RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT EARLY-CAREER FACULTY: CATALYSTS OF CHANGE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN STEM

Problem Statement: Early-career science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) faculty members are often challenged when identifying authentic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals, objectives, and tasks for their research grant proposals. Advancing DEI has not been one person's job but rather the responsibility of a highly organized network within a system. Research development professionals have been and will continue to be critical resources for developing DEI plans and broadening participation. Their value is partly due to relationship-oriented processes that research professionals cultivate and shepherd as well as the inherently cross-disciplinary nature of the day-to-day work. Observation: In FY 19, 53% of the highest growth in R&D was in biological, biomedical, and health sciences followed closely by engineering. While many complexities are involved in advancing DEI within our universities, colleges, and workplaces, this article is focused on early-career STEM faculty and research development professionals' roles to facilitate DEI linkages within research. Analyze: First, descriptions of the recent federal definitions of diversity, equity, and inclusion are provided in research development; This is intended to anchor the discussion and propel the ideation for early-career faculty in federal funding solicitations. Next, a few examples of how early-career STEM faculty engaged in authentic DEI activities with a research development professional are provided. Reflect and Recommend: Finally, five potential DEI partners for collaboration and resources for early-career STEM faculty are provided to support brainstorming as faculty begin to develop their own DEI engagement for research. Context drives design, and research development resources are mechanisms for authentic engagement in DEI for faculty. Keywords: early-career, grant writing, professional development, diversity, equity, inclusion, STEM faculty