Florida A&M University (FAMU) recently announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) hosted a research boot camp for 15 women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) scholars.

The participants ranged from dissertators to early-career faculty, and post-doctoral fellows from across Florida.

During the weeklong session, which began Sunday, July 10, senior women in STEM scholars served as mentors and taught strategies based on a model focused on increasing the number of minority women faculty in STEM.

According to the leading historically Black college and university (HBCU) in the state of Florida, the NSF-funded program aligns with the goal to increase the number of women of color in the STEM professoriate. FAMU serves as the lead institution for the Florida AGEP Pathways Alliance (FLAGEP), which aims to advance a partnership among universities.

Led by Allyson Watson, Ph.D., dean of the FAMU College of Education, the Alliance includes Bethune Cookman University, Florida Memorial University, Florida International University, the University of South Florida, and Virginia Tech.

“It is imperative that institutions like those in the Florida AGEP Alliance continue to provide opportunities for mentoring of women of color in STEM. We know that there are disparities among women faculty and women of color faculty in STEM areas. This Research Boot Camp surrounds these promising scholars with nationally recognized scholars who are lifting as they climb,” Watson said. “The participants will not only get to share their experiences with mentors who have walked the walk, they will also gain purposeful and meaningful lessons on publishing in top-tier journals, grant writing in national foundations, achieving tenure at top universities, and accomplishing success in higher education and the professoriate.”

College of Education Associate Professor Alishea Rowley, Ph.D., served as the project coordinator and has been communicating with the participants and anticipates a transformational week. “We look forward to hosting this dynamic group of women who are dissertators and emerging leaders,” Rowley said. “The support they will receive is invaluable.”

Sisters of the Academy (SOTA) developer Tamara Bertrand Jones, Ph.D., an associate professor of higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Florida State University, serves as a hosting consultant for the Research Boot Camp.

Watson said the FL AGEP Alliance has a strong mentoring model developed by Sylvia Thomas, Ph.D., to incorporate lessons and strategies for women of color as they navigate higher education. SOTA provides the framework for the intensive model to be actualized and the women leave feeling accomplished and moving toward their future.

“We want to add value to the state of Florida and the nation by increasing the number of women of color in the STEM professoriate so that in turn, we can recruit and retain more women who represent diverse backgrounds in STEM areas. It is a transformational cycle that we are happy to be a part of.”