NSF-Supported White Paper on Realizing STEM Equity and Diversity through Higher Education-Community Engagement

An NSF-Supported White Paper was released in January 2015: “Realizing STEM Equity and Diversity through Higher Education-Community Engagement.” The authors are Ira Harkavy (Associate Vice President and Founding Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania), Nancy Cantor (Chancellor, Rutgers University-Newark), and Myra Burnett (Interim Provost, Spelman College).

The purpose of this white paper is to present a promising approach to advancing equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through higher education-community engagement.  It the authors' intention that this paper will advance both the understanding and practice in the field by presenting key findings and recommendations for effective higher education-community engagement in STEM.

This paper is the product of a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the University of Pennsylvania, which supported an international workshop on the role of institutions of higher education in fostering P-20+ community engagement through knowledge production, human capacity building (including broadening participation and the integration of research and education), innovation, and social cohesion. This white paper summarizes the learning and knowledge generated through the international workshop held in the U.S., as well as a second international meeting held in South Africa.

The paper concludes with a series of recommendations, derived from the two international workshops, which, the authors believe, have powerful implications for significantly enhancing STEM equity, driving broader participation, and producing better science.  Moreover, the findings in this white paper, the authors also believe, demonstrate the value of learning and collaboration on a global basis for reducing inequalities in STEM in communities throughout the world.

Please feel free to distribute this report to your colleagues and networks.  Comments or questions on the report are welcome.