The Gender Equity Project's (GEP's) Sponsorship Program has as its
goal the professional development of women engaged in basic science
at Hunter College. The NSF,the GEP, and Hunter College recognize that
women scientists typically have fewer resources and opportunities
than do men. The sponsorship program is innovative, direct action
to benefit women's professional development and scientific work,
whether that work is their current research or a new research direction.
The program is flexible and tailored to an individual woman's strengths
and needs. It is part of Hunter College's commitment to its women
scientists.
The GEP Sponsorship Program benefits 8-12 associates per year. The
program is open to Hunter College women scientists of any age and at
any point in their career. Each GEP associate receives the benefits
of working with a sponsor who is a senior and successful member of
the associate's field. The GEP associates commit themselves via contract
to a set of goals and activities, including but not limited to submission
of grant proposals and journal articles, attendance at colloquia and
workshops, and development of skills. Each associate receives up to
$10,000 to be used for research.
The GEP sponsors serve as intellectual sounding boards for the associates,
meet bi-weekly with them to review their progress, discuss the intellectual
content of their work, help set and modify goal deadlines, help strategize
about professional development, and make specific and concrete proposals
for the associates' next steps. Sponsors sign a contract committing
themselves to a set of activities and receive up to $5,000 to be used for
research.
The colloquia and workshops
cover a broad range of topics. They are designed to provide a research-based
framework for the particular topics under discussion. The aim is to clarify
what leads to success in professional development, how institutions may
differentially foster development, and what social cognitive phenomena and
principles advantage men more than women.
