About IU AGEP

Indiana University is made up of eight campuses statewide. Most offer several graduate degrees and all together support around 17,000 graduate students. Our flagship campus is in picturesque Bloomington, Indiana. Our medical school and many other graduate degrees are housed at our city campus, Indiana University - Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

New Midwest Crossroads AGEP site

Please visit our new IU Midwest Crossroads AGEP site at:
http://www.indiana.edu/~agep/ for more up-to-date posts and news.
See you there!

Friday, September 30, 2011

The White House and National Science Foundation Announce New Workplace Flexibility Policies to Support America’s Scientists and Their Families

Today, White House Council on Women and Girls Executive Director Tina Tchen, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John P. Holdren, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Subra Suresh announced the “NSF Career-Life Balance Initiative,” a 10-year plan to provide greater work-related flexibility to women and men in research careers. Among the best practices that NSF will expand Foundation-wide, are ones that will allow researchers to delay or suspend their grants for up to one year in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child or fulfill other family obligations. — maximizing current policy to facilitate scientists’ reentry into their professions with minimal loss of momentum.

“Jump-starting girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math—the so-called STEM subjects -- and boosting the percentage of women employed in science and engineering is not just the right thing to do but is also the smart thing to do for America’s future and the economy,” said Tina Tchen.

“Too many young women scientists and engineers get sidetracked or drop their promising careers because they find it too difficult to balance the needs of those careers and the needs of their families,” said Subra Suresh. “This new initiative aims to change that, so that the country can benefit from the full range and diversity of its talent.”

Later today, First Lady Michelle Obama will speak at a White House event about the importance of supporting and retaining women and girls in STEM careers. At this East Room event, the NSF will discuss today’s announcement about retaining women in STEM fields. Tune in to www.whitehouse.gov/live to join the event live at 4 pm EDT.

“If we’re going to out-innovate and out-educate the rest of the world, we’ve got to open doors for everyone,” said Mrs. Obama. “We need all hands on deck, and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering and math.”

NSF—which is the leading source of Federal grants for many fields of basic research crucial to US technology development and job creation, including computer science, mathematics, and the social sciences—is also calling upon universities and research institutes to adopt similar policies for their employees and grantees.

Women today currently earn 41% of PhD’s in STEM fields, but make up only 28% of tenure-track faculty in those fields. Reducing the dropout rate of women in STEM careers is especially important in the quest for gender equality because women in STEM jobs earn 33 percent more than those in non-STEM occupations and the wage gap between men and women in STEM jobs is smaller than in other fields.

NSF has launched targeted workplace flexibility efforts in the past, but the new initiative is the first to be applied Foundation-wide to help postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty members more easily care for dependents while continuing their careers. The new initiative will offer a coherent and consistent set of family-friendly policies and practices to help eliminate some of the barriers to women’s advancement and retention in STEM careers. It will:

•Allow postponement of grants for child birth/adoption – Grant recipients can defer their awards for up to one year to care for their newborn or newly adopted children.

•Allow grant suspension for parental leave – Grant recipients who wish to suspend their grants to take parental leave can extend those grants by a comparable duration at no cost.

•Provide supplements to cover research technicians – Principal investigators can apply for stipends to pay research technicians or equivalent staff to maintain labs while PIs are on family leave.

•Publicize the availability of family friendly opportunities – NSF will issue announcements and revise current program solicitations to expressly promote these opportunities to eligible awardees.

•Promote family friendliness for panel reviewers – STEM researchers who review the grant proposals of their peers will have greater opportunities to conduct virtual reviews rather than travel to a central location, increasing flexibility and reducing dependent-care needs.

•Support research and evaluation – NSF will continue to encourage the submission of proposals for research that would asses the effectiveness of policies aimed at keeping women in the STEM pipeline.

•Leverage and Expand Partnerships -- NSF will leverage existing relationships with academic institutions to encourage the extension of the tenure clock and allow for dual hiring opportunities.

The Administration has been highly focused on the goal of increasing the participation of women and girls in STEM fields. The White House has encouraged and celebrated the participation of girls and women in STEM fields through initiatives like Educate to Innovate, which, among other goals, focuses on improving STEM education for underrepresented groups, including girls, and the President’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition, which rewards states that develop strategies to broaden the participation of women and girls and others underrepresented in science and engineering. To achieve this, states applying for these funds receive competitive preference if they demonstrate efforts to address barriers to full participation of women and girls in these fields.

