NASA Awards $5 Million to Women’s Colleges Tackling STEM Gender Gap

Article here. Excerpt:

'As part of a Biden/Harris initiative, NASA will award more than $5 million in funding to seven Women’s Colleges and Universities (WCUs) to research and develop strategies that increase retention of women in STEM degree programs and careers.

The agency’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) created the Women’s Colleges and Universities opportunity to help women overcome obstacles and barriers to working in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

This award seeks to address the significant national gender gap and disparate experiences of women in STEM in the United States, both in higher education and the workforce.

“This is a very exciting first; we’re making strides to close the pervasive gender gap in STEM, and Women’s Colleges and Universities are well-positioned to help drive that positive change,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, a graduate from Wellesley College. “It’s more important than ever we have brilliant, enthusiastic people entering the workforce and ready to take on the ambitious plans and challenges ahead.”

Created in response to the White House Executive Order 14035 “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce,” this funding opportunity asked Women’s Colleges and Universities to take advantage of their expertise by developing programs that encompass academics, research, student support, college prep, career prep, mentoring, and more. NASA explores the unknown for all, and values diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for the future STEM and agency workforce.'