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Dr. Healani Chang with her students from the ‘Ilima SACNAS Chapter at the University of Hawai‘i.

Dr. Frankie Zhu observing and taking notes during microgravity experiment, as seen in NASA press release.

Dr. Frankie Zhu observing and taking notes during microgravity experiment, as seen in NASA press release.

Dr. Helen Janiszewski and colleagues conduct field work on Hawai‘i island.

Dr. Helen Janiszewski and colleagues conduct field work on Hawai‘i island.

Oceaonpraphy MS Candidate Caroline Jackson prepares the conductivity, temperature, and depth rosette for deployment on a Hawai‘i Ocean Time series research cruise.

Oceanography MS Candidate Caroline Jackson prepares the conductivity, temperature, and depth rosette for deployment on a Hawai‘i Ocean Time series research cruise.

Dr. Barb Bruno with students on SE O‘ahu geology fieldtrip.

Dr. Barb Bruno with students on SE O‘ahu geology fieldtrip.

Volcanologist Dr. Julia Hammer measuring the temperature of cinder erupted in 2018 about two weeks after the Kīlauea eruption ended.

Volcanologist Dr. Julia Hammer measuring the temperature of cinder erupted in 2018 about two weeks after the Kīlauea eruption ended.

Hailey Pantaleo collects water quality samples during field work in American Sāmoa in August, 2022.

Hailey Pantaleo collects water quality samples during field work in American Sāmoa in August, 2022.

ADVANCE Catalyst: Advancing kaulike (equity) focusing on STEM intersectional experiences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

As the flagship campus of a 10-campus system, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa seeks to better understand the experiences of nā wāhine (women) who identify as academic professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), in particular women from Native Hawaiian, Filipino and other underrepresented groups. In Fall 2020, UH Mānoa’s women were more than 50% of the student population, but less than 34% of the STEM faculty population. These numbers are further reduced for women STEM professionals with intersecting underrepresented identities.

With the aim of increasing the number of underrepresented, wāhine faculty in the STEM fields, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is beginning a new ADVANCE Catalyst project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF’s ADVANCE Catalyst track is designed to undertake data collection and institutional self-assessment work to identify systemic gender inequities impacting their STEM faculty so that these can be addressed by the institution.

As a result of this work, we will provide UH Mānoa with strategic plans for increasing the number of underrepresented, wāhine faculty in the STEM fields through modified recruitment, retention, and promotion practices, such as revamping the UH Mānoa Tenure and Promotion process, mentoring, and creating pathways to hiring UH Mānoa graduates into faculty positions.  We take a feminist, intersectional approach to examine women’s experiences in STEM professions, while centering islandness and indigeneity. We use “women” to be inclusive of all who identify as women.

Planned Activities

  1. Conduct an institutional self-assessment to investigate supports and barriers to advancements of women faculty in STEM;
  2. Pilot activities to develop an organizational change strategy that brings equity for women into UH Mānoa’s tenure and promotion processes;
  3. Develop a five-year STEM faculty equity plan in partnership with the Native Hawaiian Place of Learning Advancement Office and other diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders at UH Mānoa.

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program Award Number: 2200748.

UPCOMING SESSIONS AND UPDATES!

Sign up for the upcoming work sessions for UH Mānoa ADVANCE Kaulike Catalyst! The work sessions are meant for active discussion and planning; they are not informational meetings. We advise listening to the information meetings prior to attending a work session.

  • February 20, 2024: 2:15–3:45pm, QLC 412, Islandness and Intersectionality
  • February 22, 2024: 2:15–3:45pm, QLC 412, Equity-minded and Culturally Competent Hiring at UH Mānoa
  • March 4, 2024: 11:30-1:00pm, Online, Building a UH Mānoa Coalition for the ADVANCE Institutional Transformation
  • April 2, 2024: 2:00-3:30pm, Hybrid, Supporting UH Mānoa Faculty Equity through Changes to Promotion and Tenure
  • April 2, 2024: 2:00-3:30pm, Hybrid, Discussion of Advancement Opportunities for APT Personnel at the University of Hawaiʻi
  • April 3, 2024: 2:00pm, Online, Discussion of Advancement and Access Opportunities for UH Mānoa Personnel with Disabilities
  • TBD: Structuring the UH Mānoa ADVANCE Institutional Transformation
  • TBD: 9am–4pm summit: UH Mānoa Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Showcase of Women in STEM

Islandness and Intersectionality, February 20

Keynote speaker
Dr. Marina Karides,
Former Principal Investigator of the UHH and UH Community Colleges ADVANCE Building Relationships to Increase Diversity and Gender Equity (BRIDGE) Partnership Grant

During this in-person working session we will explore the important roles of islandness and intersectionality on the workplace experiences of women and other underrepresented scientists at UH Mānoa and ways they can be supported by a UH Mānoa Equity Strategic Plan.

Equity-minded and culturally competent hiring at UH Mānoa, February 22

Keynote speaker
Linda Voong,
Human Resources Specialist, UH Mānoa Search Advocates Program

During this in-person working session we will explore opportunities and methods to recruit, support, and retain culture/science practitioners, indigenous and underrepresented scientists, and our own exemplary UH Mānoa graduates for inclusion in a UH Mānoa Equity Strategic Plan.

