NSF ADVANCE Catalyst: Research, Educate and Value Equity at All Levels in STEM

宾夕法尼亚州库茨敦大学的高级催化剂研究、教育和价值公平项目旨在确定和解决影响STEM教职员工和整个大学社区的系统性不平等问题，这对于更好地了解和改变妇女，特别是有色人种妇女和其他群体在地方和全国STEM学科中的代表性不足非常重要。揭秘项目将考察教员在库兹敦的经历和不平等的根本原因，并不断考虑身份认同的交叉方面。这个项目将研究女性和代表不足的教职员工不平等的潜在驱动因素，包括工作和生活缺乏平衡，对看不见或被低估的工作的认可，以及一个人的学术单位和机构的归属感--所有这些都是终身教职、留住学术界和科学进步的障碍。该项目将使用数据收集、分析、机构自我评估和来自其他高级项目的知识共享，以更好地了解不公平的驱动因素以及留住和提升代表性不足的STEM教师的障碍。该项目将试点一个教师平等倡导者职位和一个在线信息交换中心，以集中和改善获得所需教师资源的机会。该项目的形成性评估将导致通过可持续的、量身定做的战略来创建应对教师公平挑战的五年公平战略计划。以交叉性理论为基础，通过在全国范围内通过先进的资源和其他机构建模并部署循证战略，INVERS旨在为改善STEM教师公平的知识库做出重大贡献。INSHOWS项目的目标是收集数据，以确定STEM教师不平等的原因；分析现有的和新的数据，以确定不公平的驱动因素以及留住和晋升代表性不足的STEM教师的障碍；确定潜在的解决方案，并实施试点公平战略；以及为STEM教师创建与库兹敦大学战略计划相联系的五年公平战略计划。该项目的定性和定量研究方法包括收集和综合现有的机构数据；开发和管理一项全面的教师调查，重点是家庭义务、归属感和连接感，以及服务承诺/隐形劳动；对校园领导人和管理人员、现有的多样性、公平和包容性团体以及女性教职员工(包括有色人种女性)进行半结构化访谈和焦点小组；审查机构政策；以及研究其他有预付补助金的机构。这项研究的全面范围旨在使库兹敦大学能够在STEM股权方面实施文化系统性转变。该项目将被记录在一个网站上，其结果将在宾夕法尼亚州立高等教育系统(PASSHE)学校、高级社区和全国范围内传播。NSF高级方案旨在通过重点确定和消除阻碍学术机构中不同教员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、流程、实践以及组织文化和氛围中。先进的“催化剂”奖为学术、非营利性高等教育机构的机构公平评估和五年教师公平战略计划的制定提供支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The ADVANCE Catalyst Research, Educate, and Value Equity at All Levels in STEM (REVEALS) project at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania aims to identify and address systemic inequities affecting STEM faculty and the entire University community, which is important to better understand and to change the underrepresentation of women, especially women of color, and other groups in STEM disciplines both locally and nationally. The REVEALS project will examine the faculty experience at Kutztown and underlying causes of inequity with constant consideration of intersectional aspects of identity. This project will study underlying drivers of inequity for women and underrepresented faculty, including a lack of work-life balance, recognition for work that is invisible or undervalued, and sense of belonging within one’s academic unit and institution—all of which serve as barriers to tenure, retention in academia, and scientific advances. The project will use data collection, analysis, institutional self-assessment, and knowledge sharing from other ADVANCE projects to better understand drivers of inequity and barriers to the retention and advancement of underrepresented STEM faculty. The project will pilot a faculty equity advocate position and an online clearinghouse to centralize and improve access to needed faculty resources. The REVEALS project’s formative assessment will lead to the creation of a five-year equity strategic plan responsive to faculty equity challenges through sustainable, tailored strategies. Grounded in the theory of intersectionality and deploying evidence-informed strategies modeled through ADVANCE resources and other institutions nationwide, REVEALS is intended to substantially contribute to the knowledge base in improving equity in STEM.The goals of the REVEALS project are to collect data to identify STEM faculty inequities; analyze existing and novel data to determine drivers of inequity and barriers to retention and advancement of underrepresented STEM faculty; identify potential solutions and implement pilot equity strategies; and create a five-year equity strategic plan for faculty in STEM that is linked to Kutztown University’s strategic plan. The qualitative and quantitative research methods of the REVEALS project include gathering and synthesizing existing institutional data; developing and administering a comprehensive faculty survey that focuses on family obligations, a sense of belonging and connectedness, and service commitments/ invisible labor; conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups with campus leaders and administrators, existing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion groups, and women faculty, including women of color; reviewing institutional policies; and studying other institutions with ADVANCE grants. The comprehensive scope of this study is intended to enable Kutztown University to implement cultural systemic shifts in STEM equity. The REVEALS project will be documented in an online site, and results will be disseminated within Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools, the ADVANCE community, and nationally. 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 "Catalyst" awards provide support for institutional equity assessments and the development of five-year faculty equity strategic plans at academic, non-profit institutions of higher education.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.