A new video titled “AGEP-NC: A Change Model for Doctoral to Faculty Diversity” features several members of the North Carolina Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP-NC) Community. The video will be part of the STEM for All Video Showcase from May 11-18, 2021.

The STEM for All Video Showcase is an opportunity to network and find new resources. Over 250 projects funded by NSF and other federal agencies will showcase three-minute videos of their innovative work related to improving STEM education.

The AGEP-NC project works with 28 departments in STEM disciplines across NC State, NC A&T State University and UNC Charlotte to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in their doctoral programs. AGEP-NC provides a platform and structure for departments to examine the experiences of Black, Latinx, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan and Pacific Islander students in their doctoral programs and design strategies to make changes to their programs.

The project revolves around faculty fellows who serve as resources and advocates, bringing information and helping their departments to develop and implement approaches for transforming their doctoral programs into programs in which diverse students thrive and succeed and are prepared to proceed to faculty positions. AGEP-NC is an alliance of NC State, NC A&T State University and UNC Charlotte.

In the AGEP-NC Model for Change video, Lisa Merriweather, associate professor of educational leadership, UNC Charlotte; Winser Alexander, professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering, NC State; and Maureen Grasso, professor of textiles and apparel, technology and management, NC State, describe the goals and approach of the AGEP-NC model. Fatma Mili, Dean of UNCC’s College of Computing and Informatics, explains the power that faculty have to make change and AGEP-NC Faculty Fellows Brad Taylor, associate professor of applied ecology at NC State, and Melanie Simpson, professor and head of molecular and structural biochemistry at NC State, describe some of their initiatives to make their departments’ doctoral programs more equitable and welcoming to diverse students.

Keith Schimmel, professor and director of the Applied Science and Technology Ph.D. program at NC A&T and Marcia Gumpertz, professor of statistics, at NC State present the video. Maureen Grasso wrote the script, and Matt Norris, NC State senior in communication and business administration, produced.

View the Video

May 11-18: You are invited to browse and view the 3-minute videos, join discussions and vote for your favorites. The STEM for All Video Showcase is a free 8-day virtual event.

• View: AGEP-NC: A Change Model for Doctoral to Faculty Diversity (live on May 11, 2021).

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 1820536 1820538 and 1820582. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Marcia Gumpertz is professor of statistics at NC State.