Building a UH Mānoa Coalition for the ADVANCE Institutional Transformation, March 4

Facilitator
Kelvin Chu, The Implementation Group

This facilitated, online session is for UH Mānoa colleagues who are active members of the grant proposal writing team. Please let us know if you have interest in becoming a member of the writing group. With a preliminary proposal deadline of April 25, this team will actively write towards the NSF ADVANCE: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE) – NSF 20-554. The NSF ADVANCE program goal is to broaden the implementation of evidence-based systemic change strategies that promote equity for STEM2 faculty in academic workplaces and the academic profession.

Supporting UH Mānoa Faculty Equity through Changes to Promotion and Tenure, April 2

Keynote speaker
Dr. Paul McKimmy,
Associate Vice Provost for Academic Excellence

During this working session we will hear from experts in UH Mānoa’s Center on Disability Studies regarding foundation principles for providing robust support for professionals with disabilities. Data from the UH Mānoa ADVANCE survey has helped us to identify that there are numerous respondents who reported having a disability. Some of the intersectional aspects and experiences of being a UH Mānoa employee with a disability will be shared, and we will work together in groups to strategize ways to identify barriers, and workshop ideas for robust (and likely multi-pronged) approaches to improve accessibility for all of our colleagues. The work session summary of discussions will inform the UH Mānoa Equity Strategic Plan.

Discussion of Advancement Opportunities for APT Personnel at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, April 2

Guest speakers
Jeffery Long, Director, UH System Office of Human Resources
Nicole Ogawa, Associate Director, UH System Office of Human Resources
Miki Sugikawa, Human Resources Manager, UH System Office of Human Resources

During this hybrid working session representatives from the Office of Human Resources will discuss advancement opportunities and system processes and platforms such as the performance evaluation system, in-band step increases, and adjustments based on equity and retention. Participants will be invited to share how they have experienced the existing advancement opportunities and what kinds of changes they would like to see happen at UH Mānoa. The work session summary of discussions will inform the UH Mānoa Equity Strategic Plan. (Please note that our 3 speakers will be joining us via Zoom)

Discussion of Advancement and Access Opportunities for UH Mānoa Personnel with Disabilities, April 3

Keynote speakers
Dr. Hye-Jin Park and Dr. Robert Stodden, UH Mānoa Center on Disability Studies

During this online working session we will hear from experts in UH Mānoa’s Center on Disability Studies regarding foundational principles for providing robust support for professionals with disabilities. Data from the UH Mānoa ADVANCE survey has helped us to identify that there are numerous respondents who reported having a disability. Some of the intersectional aspects and experiences of being a UH Mānoa employee with a disability will be shared, and we will work together in groups to strategize ways to identify barriers, and workshop ideas for robust (and likely multi-pronged) approaches to improve accessibility for all of our colleagues. The work session summary of discussions will inform the UH Mānoa Equity Strategic Plan.

Past Information Sessions

  • Thursday, 9/28/2023, 10:00-11:00am: “Policies and Procedures to Support Women in STEMSlidedeckVideo Recording
  • Thursday, 11/9/2023, 10:30-11:45am: “Key learnings from the UH Mānoa ADVANCE Catalyst Survey Data” SlidedeckVideo Recording
  • Wednesday 12/6/2023, 9:00-10:30am: “In their own words – Themes from UH Mānoa ADVANCE Catalyst Focus Group interviews”  SlidedeckVideo Recording

DISSEMINATION

The UH Mānoa ADVANCE Catalyst team members are sharing our work at several conferences and venues.

2023 National Diversity in STEM SACNAS Conference, in Portland, Oregon, Advancing Kaulike: Reflecting on Equity Considerations for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, October 28, 2023

2023 American Geophysical Union Conference, ED41A-06: Advancing Kaulike (equity) focusing on STEM intersectional experiences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Session Number and Title: ED41A: Advances and Progress Toward a More Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, and Accessible Scientific Community, December 14, 2023

2023 Pacific Circle Consortium Conference, in Ōtautahi, Aotearoa (Christchurch, New Zealand), STEM Wāhine at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: Advancing Kaulike, November 9, 2023

2023 SOEST Open House, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, Understanding the Experiences of Underrepresented Groups in STEM, October 21, 2023

Papers in progress

  • Working Title: Identifying the gaps: missing voices in MSI NSF ADVANCE grant recipients, Target journal: ADVANCE Journal

ADVANCE Kaulike Team

Michael Bruno

Michael Bruno, Provost & Principal Investigator

Healani Chang

Healani Chang, Co-Principal Investigator

Associate Specialist, Pacific Biosciences Research Center

Jennifer Griswold

Jennifer Griswold, Co-Principal Investigator

Associate Professor, Atmospheric Sciences

Frankie Zhu

Frankie Zhu, Co-Principal Investigator

Assistant Researcher, HIGP

Truc Nguyễn

Truc Nguyen, Co-Principal Investigator

Specialist, Curriculum Research & Development Group

Lani Teves

Stephanie Nohelani Teves, Lead Researcher

Associate Professor, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Tom Shea, Lead Researcher

Associate Professor, Earth Sciences

Jenny Engels, Project Manager

ADVANCE Research Scientist, HIGP

Rita Ryan

Rita Ryan

Education Research Affiliate, Social Sciences

Henrik Weiberg

Henrik Weiberg

Graduate Research Assistant, Social Sciences

Shannon Tran

Shannon Tran

Graduate Research Assistant, Social Sciences

Talofa Fe`a

Talofa Fe`a

Research Assistant, Natural Resources and Env. Management

Resources

  • UH Hilo and Community Colleges ADVANCE program: Building Relationships to Increase Diversity and Gender Equity (BRIDGE).
  • Curated ADVANCE resource library, online community, meetings, and virtual programs:  ARC Network.
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