How can universities create institutional environments that support the success of women scholars in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields?
This challenge has faced U.S. institutions of higher education for decades as they seek to increase the representation and involvement of STEM academic women. Solving this problem requires system-wide efforts to identify and remove organizational constraints that lead to gendered biases in institutional policies and processes.
The StratEGIC Toolkit offers research-based advice about strategic interventions useful in this type of organizational change. Our research draws upon the programs and experiences of institutions that have implemented Institutional Transformation (IT) projects under the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program.
This practical Toolkit distills and shares lessons learned about particular interventions and how they combine into an overall change portfolio. Organizations can strategically choose and combine interventions as they work to support the success of women scholars in STEM fields. This resource is organized in a modular form. If you'd prefer to have all the ideas in one place, our book, Building Gender Equity in the Academy: Institutional Strategies for Change, gathers these research-based strategies in a handbook for change leaders.
Tools in the Toolkit
Other Resources
To Cite the Toolkit
Laursen, S. L., & Austin, A. E. (2014). StratEGIC Toolkit: Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change. Boulder, CO, and East Lansing, MI. www.strategictoolkit.org
This research study and development of the StratEGIC Toolkit and other products has been supported by the National Science Foundation through ADVANCE PAID grant #HRD-0930097. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations are those of the researchers and do not necessarily represent the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation.
Acknowledgments
Our collaborative research team is based at Michigan State University and the University of Colorado Boulder. Ann Austin (MSU) and Sandra Laursen (CU) co-direct the project. We thank Melissa Soto and Dali Martinez for their work as research assistants at MSU. We also thank Anne-Barrie Hunter (CU), Melissa Arreola Peña (CU), Susan Lynds (CU) and Karla Bellingar (MSU) for their assistance. We are grateful to Elizabeth Creamer and Kris De Welde for their evaluative input.
We thank Mindy Anderson-Knott, Mary Armstrong, Canan Bilen-Green, Bonnie Bowen, Elizabeth Creamer, Kris De Welde, Patrick Farrell, Melissa Latimer, Loretta Moore, Marie Mora, KerryAnn O'Meara, Jan Rinehart, Sara Rushing, and Mary Deane Sorcinelli for participating in our video interviews. The videos were filmed by and co-produced with Ryan Vachon of Earth Initiatives in Boulder. Thanks for making us all look and sound good, Ryan!
We are grateful to our study participants, those who helped us coordinate interviews and visits, our advisory board, and the many ADVANCE program leaders and colleagues in the broader ADVANCE community who have shared their insights, advice, and encouragement.