Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering report released

phys.org - The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) today announced the release of the 2017 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (WMPD) report, the federal government's most comprehensive look at the participation of these three demographic groups in science and engineering education and employment. The report shows the degree to which women, people with disabilities and minorities from three racial and ethnic groups—black, Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native—are underrepresented in science and engineering (S&E;). Women have reached parity with men in educational attainment but not in S&E; employment. Underrepresented minorities account for disproportionately smaller percentages in both S&E; education and employment

Congress mandated the biennial report in the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act as part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) mission to encourage and strengthen the participation of underrepresented groups in S&E;.

NSF launches long-awaited diversity initiative

STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) have had a problem with diversity since long before the term "STEM" was en vogue. Even with women and people of color studying in STEM fields, white men still make up the majority of the workforce at 51 percent--far greater than their share of the general population. It's refreshing, then, to see the National Science Foundation encouraging diversity through a program calling for projects designed to increase the participation of women, racial minorities, disabled individual and other underserved groups in STEM fields. Greater diversity will not only help combat inequality like the wage gap, it will benefit companies. It will ensure the inclusion of additional, missing perspectives and will ensure that the best people will fill the positions, no matter who they are.

Preliminary proposals are due April 15. Click through to read more.

sciencemag.org - The National Science Foundation (NSF) wants to make the U.S. scientific community more inclusive. And the more ideas, the better.

NSF announced its intention to hand out small grants later this year to dozens of institutions to test novel ways of broadening participation in science and engineering. Winners of the 2-year, $300,000 pilot grants will be eligible to compete next year for up to five, $12.5 million awards over 5 years. NSF is calling the program INCLUDES. (The acronym stands for a real jaw-breaker: inclusion across the nation of communities of learners of underrepresented discoverers in engineering and science.)

The underrepresentation of women and minorities in the scientific workforce is a problem that has persisted for decades despite many well-meaning federal initiatives. NSF Director France Cordova has spoken repeatedly about her intention of moving the needle on the issue since taking office in March 2014. And this initiative, totaling roughly $75 million, could well be the signature program of her 6-year term.

Read more here.