ADVANCE IT Start Award: Assessing the Participation of Women Faculty in Science at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

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Women faculty at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (UW-L) are underrepresented in the sciences, particularly in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The Crosse UW-L project will conduct a research-driven assessment of the status of women in science at UW-L, focusing on the STEM disciplines but also including the social and behavioral science (SBS) disciplines. Three overlapping research questions will be investigated: (1) What is the status of women in sciences at UW-L? (2) What are the barriers to the recruitment and advancement of women in the sciences? (3) How successful are existing structures (programs and policies) at addressing these barriers? The intellectual merits of this project include advancing the understanding of the status of women at UW-L by identifying the barriers to full participation in academic sciences as well as investigating how successful existing structures are at addressing these barriers. Baseline data will be collected on patterns of tenure and non-tenure track status; hiring, retention, tenure and promotion; teaching assignment; distribution of resources; service; and mentoring. University policies and work/life issues will also be examined. These will provide a data-driven basis for developing an institutional transformation plan of action that can be implemented at UW-L. This project may also serve as a model for peer institutions in the UW System. This project has potential to provide significant broader impacts at UW-L and at peer institutions in the UW-System. Increasing the participation of women in academic science has been shown to increase student retention overall and encourage female students to pursue careers in sciences. The larger scientific community will be informed of the project through national forums. The UW System community will be informed through presentations to our peer institutions, the Women in Sciences and Wisconsin Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP) programs, and the UW System Letters and Sciences Deans meetings. The results of this project will also be presented at science departmental meetings and the annual UW-L Faculty Research Day, thus raising awareness and advancing change throughout the UW-L community.