ADVANCE Adaptation: NYU InterScience-Systemic Changes in Leadership and Climate for Inclusive STEM

The New York University’s (NYU) ADVANCE Adaptation project, InterScience, will focus on improving the workplace culture and climate at NYU for all STEM faculty. The project aims to implement new policies and practices that will lead to improved retention, success, satisfaction, and representation of women and women of color who are underrepresented in STEM faculty careers. The InterScience project has three main objectives (1) Develop STEM faculty for leadership roles, in particular as department chairs; (2) Empower department chairs, center leaders, and advocates with critical training; (3) Improve retention, tenure success, satisfaction, and sense of belonging for all STEM faculty. The ADVANCE project will partner with the existing NSF AGEP ELEVATE program which is focused on junior faculty of color. to leverage the work done by both projects. Because department chairs play a crucial role in mentoring junior faculty, in setting the department climate, in hiring, and in the tenure and promotion process, this project will focus on improving the pathway to this leadership role to ensure it is of interest to STEM faculty from underrepresented groups. The project will develop and implement new policies to improve the attractiveness of the role of chair, create new vice-chair roles, and improve transparency and equity in the procedure to appoint faculty to leadership positions. In addition, the project will provide regular training to Chairs, Advocates, and center directors, create a formalized Diversity Advocates program, and create a range of mentoring and networking programs. The proposed InterScience Center and digital mentoring platform will evolve to include faculty from other New York-area universities and can serve as a model for other universities in the US. 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, non-profit institutions of higher education as well as non-academic, non-profit organizations. 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.