EAGER: Promoting LGBTQ Equality in Engineering through Virtual Communities of Practice

有令人信服的证据表明，学生和教职员工的多样性对所有学生的智力和社会发展至关重要。这个项目与国家科学基金会的目标一致，即通过促进LGBTQ(女同性恋者、男同性恋者、双性恋者、变性人和同性恋者)在工程领域的平等来促进更多样化的工程劳动力--这一群体在增加职业多样性的其他努力中一直没有得到充分的服务。虽然LGBTQ个人的校园氛围已经逐渐发生了积极的变化，但事实证明，工程系比其他学科更不受包容性实践的影响。通过将多样性研究与教师发展计划相结合，该项目探索了阻碍LGBTQ平等的工程文化方面，并利用这些知识设计培训，以促进工程系的LGBTQ平等。通过面对面和在线培训以及在线实践社区，该项目将建立一个确认LGBTQ的教职员工网络，他们了解促进包容性环境的战略，并有权在其部门推进LGBTQ平等。

There is compelling evidence that diversity among students and faculty is crucially important to the intellectual and social development of all students. This project aligns with the National Science Foundation's goal to promote a more diverse engineering workforce by promoting LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) equality in engineering -- a group that has been underserved by other efforts to increase diversity in the profession. While there has been a gradual positive change in campus climate for LGBTQ individuals, engineering departments have proven more impervious to inclusive practices than other disciplines. By linking diversity research with a faculty development initiative, this project explores the aspects of engineering culture that serve as impediments to LGBTQ equality and uses this knowledge to design training to promote LGBTQ equality in engineering departments. Through face-to-face and online training coupled with an online community of practice, this project will build a network of LGBTQ-affirming faculty who are aware of strategies to foster an inclusive environment and are empowered to advance LGBTQ equality in their departments.