I Don’t Know what to call this Talk

1. I Don’t Know what to call this Talk Colorizing and feminizing physics?

2. What I’ll Say • Current status of women and minorities • Why should we care • Strategies at the faculty level • Strategies at the student level • Partnerships • Recap

3. Current Status

4. Current Status

5. Current Status

6. Why Should We Care

7. Why Should We Care

8. Why Should We Care

9. Why Should We Care • Population trends are mirrored by trends of those in some sort of educational track • However, these trends are in no way matched in physics • If we agree that this needs to be corrected, how can we do it?

10. Fixing the Faculty • The Search Committee • Establish specific criteria that assesses the ability of the applicant to contribute to the diversity of the department—intellectually as well as in terms of underrepresented groups • For example, in the teaching and research statements, ask for how the candidate will address issues of diversity • Have a discussion on what indicators of a candidates interest in diversity might look like • Ethnicity and gender • Membership in minority organizations • History of involvement • Reference to sources • The committee itself should be diverse

11. Fixing the Faculty • Make the search proactive • Consult faculty of color and female faculty in the department, or allieddepartments and programs • Utilize person—to—person networks • Personally call potential candidates • Use national and regional professional minority science societies (SACNAS, NSHP, NSBP) • Utilize faculty of color Ph.D. directories. Candidates may not have Physics Ph.D., but related field. • Contact directly (not just fliers) HBCU’s, Minority Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges.

12. Fixing the Faculty • Evaluation of Candidates • Review the position announcement, identify primary job competencies. • Discuss a rubric for evaluating candidates. • Actually apply the criteria, employ a very easy to use system. For example, exceeds, meets, does not meet scale. • Do not change criteria when discussing who to offer position to.

13. Student Diversity • Determine if you want and canrecruit women and underrepresented students to your program. • If answer is no, doze off until last slide. • If answer is yes, then realize that you cannot be reactive. You must be proactive in your efforts.

14. Student Diversity • Steps to Successful Recruiting of these populations. • Before recruiting: • Realize that numbers are going to be pretty small. • The best students are being heavily recruited, you may not be able to compete for these students. • Need a faculty that is diverse. • Implement cultural changes in the department that make it more open and welcoming.

15. Student Diversity • Recruiting: • Women and minorities, on average, are much more people oriented. You have to go out and meet these students. • You must go to where they are. • Area high schools • Community Colleges • Community centers • Churches • Homes • You must talk to the parents and understand the important role that the family plays in many of these students. • There is no way around it, you must have some financial incentives

16. Student Diversity • Recruiting: • Realize that physics (or any science) as a career is not well known in many of these communities. • More than just statistics are needed, you need to describe what is exciting about physics. • Your personal story may be the biggest selling point. • Your department cannot do this in isolation, but it also cannot be done as part of a university wide effort alone. • Divisional recruitment: recruit students for the sciences in general. • Summer bridge programs.

17. Student Diversity • A word about retention • Recruitment of women and minorities is wasted if at the same time, retention is not addressed. • Students must feel connected to the department • Do not rely on university wide retention offices, such as those sponsored by Office of Minority Affairs. Efforts must be localized within the division or department • Retention efforts must begin from day 1.

18. Partnerships • The best way to recruit and retain faculty and students from underrepresented groups is through realpartnerships. • High schools • Two—year schools • Minority professional associations • Other sciences and math departments within university. • Other university units, such as Career Center and Financial aid • Other universities

19. Partnerships • What do I mean by real. • Partners must be involved in all aspects. • Planning of projects • Executing of plans • Responsibility for success • Rewards. • Paper partnerships will not work.

20. Partnerships • The primary purpose of the partnership is to increase diversity of the community. Let’s look at some examples.

21. Partnerships • University of Arizona Math Department. • PURPOSE: To create a meaningful partnership with local school districts and the area community college. • Provide teachers with intensive period of professional development. • University benefits from the wealth of teaching experience they bring.

22. Partnerships • HOW IT WORKS: • School district/community college enter into an intergovernmental agreement. • Participants remain school district/community college employees with full salary and benefits while at the University. • University pays the cost of replacement teacher. • While at the university: • Participants take courses • Participate in math instruction colloquium and math education research. • Interact with department faculty • Teach introductory courses

23. Partnerships • Vanderbilt/Fisk Program. • PURPOSE: Increase the number of Ph.D. from underrepresented groups by creating a Master-to Ph.D. bridge with HBCU, Fisk University. • Not a “back door”, students must satisfy same PhD requirements as all PhD students • Focus is on facilitating successful mentor/mentee relationships

24. Partnerships • HOW IT WORKS: • Students earn a Masters degree at Fisk, with full funding support • Program is individualized to the needs of each students, courses are selected to address any gaps in undergraduate preparation. • Research experience provided for all students • Fast-track admission into one of Vanderbilt participating PhD programs • Joint faculty appointments, advising committees, social networks.

25. Partnerships • DePaul CIRRUS program • PURPOSE: Increase the number of science graduates from DePaul and transfer to DePaul from the City Colleges. • Summer research program for students from City Colleges and DePaul • Summer internship program with partner institutions. Argonne, Lincoln Park Zoo, Field Museum, Art Institute • Academic year service and outreach activities • Clearinghouse for REU’s, internships, financial aid, etc. • Dual-Admission

26. Partnerships • HOW IT WORKS: • Students from City Colleges and DePaul apply for summer research program. • Selection is made by all partner institutions • Year 1: Students do a summer research program at DePaul (Research 101) in either Physics, Chemistry, or Biology • Residence provided by DePaul • Year 2: Students do research at partner research institutions. Salary is negotiated with partner institutions. • Academic year activities rotate among institutions. Students from all the institutions are required to attend

27. Partnerships • Characteristics: • Real partnerships • Partnerships are with institutions that have large populations of underrepresented students. • Partnerships involve multiple departments or multiple institutions • They all cost money, but many of these ideas can be implemented without high costs

28. Recap • For Faculty recruitment. • If diversity is important, then it must be written into criteria. • Selection committee should be diverse. • Discussion on what indicators of diversity might look like on the application. • Search should be pro—active and tap into many sources to seek out candidates. • Stick to criteria

29. Recap • For Student Recruitment • Go to them, don’t expect them to come to you. • Be pro—active. • Establish a culture in your department that is open and welcoming. • Understand the culture you are trying to recruit, personal stories as opposed to facts. • Team up with other natural science and math departments

30. Recap • Partnerships are perhaps best way to do accomplish diversity goals. • Establish strong connections to minority professional societies (SACNAS, NSHP, NSBP, SHPE…) • Before I thank SPIN-UP for inviting me, I must be critical of APS for not leading the charge on this issue. • Thanks SPIN-UP, especially you Ruth.