Colorizing and feminizing physics?

 Current status of women and minorities  Why should we care  Strategies at the faculty level  Strategies at the student level  Partnerships  Recap

 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?

 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

 Make the search proactive  Consult faculty of color and female faculty in the department, or allied departments 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.

 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.

 Determine if you want and can recruit 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.

 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.

 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

 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.

 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.

 The best way to recruit and retain faculty and students from underrepresented groups is through real partnerships.  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

 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.

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

 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.

 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

 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

 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.

 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

 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

 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

 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

 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

 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.