, the AEA Pipeline Project, and the supervision of each by the Committtee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP). At present there is no program designed to increase the representation of African American, Latino and native American economists in tenured faculty positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States through mentoring focused on research and teaching. DITE addresses that void. DITE matches twelve junior scholars with six senior faculty mentors and convene an annual 1 ½ day workshop where the junior fellows receive critical guidance on their research activities as well as professional development advice in each of the five summers of the program. Each DITE cohort of scholars and mentors meets again during the course of the Allied Social Science Association (ASSA) conference in the following January. In each year the twelve fellows and six mentors are subdivided into three working teams, identified primarily on the basis of common research activities, similarity of institutional type, and appropriateness of the network of scholars that the mentor can provide for the junior faculty member. The three teams meet for intensive sessions focused on preparing the scholar?s research projects for successful submission for publication in well-regarded refereed journals. Each break-out session allows fellows to present their research and receive feedback from the group?s mentors and participants. The DITE research conference is scheduled to convene two days before the annual AEA Pipeline Conference at the same location. The Pipeline Conference addresses professional advancement issues, including journal selection for submission, preparing literature reviews, managing the classroom in lecture and seminar format, grant proposal preparation and balancing service to the profession, one's institution, minority students, and the community at large. DITE fellows are required to attend the Pipeline Conference. Mentors also attend and participate. Broader Impacts: DITE's goal is to play a role in producing greater inclusiveness in the demography of economics faculty in the United States by significantly increasing the odds of professional success for junior faculty from underrpresented groups. This project provides an important addition to efforts to increase the number and quality of economists from underrepresented groups. DITE's effectiveness will be measured by its fellows' publication success, conference attendance as presenters and discussants, teaching evaluations, citation counts, and receipt of grant funding. DITE fellows' careers will be followed longitudinally for at least five years beyond their year in the program.