UA News

The series is funded by the a National Science Foundation grant to promote the partipation and advancement of women in science and engineering careers.

The University of Arizona's ADVANCE program is accepting nominations for speakers for its campus lecture series next year. The series brings female junior scientists and distinguished lecturers from other campuses to the UA as part of the University's ongoing efforts to increase the numbers and visibility of women faculty in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – disciplines.

The lecture series is one of the activities sponsored by the UA's National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant, aimed at increasing participation and advancement of women in science and engineering careers, where they are often underrepresented. The UA received the $3.3 million grant in 2006 and has focused on promoting faculty diversity and the equitable treatment of faculty, said Helena Rodrigues, ADVANCE project director.

The ADVANCE lecture series, which consists of a junior scientist lecture series and a distinguished lecture series, is heading into its third year on campus. The goal is to bring eight junior scientists and two to three distinguished lecturers to campus to speak, and nominations for speakers in the 2009-2010 series are due June 15 by 5 p.m.

"What this program does is help demonstrate to the campus community – and in some cases the Tucson community – the diversity within STEM disciplines," Rodrigues said. "Many of these disciplines are heavily male dominated, and we're trying to recognize the achievements of women in these disciplines, and also ensure opportunities to excel within those disciplines."   

Nominees for the Junior Scientist Lecture Series should be promising early-career female scientists and faculty members, while nominees for the Distinguished Lecture Series should be leading female scientists, who are established in their careers and are working on cutting edge research.

Selected junior scientists will be asked to give a lecture for the department that nominated them, and the UA ADVANCE program will pay each of them up to $1,500, including travel, lodging and a $500 honorarium.

"For the junior scientist, it provides opportunities for networking, increased visibility and also potential collaborations," Rodrigues said.

Distinguished lecturers will be asked to give a public talk and also lead a one-hour career discussion session, geared toward junior faculty, post-docs and graduate students, on topics related to professional development, career issues and mentoring, Rodrigues said. Each distinguished lecturer will be paid up to $1,100 in travel funds and a $1,000 honorarium.

"As a result of some of the budget cuts, some departments have had to trim budgets for these kinds of lecture series for these departments." Rodrigues said. "We hope that the UA ADVANCE program may provide some of our junior faculty with opportunities to network with senior-level individuals in their respective areas of research."

For the specific objectives of the UA ADVANCE grant, which lasts through 2012, the program targets more than 60 UA departments and units – primarily traditional STEM disciplines, with certain social and behavioral sciences as well, Rodrigues said.

Any faculty member in those disciplines may make a nomination, and a committee made up of representatives from the UA ADVANCE program's Leadership Workgroup – one of the program's three work groups in leadership, stewardship and transformational technologies – will evaluate nominees in what is expected to be a competitive process, Rodrigues said.

For more information about ADVANCE, the lecture series and to make a nomination, visit the UA ADVANCE Web site.

Information about lecture dates and locations will be available online in the fall.