The National Science Foundation has awarded $1 million to Missouri S&T to support the university’s efforts to attract, retain and advance more women faculty into the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Dr. Jessica Cundiff, associate professor of psychological science, will lead the three-year project, designed to increase the representation of women, especially women from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, on the faculty of Missouri S&T STEM programs and in leadership positions. The funding comes from the NSF ADVANCE project, which provides grants to help colleges and universities improve gender equity in STEM fields.

Like many STEM-focused universities, Missouri S&T’s student body is predominantly male. Roughly 23% of S&T’s 7,200 students are women. Cundiff notes that increasing the number of women instructors – who serve as role models to their students – could help draw more female students into STEM fields, especially engineering.

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