The President has appointed a strong team of women leaders to his Cabinet and White House staff, including several female scientists including EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson (an engineer), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco (a marine scientist), US Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt (a geophysicist), and Director of the Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Regina Dugan (a mechanical engineer).

The White House has also been committed to making the government a model employer in the area of workplace flexibility. In March of 2010, The President’s Council of Economic Advisors issued its first ever report on the economic benefits of workplace flexibility, concluding that it strengthens a company’s bottom line while helping workers meet the needs of their families and stay in the workforce. The President hosted a White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility and the Department of Labor led subsequent efforts around the country to promote workplace flexibility and generate best practices in the private sector. To strengthen the government’s position as a model employer in this area, the President signed the Telework Enhancement Act, which requires Federal agencies to take a number of significant steps to promote the use of telework, including appointing a senior telework managing officer in each Federal agency.

Several independent organizations and academic associations today announced initiatives in coordination with NSF and the White House, adding momentum to a nationwide shift that promises to strengthen the US economy and job security even as it strengthens families across the country. Among them:

•The White House Council on Women and Girls and Office of Science and Technology Policy are launching a “Women in STEM Speakers Bureau.” Designed to spark the interest of girls in grades 6-12 through engagement with women-scientist role models at the top of their fields, the Speakers Bureau will deploy top Administration female STEM specialists to roundtables with students across the country.

•The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity will announce an expansion of its signature initiative, the STEM Equity Pipeline, to provide professional development training for high-school and community college faculty and staff in STEM fields.

•The Association for Women in Science is launching a new initiative that brings together representatives from government, industry, and academia with the goal of improving STEM workplaces to promote gender equality and retention, re-entry, and re-training for women.

•The National Girls Collaborative Project will announce the FabFems Project to promote career development for young female STEM students through an online networking platform that will include female educators and professionals in STEM fields.

•The American Association of University Women will announce the expansion of successful regional programs aimed at engaging girls in STEM subjects to a national level.

•The Association of American Universities and the Association of Public Land-grant Universities will commit to looking for ways that the many institutions they represent can do more to develop, support, and promote more flexible work and learning environments for those in STEM and other disciplines.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Indiana University Emissaries for Graduate Student Diversity on the Bloomington campus


See their new blog site: http://www.indiana.edu/~gradlife/

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

AGEP Summer 2011

What a busy summer we have had!  IU AGEP has had many students and faculty participate in events this summer. 
Jose, Amy, Jeremy, and Nancy - Graduate Student Panel
July was a full month. We hosted the IUPUI Herbert Summer STEM students at the Bloomington campus, showing them around and hosting panal disscussions and meetings with professors.
AGEP represented IU at the Kappa Alpha Psi Fair in Indianapolis.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Howard PFF Summer Institute

IU attended Howard PFF Summer Institute Washington, D.C. June 9-11. IU participants include: (1) Christy Erving, Sociology (2) Diedre Redmond, Sociology; and, (3) Verleen McSween, Vision Sciences.


Friday, June 17, 2011

Institute for Broadening Participation

Dean Yolanda Treviño attends an Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) training session with AGEP colleagues from SUNY, UMBC, and Cornell.   Sign up to receive NSF, NIH and NASA information on graduate student research support, as well as post-doc and faculty opportunities at:  http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/Form.asp

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

April 2011 GLASS Conference in Chicago, IL

The Great Lakes Alliance for Social and Behavioral Sciences (GLASS) held their annual graduate student research conference April 22, 2011. Indiana University had six students selected to present their original research, there students were: Christine Davis, Eric Grollman, Caralee Jones, Chantalle LaFontant, Alexander Lu, and Gabriel Serna (no pictured). This conference is designed to give graduate students in SBES (social and behavioral sciences) an opportunity to present their research and receive feedback from their peers and faculty from the seven universities that comprise the GLASS Alliance.


Christine Davis, Counseling and Educational Psychology, presented on her research titled, "Moderating Effects of temperament on the Relations between Religious Education and Religiosity at Grade Six and Age Fifteen". Her conclusion confirms her hypothesis that there is a moderating role of difficult temperament on the relation between religious education and religiosity.

Eric Grollman, Sociology, presented his research on, "The Effects of Multiple Forms of Perceived Discrimination on Health among Adolescents and Young Adults." He investigates whether the relationship between perceived discrimination and health varies by the number and type of discrimination.

Caralee Jones's, African American and African Diaspora Studies, research is focused on the, "Interpersonal Relationships among Africans, African Americans, and West Indians. She explores the factors that help or hinder the interpersonal relationships among these groups.

