Encouraging women to achieve full potential in science careers as engineers and leaders has long been a goal of the University. To that end, URI has embarked on a new initiative, called ADVANCE, a five-year, $3.5-million project, funded by the National Science Foundation, designed to improve and enrich the scientific, technology, engineering, and mathematics academic workforce at URI through the increased representation and participation of women faculty.

Barbara Silver, program director for the project, explained, “We are making substantial efforts towards increasing departmental awareness of the issues that impact women’s professional success. ADVANCE is a multi-faceted, broad-based program to improve the overall work environment and the participation of women at many levels.”

In September 2003, URI received a five-year Institutional Transformation Award to accomplish these goals.  Project efforts will include assessment, faculty recruitment, faculty development, work/family policy initiatives, developing professional and social support networks, and overall climate change. The ADVANCE team is led by Vice Provost Janett Trubatch, as lead PI.

A major focus of the ADVANCE initiative is the Faculty Fellows and Supplemental Funding Program. “This year we hope to hire seven new faculty in psychology, physics, plant sciences, cell and molecular biology, graduate school of oceanography, electrical and computer engineering, and civil and environmental engineering,” said Silver.

ADVANCE funding will be made available to support faculty fellows for up to three years in departments that have been approved by the Provost. The purpose of the program is to develop high-potential candidates who will then transition into tenure-track faculty positions. Where a regular hire is more appropriate, ADVANCE can offer supplemental funding in order to provide a more attractive package to candidates.

According to Silver, “The most important message that we want to convey to the University is that although ADVANCE is geared toward women faculty in science and engineering, the program will benefit the interests of other departments and the University in general.  For example, ADVANCE and the President’s Commission on the Status of Women recently submitted a revised Family Leave Policy to the President that, if adopted, could have a significant impact on all URI personnel.”

Programs such as incentive awards, career workshops, a mentor training program, and monthly topical lunches will be held, and will be available to those outside the science and engineering disciplines. The NSF ADVANCE Incentive Fund, which bestowed eight awards in its first round last spring, invites URI personnel, men and women, to apply for awards that promote the careers of women faculty in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The fund supports efforts by individuals or departments that foster climate or organizational change, support research by women faculty, and further the general goals of ADVANCE. 

The Mentor Training Program will begin in the fall and will be coordinated by Dr. Bette Erickson, assistant director of the Instructional Development Program, and Dr. Joan Peckham, professor of computer science. Dr. Erickson has won awards for conducting a highly successful series of faculty development workshops at URI, including a yearlong Faculty Fellows Program for STEM faculty on effective and innovative pedagogy and curriculum development in theses disciplines.

A series of career workshops will also begin in the fall of 2004.  For example, Dr. Laura Beauvais, professor of management in the College of Business, will work with Dr. Donna Meyer, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, to present a workshop focused on developing negotiation skills.

There will be programs for the entire campus, as well.  “On November 5th, we will be holding a significant event that we hope the whole campus will attend,” Silver said.  “Virginia Valian, a professor of psychology and linguistics at Hunter College and the author of Why So Slow? : Women in Science, will speak at URI about women’s advancement in science. We intend to announce the results of the Academic Work Environment Survey, distributed in May, at this event as well.”

Silver concluded, “Our world and our work environments are becoming increasingly diverse. If URI is to participate as a progressive institution, we need to develop the awareness, the means and the materials to promote  diversity, and work toward improving the working climate for all faculty, particularly for women and other underrepresented groups.”

Two ADVANCE faculty Hired

Two new faculty members have been hired at the College of Engineering through the ADVANCE program.

Yan Sun has been hired as a NSF ADVANCE assistant professor in the electrical and computer engineering department. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Maryland at College Park in May 2004. Her research spans several areas in electrical engineering and computer science, including network security, wireless communications and networking, and multimedia signal processing.

Dr. Sun is delighted to be joining the URI community. “ I chose URI because it provides the most supportive working environment. The department, the faculties and the ADVANCE program make me feel that I can achieve my career goal with freedom and support,” she noted. “Academically, I would like to establish a strong research program on wireless network security. I will work with faculty members in ECE and other departments, and investigate various aspects of securing wireless networking, including intrusion detection, key management in mobile environments, secure ad hoc routing, theoretical information framework of trust, and sensor network security.”

Mayrai Gindy has been hired as an assistant professor starting in the fall in the department of civil and environmental engineering. She received her doctoral degree from Rutgers School of Engineering. Dr. Gindy said, “I am very excited and energized about starting this fall semester.  I’m eager to work alongside the civil engineering faculty members.  Being a researcher and teacher is what I’ve been working towards for a long time now.”

Her research project involved the planning and implementation of a comprehensive sensor network for the large-scale testing and long-term monitoring of the Doremus Avenue Bridge, New Jersey’s initial LRFD design.

Dr. Gindy is a strong advocate of the ADVANCE program at URI. “The NSF ADVANCE program provides the stepping-stone for young professors to establish and build their research at a great learning institution,” she said.  “And although it is geared towards women faculty, I believe that it will benefit a larger population by promoting diversity and encouraging new ideas.”