Looking Back to Look Forward: A Retrospective Examination of ADVANCE

Abstract

The 20 th anniversary of the ADVANCE initiative provides an opportune time to look back at the origins of ADVANCE. We consider these origins from two perspectives: first, the history of funding, rationale, and expectations of the National Science Foundation's initial program solicitation. Given the shift at NSF from boosting individual experiences to redressing systemic inequities, we also examine the activities, successes, and limitations of the first two cohorts of 19 Institutional Transformation (IT) projects and how they set the stage for later insights and innovations. As the evidence accumulates about gendered and racialized inequities in the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on teaching, research, and career advancement for academic scientists, especially for women and BIPOC faculty, the lessons learned from ADVANCE work over the last two decades become even more significant. Continuing emphasis of ADVANCE on intersectionality and institutional transformation will be critical for universities and STEM organizations as they emerge from the pandemic and reimagine themselves to survive and thrive in a post-pandemic world.