Chantalle LaFontant's, Public Affairs, research is tilted, "Path Dependencies: Haiti's Unconsidered Obstacle". She looks at the factors in the "Haiti situation" that seem intractable using path dependency theory.

Alexander Lu, Sociology, explores discrimination and immigrant laws. His research is titled, "Intersections of Discrimination in Immigration Law: Narrating Chinese Women's Experiences during the Chinese Exclusion Era".

Gabriel Serna, Education, looks at the relationship between tax and expenditure limitations and tuition prices. Her research is titled, "Foundations for an Empirical Analysis of TELs and Public University Tuition Prices".

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

IU Graduate Student Recieves The City's Commission on the Status of Black Males 2011 Outstanding Black Male Leader of Tomorrow Award

Former Emissary for Graduate Student Diversity and Indiana University graduate student in microbiology Adrian Land received the city’s Commission on the Status of Black Males 2011 Outstanding Black Males Leader of Tomorrow Award. Land said he simply wants to be a person who does his part to build bridges and open doors for other people, as so many have done for him.

As a member of the commission, Land has served as a co-facilitator of workshops for the IU Men and Women of Color Conference.
He is a member of the Midwest Crossroads Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, an emissary for graduate student diversity through the IU Graduate School, an ambassador for the Office of Diversity Education, and was a participant in the 2009 Compact for Faculty Diversity.

Land also serves as a house parent for Stepping Stones and is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

NSF Emerging Researchers Conference, Washington D.C.

The Indiana University Graduate School and Midwest Crossroads Alliance were represented at the Emerging Researchers Conference by Lesa Huber, Applied Health Science, HPER, Constance Brown, Atmospheric Science/Geography, Garfield Warren, Physics, and Assistant Dean Yolanda Treviño, University Graduate School  in Washington, D.C. February 24th-27th. The Emerging Researchers Conference was hosted by the National Science Foundation. This was a great opportunity to recruite students in the STEM disicplines and network with other professionals.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Post Doctoral Position Listings:

IBP has been working on keeping post doctoral openings posted on a new web portal: http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/Postdocs_portal.asp. We share this information through outreach with AGEP students. Please encourage students who are interested in seeking a post doctoral position to check the listings on this page and to consider posting their profiles here. If you find profiles on this page or on www.agep.us or on www.pathwaystoscience.org that need updating please take a minute and let us know! Also, feel free to share this link with other colleagues who are seeking candidates for post doctoral openings.

You can send information to me directly by email or you can utilize the link below to suggest changes or other program information--whatever is most convenient for you.

Post Doctoral Opening Posting Link:

http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/programform.asp

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

GEO Science Internships Avaliable:

The Geological Society of America's (GSA) GeoCorps America internship program is now seeking applicants for exciting geoscience internships during in the summer of 2011. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.




WHAT IS GEOCORPS?

●More than ninety different twelve-week geoscience internships are available in America's amazing public lands

●GeoCorps now features six additional “GeoCorps Diversity Internships” and two additional “GeoCorps American Indian Internships”.

●Projects involve field and laboratory research focused on the earth and environmental sciences.

●Participants may develop and lead educational and interpretive programs for staff, volunteers, and the public.

●Research topics include geology, hydrology, water quality, paleontology, mapping, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), minerals, soils, glaciology, geo-hazards, cave/karst science, and more.

●Mentorship is provided by federal employees in GSA's three partner agencies: the National Park Service (NPS), United States Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).



WHERE DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Internships are hosted on public lands throughout the United States: National Parks, National Forests, and BLM areas.

●Sites include Grand Canyon National Park (AZ), Glacier National Park (MT), Badlands National Park (SD), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), the NPS Denver office, the BLM Washington, DC office, and dozens more.

●Opportunities are available in distant, remote areas, and closer to home.



WHO SHOULD APPLY TO GEOCORPS?

●Eligibility is open to students, graduates, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, retirees, and others.

●Candidates with backgrounds in geoscience, other STEM areas, or in STEM education are invited to apply.

●Members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.



WHY SHOULD SOMEONE PARTICIPATE IN GEOCORPS?

●A stipend payment ($2,750 minimum) and free housing (or full housing funds) are provided.

●The program provides valuable work experience with the federal government.

●Scientific skills are learned and utilized in a “real world” setting.

●Participants get to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas in the world.



