2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Project ELEVATE: Utilizing our AGEP Alliance to Build Infrastructure for Change

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University created the Project ELEVATE Alliance (AGEP Grant – Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM in the Directorate for STEM Education) to develop a model promoting the equitable advancement of early career tenure-stream engineering faculty from historically underrepresented groups, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders (AGEP) faculty. The goal of this AGEP Faculty Career Pathways Alliance Model (FCPAM) grant is to develop, implement, self-study, and institutionalize a career pathway model that can be adapted for use at similar institutions, for advancing early career engineering faculty from these groups. The Alliance interventions for this project focus on three major pillars of activity, 1) equity-focused institutional change designed to make structural changes that support the advancement of AGEP faculty, 2) identity-affirming mentorship that acknowledges and provides professional support to AGEP faculty holistically, recognizing all parts of their identity and 3) inclusive professional development that equips all engineering faculty and institutional leaders with skills to implement inclusive practices and equips AGEP faculty for career advancement. The main pillars have informed our efforts during the early years of the grant.

As we began collaborating in our alliance, we made observations about similarities and differences in institutional culture and decision making. While there were many similarities between search and hiring practices across the three institutions, there were also differences that may play into effective hiring of engineering faculty. There are also different activities at each institution that align with the institutionalization of equity-focused practices in areas such as supporting faculty success; reappointment, promotion, and tenure policies and guidance; mentoring and teaching evaluations. Some of these observations came from our self-study, while others came from discussions among the team.

In planning our professional development initiatives, our alliance realized there was insufficient personnel at some of the alliance institutions to implement the Project ELEVATE programs. At CMU, the College of Engineering re-envisioned its Center for Faculty Success (CFS), an entity designed to provide resources, training, and community building to promote and foster faculty success. A new Faculty Director and Managing Director have been hired to relaunch the center. In addition, NYU Engineering has hired a new full-time staff member funded by the school budget as the Associate Director for Faculty Development, to support the various new faculty development programs including those under Project ELEVATE. Lastly, JHU recently hired a Director of Faculty Recruitment who will support the Vice Dean of Faculty in recruitment and onboarding of early career faculty. In this paper we will discuss the steps taken at each alliance institution and our plans for sustainability of these initiatives at our institutions. The evaluation team will also provide an update and discuss how they have supported the team in its efforts.

Authors

Dr. Alaine M Allen Carnegie Mellon University [biography]

Dr. Alaine M. Allen is a dedicated educator who has spent over thirty years creating opportunities and amplifying the voices of individuals from groups that have historically been marginalized, underestimated, or overlooked in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. She currently serves as an Associate Dean at Carnegie Mellon University in the College of Engineering. In this role, she collaborates with a team of professionals to strengthen the culture of the College of Engineering and support initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and educational outreach. Additionally, she holds the position of Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy. Dr. Allen is passionate about fostering a culture of inclusive excellence that empowers the entire community to collaborate, bridge differences, and thrive together.
Darlene Saporu
Yao Wang
Dr. Linda DeAngelo http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8508-5909 University of Pittsburgh [biography]

Linda DeAngelo is Associate Professor of Higher Education in the School of Education, Director of Graduate Studies with a secondary faculty appointment in the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. DeAngelo studies social stratification, investigating how social inequities are produced, maintained, and interrupted. Currently her scholarship focuses on access to and engagement in faculty mentorship, the pathway into and through graduate education, and gender and race in engineering.
Dr. Andrew Douglas The Johns Hopkins University
Ms. Nathalie Florence Felciai New York University Tandon School of Engineering [biography]

Project ELEVATE: Utilizing our AGEP Alliance to Build Infrastructure for Change
Dr. Neetha Khan Carnegie Mellon University [biography]

Dr. Neetha Khan is currently Associate Director of Research Development Services in the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. She also serves as the Project Manager of Project ELEVATE. Dr. Khan received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College and a doctorate degree in Materials Science from the University of Delaware.
Stacey J Marks The Johns Hopkins University
Ms. Lisa A. Porter Carnegie Mellon University
Dr. William Harry Sanders Carnegie Mellon University [biography]

Education
Ph.D.; Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, 1988
M.S.E.; Computer, Information and Control Engineering, University of Michigan, 1985
B.S.; Computer Engineering, University of Michigan, 1983

Academic Positions Held
Str
Dr. Tuviah "Ed" E. Schlesinger The Johns Hopkins University
Charlie Díaz University of Pittsburgh [biography]

Charlie Diaz is a PhD student studying Higher Education at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a recipient of the K. Leroy Irvis Fellowship. His research interests include minoritized student experiences in Higher Ed, student activism, and the development of inclusive policy and practice in Higher Ed.
Blayne D. Stone University of Pittsburgh
Prisca Collins
Dr. Katharine Phelps Walsh Carnegie Mellon University, College of Engineering [biography]

Katie Walsh is the Managing Director of the Center for Faculty Success in Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering. In this role, Katie is responsible for designing and implementing professional development and leadership programs for all Engineering faculty. Additionally, Katie supports the work of the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs, including faculty hiring and promotion and tenure.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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