Communications of the ACM
Su Receives $3.4 Million Federal Grant to Benefit Women in Sciences
Syracuse University recently received a five-year, $3.4 million U.S. National Science Foundation grant to study ways to attract and retain more female professors in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Female representation in STEM fields at Syracuse currently sits at almost 21 percent, compared with the 33 percent national average for female STEM professors. Despite the low proportion of female STEM faculty members, more than half of the Syracuse students enrolled in STEM fields are female. The grant "will hopefully increase the diversity in a department really lacking in role models for graduates and undergraduates," says Syracuse chancellor Nancy Cantor.
The university will use a core team of faculty members to execute four main project initiatives, including a recruiting program geared toward women with disabilities and women of color, a plan to support leadership development for all faculty members, a corridor scheme providing professional development and opportunities for affiliation with business, and a networking initiative that helps female faculty connect with each other, mentors, and other resources on campus. The researchers also will study the different obstacles women face in trying to gain success in STEM fields.
From The Daily Orange
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