Females of Vision, et al. (FoVea): Increasing Success, Visibility, and Impact of Women in Vision Science

Females of Vision et al (FoVea) is a group whose mission is to enhance the success, visibility, and impact of women in vision science. Over the past eight years, FoVea has launched several initiatives to broaden participation of women in Vision Science, including (1) a Travel and Networking award program for junior scientists; (2) professional development workshops at the Vision Sciences Society annual meeting; (3) a speaker list highlighting female vision scientists; (4) a “playbook” to ensure the longevity of FoVea activities and generational knowledge; and (5) joint activities with Visibility and the SPARK Society to promote the professional development of a wide range of historically excluded scholars. The award includes an external evaluation component to assess implementation and stakeholder perceptions of FoVea activities. These efforts complement NSF’s goal of increasing participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented groups in STEM. 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.