Skip to main content
A woman walking in front of the Women's Building at OSU with fall colors

New fund supports gender equity in the College of Science

By Cari Longman

The College of Science is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity to support the advancement of faculty members who previously or currently identify as women. The new College of Science Gender Equity in Leadership Fund is aimed at enhancing and building leadership skills and opportunities for these faculty members in the college.

Support for improving inclusive excellence runs strong in the College of Science, as emphasized in the College’s diversity action plan and new 2022-27 strategic plan. Both of these plans are the result of year-long community engagement and include the feedback of faculty, students, alumni and other strategic partners of the College of Science. The diversity action plan, “Embedding Equity, Access and Inclusion,” was drafted during the 2020-21 academic year and reflects the priorities and values of the College of Science community members and our goals for growing as an equitable, inclusive and welcoming community. The diversity action plan is fully integrated into our five-year strategic plan, “Extending the Reach and Impact of Science,” launched in September 2022.

The Gender Equity in Leadership Fund grew out of both of these plans. Building the leadership capacity and improving pathways for more, diverse voices in science are key goals and objectives for the College of Science.

“I am thankful to the donors who have made this fund possible,” said Vrushali Bokil, interim dean for the College of Science. “As a woman in STEM, I am encouraged by the commitment and enthusiasm in the College of Science to inclusive excellence. I hope many members of the College benefit from it.”

Thanks to generous donors, the new College of Science Gender Equity in Leadership Fund will provide three faculty with a $3K award for developing and implementing projects related to the College’s mission while enhancing leadership skills and opportunities for faculty members who previously or currently identify as women in the College of Science. Any faculty member, including tenure-track, non-tenure track, instructors and professional faculty, are eligible to submit proposals by Jan. 15, 2023, and collaborative proposals are strongly encouraged.


Read more stories about: women in science, research funding