Conference: STEM Diversity Drivers

The Leadership Alliance at Brown University will convene a pilot Regional Conference on STEM Mentoring entitled the "STEM Diversity Drivers Conference" in the fall of 2024 at Johns Hopkins University. This will be a two-day regional conference that convenes roughly 100 in-person and 120 virtual undergraduate and graduate faculty as well as research professionals. Regional conference institutions participating include: Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, University of Maryland-Baltimore County and University of Virginia. The specific aims of the conference are to: (1) increase awareness and discuss the barriers that underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines face in the STEM enterprise; (2) elucidate varied experiences that collectively contribute to increased identity, efficacy and persistence in the STEM workforce; and, (3) create a collaborative interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral community for near-peer mentorship models. Regional communities of scholars will leverage expertise and experiences to inform novel and exportable approaches to diversify the STEM research workforce. The Leadership Alliance is the recipient of the organizational Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), the nation's highest award for STEM mentoring, and has over 30 institutional members. The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce and supports the production of scholarly research in STEM broadening participation. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences. These strategies facilitate the production of highly competitive students motivated to pursue STEM degrees and careers in STEM. For the United States to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. 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.