Citation
Institute for Women’s Policy Research. (2013). Accelerating change for women faculty of color in STEM: Policy, action, and collaboration. Washington, DC: Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Highlights
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- This report highlighted a 2013 convening of stakeholders who discussed barriers to becoming successful STEM faculty for black, Hispanic, and Native American women, and strategies to overcome those barriers. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research organized the convening.
- The report was compiled from a series of conference sessions presented at the convening by about 50 experts from various academic, political, corporate, and community sectors. Session topics included the current status of women of color in STEM, areas of progress and nonprogress, and current initiatives to increase the representation of women of color in STEM faculty positions. Attendees provided recommendations for improvement.
- Conference representatives identified three main barriers to the advancement of minority female faculty: workplace climate policies that did not meet the needs of female faculty of color, a lack of multicultural perspectives, and a lack of embracement of diversity in academic departments. Health, financial, and family issues and obligations; high community service demands; and a lack of social support also created unique challenges for this population.
- Recommendations for improvement included raising awareness of underrepresentation of minority women in STEM faculty positions, monitoring and publicizing institutions’ progress on diversity in STEM faculty, and tailoring faculty mentoring programs or tools to effectively serve female faculty of color.
Reviewed by CLEAR
May 2016