BPE-Track 3: Extending the Impact: Redefining Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Through Inclusive Mentoring Hubs (iREDEFINE i2mHubs)

The broader impact of this Broadening Participation for Engineering Track 3 (BPE-Track-3) project is to increase the diversity of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) faculty by supporting women and underrepresented minorities throughout career exploration and into the first years of an academic appointment. By leveraging existing networks within the ECE community, the iREDEFINE Inclusive Mentoring Hubs (i2mHubs) initiative will create a comprehensive multifaceted mentoring program to demystify the path to academia for those historically excluded.

This initiative will align professional development opportunities with the steps of each students’ career path to engage graduate students earlier in their studies, increase the number of touch points throughout graduate school, and continue their mentorship as they navigate their pre-tenure years in academia. This initiative aligns with NSF's commitment to broadening participation and promoting diversity in STEM fields, thereby advancing scientific understanding, and achieving broader societal benefits by addressing the underrepresentation in ECE academia.

In addition, this initiative will ultimately create a sustainable and replicable model that can be adapted across various STEM disciplines, ensuring long-term impacts on diversity and inclusion in academia.

The i2mHubs initiative will address the critical need for increased diversity in ECE faculty by creating a sustainable mentoring ecosystem structured into three comprehensive modules: (1) Early-stage graduate students will be introduced to academic career paths through online interactive content. (2) Graduates of Module 1 will have the opportunity to apply for iREDEFINE, an advanced workshop on job search strategies and networking held in parallel with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA) Annual Conference. (3) Graduates of Module 2 will be invited to join a mentoring network connecting them to iREDEFINE alumni and current and former ECE department heads. Quantitative and qualitative surveys will be used to track academic milestones and self-efficacy traits of the participants; focus groups and surveys will be used to assess the effectiveness of each module the program.

The anticipated outcomes include an increase in the number of women and underrepresented minorities in academia, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and diverse academic landscape. The i2mHubs initiative will serve as a model for other STEM fields.

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.