The Impact of WiSE at USC: Advancing Women in STEM

In the year 2000, the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences housed merely a dozen female tenure-track faculty members in its six science departments. Similarly, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering noted only three women among its faculty. Fast forward two decades, and the landscape has dramatically changed, with the tally of women faculty members rising to 70 across these two institutions. This significant transformation can be largely attributed to the initiatives of the Women and Science in Engineering (WiSE) program, which is supported by the university’s Office of the Provost.

Program Initiatives

The WiSE program employs a multifaceted approach to promote gender diversity in STEM fields. Its strategies include:

• Intensive recruitment of qualified women faculty.
• Provision of travel grants and research fellowships.
• Child care assistance and support.
• Educational workshops and mentorship opportunities.

These efforts are designed not only to increase the representation of women in academia but also to nurture the ambitions of emerging female scholars in STEM disciplines. Carol L. Folt, USC’s president, emphasized the program’s role in fostering a community for young women scientists, emphasizing the importance of peer relationships in academic advancement.

Challenges Faced by Women in Academia

Despite advancements, women in academia continue to grapple with specific challenges. These include:

• Career interruptions due to pregnancy and family responsibilities, which often hinder opportunities for professional advancement.
• Lack of access to support systems, as many do not have a stay-at-home partner to handle domestic commitments.
• Underrepresentation in higher academic positions, with only 16% of university deans and 21% of full professors being women as of 2018.

While women may bring a diverse skill set to their professions, which enhances their career flexibility, inadequacies in workplace support and opportunities for leadership can deter many from pursuing academic roles in STEM fields.

The Genesis of WiSE

WiSE traces its roots to a generous $20 million donation the university received in 2000 to enhance women’s participation in science and engineering disciplines. A task force of faculty was formed to determine the best use of these funds. Jessica Parr, an associate professor of chemistry at USC Dornsife, recounted how the university sought input from women who could benefit from such support, resulting in initiatives like child care subsidies that were previously rare in academic institutions.

The task force’s efforts culminated in the establishment of the WiSE program, with funding split between recruiting women faculty and bolstering programs aimed at encouraging younger women to enter STEM fields. This includes outreach to middle school students and mentoring opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

Hanna Reisler, a key founding member of WiSE, remarked on the mentorship opportunities that have been particularly beneficial for women navigating their careers, especially when they are the only female member in their departments.

Addressing Field-Specific Barriers

One of WiSE’s core strengths lies in its ability to tackle challenges unique to different academic fields. Leana Golubchik, director of WiSE, explained that issues vary greatly; for instance, the computer science field often has a small pipeline, while life sciences see women entering at parity during undergraduate years but facing steep declines at the faculty level.

The program continually adapts to meet current needs, even introducing support like funding for in-home child care to assist female faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many took on additional homeschooling responsibilities.

Success Stories and Mentorship

Among those benefitting from WiSE is Rebecca Peer, who completed her Ph.D. in engineering at USC Viterbi in 2019. Describing her experience at USC, she noted the stark contrast to her earlier academic encounters, where female representation was minimal. WiSE provided a supportive and informative environment for women navigating academic careers.

Another graduate, Renee Wang, credits WiSE with aiding her application for a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Grant. “WiSE hosted a help session for people who were interested in applying and it was super helpful,” Wang stated, underscoring the program’s mentorship value.

Future Aspirations: WiSE in 2040

Looking ahead, the trajectory of the WiSE program remains expansive. Golubchik highlighted goals such as promoting women into prominent university leadership roles and enhancing connections with the private sector for internships and professional development. Others, like Reisler, aim to enrich ethnic diversity within WiSE and mitigate implicit bias in faculty recruitment and retention.

The Role of Alumnae

Women who have benefited from WiSE are also instrumental in its future, as they actively contribute to its legacy. Parr, who has been involved since the program’s inception, now supervises an undergraduate summer research program designed to empower new scholars. Alumni like Wang have returned to guide undergraduates through applications and share their career experiences.

Peer, now a lecturer at the University of Canterbury, expressed her commitment to mentoring female students, affirming the ripple effect of WiSE’s supportive network. “When you go through the kind of program that really impacts the way that you did things, inevitably you’re going to want to share it,” she stated.