WHEN DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Applications for summer positions are due by Feb. 1, 2011, and positions take place from May 2011-Sep. 2011.

●Applications for fall/winter positions, which occur from Sep. 2011-May 2012, can be submitted from May 2-Jul. 1, 2011.



HOW CAN SOMEONE APPLY?

●Applications should be submitted through the GeoCorps website.

●Everyone can apply to three GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps Diversity Internships may apply to all six, plus three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps American Indian Internships may apply for those, plus all six GeoCorps Diversity Internships, and three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Contact Matt Dawson, GeoCorps Program Officer, for information/assistance: mdawson@geosociety.org; 303-357-1025.



MORE DETAILS ABOUT GEOCORPS

●Main GeoCorps website: www.geosociety.org/geocorps

●GeoCorps Diversity Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsDiversityInternships.htm

●GeoCorps American Indian Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsAmericanIndianInternships

TRUST-REU 2011Summer Research Experience-Apply by March 1, 2011

An eight-week summer research experience for undergraduates in cybersecurity and trustworthy systems. TRUST is addressing technical operational, privacy, and policy challenges with interdisciplinary projects that combine fundamental science and applied research to deliver breakthrough advances in trustworthy systems in three "grand challenge" areas:
  • Financial Infastructures
  • Health Infrastructures
  • Physical Infrastructures
REU students work in small groups on TRUST research projects with faculty and graduate mentors.

Research Program Locations:
  • UC Berkeley, CA
  • Carnegie Mellon University, PA
  • Cornell University, NY
  • Stanford University, CA
  • Vanderbilt University, TN
Apply by March 1, 2011 at www.truststc.org/reu.

For further information Contact:
Dr. Kristen Gates
TRUST REU Program Office
University of California
337 Cory Hall Berkley, CA 94720

510-642-3737

kgates@eeecs.berkley.edu

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Job Opportunities

The Geological Society of America's (GSA) GeoCorps America internship program is now seeking applicants for exciting geoscience internships during in the summer of 2011. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.


WHAT IS GEOCORPS?

●More than ninety different twelve-week geoscience internships are available in America's amazing public lands

●GeoCorps now features six additional “GeoCorps Diversity Internships” and two additional “GeoCorps American Indian Internships”.

●Projects involve field and laboratory research focused on the earth and environmental sciences.

●Participants may develop and lead educational and interpretive programs for staff, volunteers, and the public.

●Research topics include geology, hydrology, water quality, paleontology, mapping, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), minerals, soils, glaciology, geo-hazards, cave/karst science, and more.

●Mentorship is provided by federal employees in GSA's three partner agencies: the National Park Service (NPS), United States Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

WHERE DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Internships are hosted on public lands throughout the United States: National Parks, National Forests, and BLM areas.

●Sites include Grand Canyon National Park (AZ), Glacier National Park (MT), Badlands National Park (SD), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), the NPS Denver office, the BLM Washington, DC office, and dozens more.

●Opportunities are available in distant, remote areas, and closer to home.

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO GEOCORPS?

●Eligibility is open to students, graduates, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, retirees, and others.

●Candidates with backgrounds in geoscience, other STEM areas, or in STEM education are invited to apply.

●Members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE PARTICIPATE IN GEOCORPS?

●A stipend payment ($2,750 minimum) and free housing (or full housing funds) are provided.

●The program provides valuable work experience with the federal government.

●Scientific skills are learned and utilized in a “real world” setting.

●Participants get to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas in the world.

WHEN DO GEOCORPS INTERNSHIPS TAKE PLACE?

●Applications for summer positions are due by Feb. 1, 2011, and positions take place from May 2011-Sep. 2011.

●Applications for fall/winter positions, which occur from Sep. 2011-May 2012, can be submitted from May 2-Jul. 1, 2011.

HOW CAN SOMEONE APPLY?

●Applications should be submitted through the GeoCorps website.

●Everyone can apply to three GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps Diversity Internships may apply to all six, plus three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Candidates for the GeoCorps American Indian Internships may apply for those, plus all six GeoCorps Diversity Internships, and three other GeoCorps America positions.

●Contact Matt Dawson, GeoCorps Program Officer, for information/assistance: mdawson@geosociety.org; 303-357-1025.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT GEOCORPS

●Main GeoCorps website: http://www.geosociety.org/geocorps

●GeoCorps Diversity Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsDiversityInternships.htm

●GeoCorps American Indian Internships: http://rock.geosociety.org/g_corps/GeoCorpsAmericanIndianInternships