The underlying mission of the Infrastructure for Broadening Participation in STEM (IBP-STEM) initiative is to increase diversity in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. The Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) operates on a model of targeted activities supported by strategic infrastructure to support underrepresented students in their efforts to seek and successfully apply to research, funding, mentoring, and professional development opportunities, and succeed in their chosen academic and career pathways; assist faculty and administrators in their efforts to support and mentor students, build partnerships, and contribute to the pool of best practices; and grow diversity awareness and cultural competency in programs, departments, and institutions. IBP's four-pronged approach to broadening participation and increasing diversity in STEM includes: (1) Catalyzing partnerships to cultivate a community of practice and culture of diversity, reduce isolation among diversity practitioners and increase information sharing; (2) Extensive face-to-face and virtual outreach to draw constituents to the resources available via IBP that support students and faculty through the entire STEM pathway; (3) Creating and maintaining strategic web resources, open to all members of the STEM academy nationally, to make resources and information on programs, best practices, and references easily available and accessible; and (4) Synthesizing information to compile and translate research and best practices into materials and resources that are engaging, usable, and directly relevant to a broad constituency of STEM faculty, administrators, program staff, and students.
