New endowment will promote faculty diversity in Sciences

A new endowment has been established in the College of Sciences Foundation to promote and support diversity among College faculty.

The Faculty Diversity Professional Development Endowment will establish a mentoring mini-grant program to support professional development opportunities for faculty members from underrepresented groups, as well as faculty who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity among students and fellow faculty members.

One award of about $750 will be made for the 2014-15 academic year. The deadline for the first round of nominations is April 30, 2014.

Faculty receiving the award may work with visiting senior faculty mentors, invite external mentors to visit NC State, and attend professional development workshops.

To identify award winners, the associate dean for academic affairs will ask the College’s six department heads to seek nominations from faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students. Self-nominations from faculty are encouraged. Nomination letters should address teaching, research and service accomplishments and all previous awards.

Each department head will be asked to submit one award nomination for consideration. The associate dean for academic affairs will work with a committee of faculty to make the final selection.