WISE

Building a Community of Women in STEM at UMBC:
WISE in an informal network of women in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at UMBC that supports and encourages women STEM faculty through mentoring, professional development opportunities, policy development, advocacy, and educational programs. WISE was established as a vibrant grass roots organization at UMBC during the Fall of 2000 and was instrumental in obtaining the NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Grant in 2003. WISE is an independent organization that works collaboratively campus-wide to establish an inclusive  community of support and mentoring in STEM at UMBC.

Goals:

  1. To build a network of information, support and encouragement for women faculty and students in STEM disciplines.
  2. To  provide mentoring and development opportunities to advance the careers of junior and senior faculty women in STEM.
  3. To promote and support the involvement of women in research activities in STEM at UMBC and beyond.
  4. To serve as a forum for the discussion of important issues and the development of policy relevant to women faculty and students in STEM.
  5. To advocate on behalf of women with regard to issues of concern to women in STEM at all levels of the institution.
  6. To assist departments and the administration in successful recruitment and retention of women faculty in STEM at UMBC.
  7. To organize educational awareness activities through programming that highlights accomplished women in science and engineering and current research on gender equity issues in STEM.