National Science Foundation Awards $2.9 Million to National Diversity-Serving Organizations

The National Science Foundation has awarded to $2.9 million to several national engineering diversity organizations in a collaborative effort to increase the number of underrepresented engineering faculty across all institutional types.

The organizations Great Minds in STEM (GMiS), American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), MAES: Latinos in Science and Engineering , National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), SACNAS: Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) are working on project ASSIST: Strengthening Engineering Faculty through Diversity Serving Professional Organization Engagement.

According to data collected by the American Society for Engineering Education, the percentage of Hispanic tenure track faculty declined from 2012 to 2013, from 3.9 percent to 3.6 percent. During that same period, the number of African American faculty also declined from 2.7 percent to 2.6 percent.

The grant will support traditionally underrepresented engineering early-career faculty, post-doctoral professionals, and doctoral students interested in academic careers with travel awards so they can attend professional development programming.  Each organization will host subject matter experts, focused on cultural identity, promotion and tenure, funding, and student engagement/learning. 

The goal of the joint efforts is to create a critical mass of engaged, diverse scholars who can innovate ideas for increasing interest in doctoral education.