NSF ADVANCE at WashU

Aim for Equity is a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation project that draws on mindfulness to drive systemic transformation for STEM faculty at WashU. AIM for Equity activities will target systemic causes of intersectional gender inequity for STEM faculty in three main areas:

1. policy standardization and transparency in a highly decentralized organizational culture and infrastructure
2. increased supports for faculty work–life balance
3. greater recognition of multidimensional and intersectional faculty identities within departments and schools.

This project centers on civic mindfulness, an innovative concept that expands mindfulness from an individual practice to a collective approach for advancing institutional equity and organizational well-being. Civic mindfulness emphasizes collective responsibility for institutional change by fostering empathy, compassion, and shared accountability among faculty, particularly senior faculty, and leaders. It also centers equity by incorporating cultural humility and anti-racism. Through intentional work with senior faculty and academic leaders, this project’s civic mindfulness approach is designed to transform WashU’s organizational climate and culture, creating a more mindful and equitable institution where faculty of all backgrounds and identities can succeed and thrive.

This five-year grant-funded project will begin in Fall 2024, with the goal of becoming part of WashU’s institutional infrastructure after NSF funding concludes. As an NSF-supported project, AIM for Equity activities will focus on STEM faculty and leaders on the Danforth and Medical campuses, and many also will be open to non STEM and non-clinical faculty and departments. 

Aim Center for Faculty Equity

Aim for Equity Team

Kia Caldwell Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Lead PI and Director, AIM Center for Faculty Equity	Diana Parra Perez Assistant Professor, Brown School, Co-PI
Beverly Wendland Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Co-PI	Lori Setton Department Chair; Lucy & Stanley Lopata Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Senior Personnel
Amy Eyler Professor, Brown School, co-PI	Liliana Solnica-Krezel Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor; Head of Developmental Biology, Senior Personnel
Jeremy Goldbach Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Brown School, Senior Personnel	Atia Thurman Lecturer, Brown School; Equity and Inclusion Fellow, Office of the Provost, Senior Personnel
Jen Heemstra Chair and Professor of Chemistry, Senior Personnel	Pamela Woodard Chair, Department of Radiology; Elizabeth E. Mallinckrodt Professor of Radiology, Senior Personnel
Aurora Kamimura Assistant Provost for Inclusive Excellence, Co-PI and Associate Director, AIM Center for Faculty Equity

News and Open Positions

New NSF grant to fund faculty equity programs and new center focused on civic mindfulness, (September 13, 2024)

Program Manager, AIM for Equity Center

Upcoming Events

Women in Innovation & Technology (WIT) Luncheon
October 30, 2024 (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.)
Eric P. Newman Education Center (EPNEC)
Hosted by the Office of Technology Management (OTM), WIT brings together WashU’s women academic researchers to celebrate their achievements in technology commercialization and showcase successful role models. Join this year for keynote speaker, Jennifer N. Avari Silva, MD, a Professor of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering and Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Sentiar, Inc., and Co-Founder and Consultant, Excera, Inc. more information and registration

Contacts

• Kia Caldwell, Lead PI and Director, AIM Center for Faculty Equity, c.kia@wustl.edu, 314-935-5068
• Aurora Kamimura, Co-PI and Associate Director, AIM Center for Faculty Equity, aurorak@wustl.edu, 314-935-7044

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