Diversity Initiatives and the Engineering Societies A

Diversity Initiatives and the Engineering Societies – A Collaboration September 2003

Development Timeline Jan ’ 02 Summer’ 02 Fall ‘ 02 Winter ’ 02 -’ 03 • GEF Grantee Brainstorming • Bill Kelly, Catholic U • Susan Metz, WEPAN • Roger Nozaki, GEF • Informal Discussions • General NAE Discussions • NSF CFA – Cathleen Barton, Intel • Est. Planning Team • Outreach to NAE, AAES • Peggy Layne, NAE • Tom Price, AAES • AAES Board and Membership Mtgs • Minority Soc. Outreach • Sponsor Outreach • Monthly Planning Calls • Staffing Resource • Daryl Chubin, NACME • Joe Bordogna, NSF Spring‘ 03 Summer ‘ 03 Today Tomorrow… • Eng’g Society Survey • Data Collection • Bi-Weekly Calls • 1 st Summit: Intros, Data Sharing, Action Plans • Mike Tomassello, MESA • NAE & AAES Staff • Attendee Input • Bi-Weekly Calls • Deborah Grubbe, Du. Pont • Shelley Wolff, SWE • Mary Mattis, NAE • 2 nd Summit: Resources, Collaboration Tools, Collaborative Action Planning • Society Activities • Collaborative Activities Common Vision + Sense of Urgency & Opportunity + Collaborative Spirit…Plus 20 -Month Volunteer Effort

Collaboration Lessons Learned Pros • Potential Scope/ Scale of Impact • Networks – Experience, Credibility, Implementation • Shared Resources – Knowledge, Funding Cons • Challenge to ID Specific Measurable Outcomes at Start • Time Intensive • Costs > Hard $ Key Factors for Success • Clear & Compelling Needs, Feasible Action Plan • Clear & Shared Vision and Leadership and Ownership of Content and Collaboration • Appropriate Partners – Self. Interest, Commitment, Value. Add • Focus, Focus…Plus Flexibility • Staffing Support • Time Collaboration – When Appropriate, Can Be Lever to Broad & Sustainable Impact

Coalescing Interests… • Corporate Sector • Interest in New Ideas/Collaboration to Maximize Impact; Shrinking Resources • Policymakers • Application of Title IX? • Agencies • National Science Foundation – Bordogna, Ramaley • Influential Leaders • NAE – Wulf; ASEE – Dean’s Task Force • Funders • NSF Corporate-Foundation Alliance Interests/Resources Coalescing Around Diversity Opportunity for Renewed Push

The Numbers Intended Majors of SAT 1 Test Takers, 2000 By the Year 2005: • 62% of new entrants into the US labor force will be women • 51% will be minorities [Hudson Institute, Workforce 2020] [College Board] Continuing Major Disparities

The Imperative ü Homeland Security: Ø Domestic Labor Force, Competitiveness ü Industry: Ø Demand for Diverse Talent, Critical for Business Success ü Public Awareness: Ø Broad & Deep Public & Gov’t Understanding & Support ü “Moral Imperative”: Ø Access to Educational & Economic Opportunity ü Society Self-Interest: Ø Membership, Resources, Influence Demographic Shifts Not Reflected in Engineering Serious Industry, Society, and National Ramifications

But Slow Progress… Shared Goal of Industry & Societies: Increase Women & Students of Color in Science, Math, Engineering & Technology Much Activity… Individual Programs Among Societies, Business, Education But Slow Progress Continuing/ Increasing Disparities; Growing Industry/ Foundation Impatience with Pace of Change Need New Ways to Leverage Resources, Enhance Leadership, Accelerate Impact

Societies’ Diversity Initiatives • Separate Initiatives, Generally Seeking Similar Goals • Resources Spread Thinly Across Many Efforts • Competing Requests to Funders, Companies • Potentially Limited Scale and Impact Alignment Data Best Practices Possible State: Resources Current State: • • Efforts Based in Data Sharing of Best Practices, Tools Efforts Linked As Appropriate Resources Focused on What Works • Leadership and Commitment Many Good Efforts, Lots of Activity -Is There an Opportunity to Strengthen and Align?

Vision: Significant Gains in Engineering Workforce Participation by Under-Represented Groups Mechanism: Focus Attention, Create Urgency, Align Stakeholders, Resources Policy/ Gov’t Business Engineering Professionals Education Society/ Public Many Stakeholders, One Focus: Diversity

Key Players: Engineering Societies Create Venue for Societies to • Catalogue Key Initiatives • Review Research/Effective Practices • Discuss Future Plans… Desired Outcomes: • Build Knowledge of Society Programs, Effective Practices and Tools to Increase Impact • Identify Opportunities for Collaboration • Define Agenda, Identify Champions (Societies) to Own Specific Initiatives – Priority, Leadership, Structures, Programs Opportunity for AAES and Engineering Societies to Play Leadership Role in Jump-Starting Progress

Five-Stage Plan Pilot Survey 12/02: • Policies, Priorities, Structures • Programs/Resources • Evaluation/Data • Collaboration Pre-Work: Collect & Synthesize Data on Current Society Initiatives 1 Q ‘ 03 First Meeting: Present Current Activities, Data; Explore Possible Linkages 2 Q ‘ 03 Interim: Societies Discuss Outcomes, Develop Plans Second Meeting: Societies Bring Plans Together, Develop Overall Plan Implement ation: Support and Follow Up to Ensure Outcomes Co-Sponsors: • AAES, NAE • GE Fund, Handful of Other Companies 3 Q ‘ 03 4 Q ‘ 03 Multi-Stage Process to Build Knowledge, ID Leaders, Leverage Resources

First Meeting 30 -50 Invitees: Agenda • Chairs/leaders and chairs-elect of society task forces on diversity and gender equity, “hand-picked” by AAES, NAE, and society leaders • Introductions • Meeting Goals and Objectives • Current Situation Overview • Synthesized Highlights of Society Initiatives & Evaluative Data • Selected Other Initiatives • Most Current Research and Evaluation Data • Motivational Speaker to Convey Urgency, Inspire Action • Discussion of Needs, Possible Actions – Small Group/Large Group • Develop Statement or Plan for Society Discussion • Next Steps, Getting Commitments to Actions, Plan for Follow Up • Small # of representatives from industry and foundations to present views, demonstrate interest in supporting collaborative and leveraged work • Resource organizations – e. g. , minority societies/ associations Costs: • Planning and meeting costs covered by corporate supporters • Follow up/implementation costs TBD by group – corporate sponsors to help identify funding

Next Steps • • • AAES Board Input 9 -23 -02 Expand Planning Team As Necessary Initial Society Conversations Refine Agenda Contact Minority Societies – Buy-In, Resources/ Data ID Speakers, Data Sources, Outside Best Practices Develop Tentative Invitee List Detail Costs, ID Other Corporate/ Foundation Sponsors Identify Follow-Up/ Implementation Options Report to AAES Board in December for Full Endorsement; First Meeting in Spring ’ 03