| NSF Org: |
EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 12, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 12, 2024 |
| Award Number: | 1409928 |
| Award Instrument: | Cooperative Agreement |
| Program Manager: |
Jessie Dearo
jdearo@nsf.gov (703)292-5350 EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2014 |
| End Date: | October 31, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $3,299,065.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $3,299,065.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2015 = $1,305,834.00 FY 2016 = $666,428.00 FY 2017 = $684,519.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD HOUSTON TX US 77204-3067 (713)743-5773 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
4800 Calhoun Boulevard Houston TX US 77204-2015 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
ADVANCE, ADVANCE, ADVANCE - INSTITUTIONAL TRANSF |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 0100XXXXDB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 04001516DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001617DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001718DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001819DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
The University of Houston (UH), a large urban Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) establishes the Center to ADVANCE UH Faculty. A core strategy will be to "engage the majority" through an ADVANCE Advocates program that engages senior Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) faculty (both male and female) to implement collaboratively UH ADVANCE activities aimed at achieving gender equity in faculty recruitment, retention and advancement. A key innovation is the formation of an ADVANCE Regional Network (ARN), comprising UH and four other ADVANCE institutions in Texas (including one Historically Black College and University and one other HSI). ARN will disseminate information about its programs and will reach out to other institutions in the region to enhance the impact of the National Science Foundation funded projects. Results are expected to be especially helpful to other urban universities, which increasingly serve as engines of innovation and economic development in urban centers and are at the forefront of efforts to increase diversity and gender equity in STEM. ARN will provide a platform through which current ADVANCE Centers in Texas will help other universities (especially predominantly undergraduate institutions and minority serving institutions) in their efforts to promote the success of women STEM faculty.
ADVANCE Center activities will be designed and implemented through four Strategic Initiatives: 1) Recruitment & Retention; 2) Professional Engagement, Development & Advancement; 3) Diversity & Inclusion; and 4) Work-life & Infrastructure. The theoretical framework for this project is based on the Job Demands-Resources model. The social science research team will explore the effects of a faculty-supportive climate at both the individual level and the group level in the context of the Jobs Demands-Resources Model. The results of this research will inform future investments at UH and are expected to be useful for other institutions facing similar challenges related to workforce gender equity. Through ARN, a partnership for mutual learning and dissemination, members will hold joint events, develop an ARN postdoctoral researcher network to enable recruiting among ARN institutions, promote sharing of ADVANCE-related best practices, provide cross institutional mentoring, and address isolation of solo and near-solo women faculty via an e-mentoring network. ARN will disseminate information about its programs and provide a unique platform to reach out to other institutions in the region. ARN will eventually expand to include institutions without ADVANCE funding.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The Center for Advancing UH Faculty Success (UH ADVANCE) was supported by a $3.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Institutional Transformation grant. The primary goals of UH ADVANCE were to recruit more women, particularly in STEM and SBS disciplines, increase the number of women in leadership positions, and institutionalize successful UH ADVANCE initiatives.
During the grant period, the University of Houston (UH) achieved notable progress, increasing the number of tenured and tenure-track women faculty members by 26%, Black tenured and tenure-track women faculty members by 100%, and Hispanic tenured and tenure-track women faculty members by 52%. Additionally, there was a 20% increase in tenured and tenure-track women faculty members in STEM disciplines, along with a 38% increase in underrepresented minority tenured and tenure-track women in STEM fields.
This significant progress in enhancing faculty has earned UH two prestigious national awards. In September 2021, UH was one of ten institutions nationwide to receive the National Institutes of Health’s Prize for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity in Biomedical and Behavioral Science. Furthermore, in August 2022, UH was honored with the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine—for the seventh consecutive year. This award recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Recognizing that women at the rank of full professor are most effectively positioned for success in administrative leadership roles, we developed policies and programs to support women in achieving full professorship and pursuing leadership opportunities. The results have been remarkable. During the grant period, the number of women promoted to full professor per promotion cycle increased by 183%. We now have five women serving as college deans, compared to just two at the start of the grant in 2014. Additionally, 21 women currently serve as associate deans. Notably, both the president and provost of UH are women, and women represent five of the 16 university-wide vice presidents.
Throughout the grant's duration, successful initiatives were continuously institutionalized. For example, the UH ADVANCE-inspired UH Dual Career Program was permanently housed in the Office of the Associate Provost for Faculty Recruitment and Retention. This program has been instrumental in attracting top talent to UH and the Greater Houston area. Since its inception in 2016, it has assisted over 120 spouses/partners of faculty members in pursuing faculty, staff, and other career opportunities in Houston.
The University of Houston’s Dual Career Program was ranked #37 on the National Science Foundation-funded Partner Scorecard. This rigorous ranking evaluates university policies, materials, and resources, categorizing R1 institutions by their support for academic couples. The goal of this effort is to empower academic couples during their job searches and to encourage universities to provide stronger support for such couples.
Other ADVANCE initiatives have also made a lasting impact. Faculty Search Committee Training, introduced through ADVANCE, is now mandatory for all faculty search committee members every two years. Additionally, faculty search evaluation rubrics—another ADVANCE innovation—remain a required component of the faculty hiring process.
The achievements of UH ADVANCE demonstrate the critical importance of sustained investment and institutional commitment to supporting innovative efforts to support faculty across the university. These efforts have not only transformed our faculty but also established a solid foundation for continual progress in the years to come.
Last Modified: 02/12/2025
Modified by: Renu Khator
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