ADVANCE Catalyst: UCF Intersectional Self-Assessment as Catalyst for STEM Faculty Equity

This project will examine the issue of STEM faculty members’ perceptions of the match between their own goals and workplace-related values (organizational stated goals and values). The importance of the project lies in the fact that women’s perceptions of departmental and institutional appreciation and recognition are critical to their job satisfaction and intent to stay, which can impact inclusive hiring and retention.

Research has yet to determine the causes of perceived mismatches among women and faculty of color and their workplace goals and values, and how this relates to differing experiences in the nature of work and broader forms of support. Yet, the inclusion and success of women is vital to meeting the national science and engineering workforce needs of the future.

Therefore, this project aims to innovatively address these issues by drawing from the approaches of organizational justice and authenticity. While proven in other contexts, these theoretical frameworks have yet to be applied to an academic, intersectional equity study.

The primary goal for the UCF ADVANCE Catalyst project is to conduct research that will inform strategies for minimizing inequities by specifically identifying the root causes and associated programmatic solutions of intersectional inequities. More specifically, the project will adopt an intersectional perspective to examine STEM faculty members’ perceptions of issues related to departmental climate and perceived faculty “fit.” The project will draw from organizational justice and authenticity frameworks, aiming to obtain systematic quantitative survey data from all STEM faculty and qualitative data through focus groups with STEM faculty at UCF.

Findings will measure faculty members’ perceptions of organizational authenticity and justice, determine if and how these perceptions vary intersectionally (i.e., by sex/gender, race/ethnicity, age, parental status, and first-generation status). These results will then be applied to actionable items for institutionalizing transparent practices that are intended to improve departmental culture, faculty satisfaction, and equality as embodied in a five-year STEM Faculty Equity Strategic Plan.

Pilot programming will consist of departmental climate workshops that focus on open, equitable department dialogue to foster an inclusive climate. Additionally, STEM mentoring faculty communities will be held as a space to discuss the practices and goals being developed across departments, along with a mentoring community created to address needs identified through this project’s research.

A Strategic Planning Working Group and STEM Equity Executive Leadership team will contribute to developing the strategic plan and overseeing the planning process, respectively. Findings will be shared with the ADVANCE community and others through a website, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications.

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 Catalyst awards provide support for institutional equity assessments and the development of five-year faculty equity strategic plans at an academic, non-profit institution of higher education.

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.