This project will collect and analyze data and other information in order to understand the current status of female faculty in sciences, mathematics and engineering at University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus (UPR-M). UPR-M is a Hispanic-Serving Institution known for its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in science and engineering, and a high percentage of female students in each of these fields. Regardless of UPR-M?s leading role awarding engineering degrees to women, women faculty recruitment and advancement is consider low when compared to available potential candidates for faculty positions. This could be influenced by demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, institutional variables, among others. In order to understand these factors, this project proposes a set of initiatives aimed at identifying barriers that impede females from pursuing an academic career or advancing to higher positions within academia.
Intellectual merit: This two-year project will provide an institutional profile of science, mathematics, and engineering female faculty at the UPR-M including an analysis of its recruitment, retention, and advancement policies. Surveys will be conducted in order to determine work climate and attitudes towards women in academia. The project will be conducted in a predominantly Hispanic institution with a significant number of rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in science and engineering. To our knowledge, there are no previous studies in Puerto Rico exploring gender inequality and institutional climate in a campus with characteristics similar to UPR-M. Even though Puertoricans are categorized as Hispanics, there are cultural differences that justify conducting contextualized research.
Broader impact: The data gathered in this proposal could be a model for other Hispanic academic institutions that face similar issues regarding women in academic science, mathematics, and engineering careers. The large number of females that graduate from our engineering and science programs represent an excellent pool of prospective female faculty. This project will help understand some of the reasons that prevent or discourage them from entering careers in academia. This knowledge will lead to designing intervention programs to address the situation, which should lead to a better representation of female faculty in science, mathematics, and engineering in the future.
