ADVANCE Adaptation -- AMP-UP Continuous Improvement Process to Transform Institutional Practices and Culture

NSF ADVANCE项目旨在通过识别和消除阻碍学术机构中不同教师充分参与和进步的组织障碍来促进性别平等。阻碍公平的组织障碍可能存在于政策、过程、实践以及组织文化和气候中。ADVANCE“适应”奖为学术和非学术非营利组织的适应和采用基于证据的战略提供支持。密歇根技术进步适应项目将解决三个问题：1)多个交叉因素之间的研究资格差距，以及不必要的质量僵化观念（研究和奖学金）；2)导致不平等的学术和研究单位实践和观念（单位气候）；3)教师合作伙伴的长期挑战（双职业）。密歇根理工大学将采用基于证据的策略来解决现有和过去ADVANCE机构的这些问题，包括密歇根大学的STRIDE项目、北达科他州的盟友项目和爱荷华州的部门增强项目。此外，密歇根理工大学将结合NASA（矩阵组织方法）和汽车行业（精益持续改进文化）的管理策略，同时使这些策略适应密歇根理工大学的独特环境。密歇根理工大学是一所stem主导的大学，在研究和本科教育方面名列全国前茅，是密歇根州上半岛偏远农村地区的主要雇主。如果成功，密歇根理工大学的ADVANCE项目可能会成为其他偏远农村大学的典范。密歇根技术进步适应项目被称为大学项目先进矩阵过程（AMP-UP）。AMP-UP项目将形成一个矩阵结构，由跨职能团队来处理变更计划。该模型有助于确保不同观点的参与，并增强组织内部的组织知识构建和转移。这与精益持续改进（CI）模型相结合，该模型通过反思性自学、数据收集和分析以及战略干预来支持改进文化的发展。这三个倡议领域（研究和奖学金、单位氛围和双重职业）将成为AMP-UP项目的支柱，以管理人员、教师和员工的跨职能团队为特色。这种模式的好处之一是，编程是动态的和定制的，而不是静态的和规定性的，因此增加了接受度和可持续性。通过将CI应用于密歇根理工大学所获得的经验将有助于组织变革、持续改进和STEM教师职业发展领域的研究文献。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The NSF ADVANCE program is designed to foster gender equity through a focus on the identification and elimination of organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of diverse faculty in academic institutions. Organizational barriers that inhibit equity may exist in policies, processes, practices, and the organizational culture and climate. ADVANCE "Adaptation" awards provide support for the adaptation and adoption of evidence-based strategies to academic and non-academic non-profit organizations.The Michigan Tech ADVANCE Adaptation project will address three issues: 1) research credentialing disparities across multiple intersecting factors as well as unnecessarily rigid perceptions of quality (Research and Scholarship); 2) academic and research unit practices and perceptions contributing to inequities (Unit Climate); and 3) faculty partners' long-term challenges (Dual Career)). Michigan Tech will adapt evidence-based strategies to address these issues from existing and past ADVANCE institutions including the University of Michigan's STRIDE program, North Dakota State's Allies program, and Iowa State's Department Enhancement Program. In addition, Michigan Tech will incorporate management strategies from NASA (a matrix organizational approach) and the auto industry (a Lean Continuous Improvement culture) while adapting these strategies to the unique context of Michigan Tech. Michigan Tech is a STEM-dominant university nationally ranked for research and undergraduate education and is a major employer in an isolated rural setting in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. If successful, Michigan Tech ADVANCE project may be a model that can be adapted by other isolated rural universities. The Michigan Tech ADVANCE Adaptation project is called the Advanced Matrix Process for University Programs (AMP-UP). The AMP-UP project will result in a matrix structure with cross-functional teams to address change initiatives. This model helps to ensure the involvement of diverse perspectives as well as enhance organizational knowledge building and transfer within the organization. This is overlaid with the LEAN Continuous Improvement (CI) model which supports the development of a culture of improvement through reflective self-study, data gathering and analysis, and strategic interventions. The three initiative areas (Research and Scholarship, Unit Climate, and Dual Career) will be the column backbone of the AMP-UP program, featuring cross-functional teams of administrators, faculty, and staff. One of the benefits of this model is that programming is dynamic and tailored rather than static and prescriptive, thereby increasing acceptance and sustainability. The lessons learned through adapting CI to Michigan Tech will contribute to the research literature in the areas of organizational change, continuous improvement, and STEM faculty career advancement.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.