The State University of New York at New Paltz has received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Expanding Pathways to Innovation through Inclusive Communities (EPIIC) program. The funding aims to improve equity and inclusion in STEM fields by supporting faculty development and institutional transformation toward the goal of more inclusive teaching practices in science and engineering education.
As of 2021, the racial and ethnic composition of New York State’s STEM workforce shows clear disparities when compared to the state’s overall population. Black or African American individuals made up about 8% of the STEM workforce, while comprising 15.6% of the state population. Hispanic or Latino individuals accounted for 9% of STEM workers, despite representing 19.5% of New Yorkers. Asian workers were overrepresented in STEM at 20%, compared to just 9.6% of the general population. White workers, meanwhile, held the majority of STEM positions — about 61% — though they made up 54.1% of the state population.
Nationwide research shows that underrepresented minorities make up nearly 30% of the U.S. population but only about 13% of the science and engineering workforce, while women earn over half of STEM degrees yet hold less than 30% of related jobs. At the same time, studies also reveal that men and women often differ in career choices, with women more likely to pursue health and education fields and men favoring technical roles tied to prestige or income. It is difficult to represent statistically how much inequality is due to systemic issues versus preferences driven by personal reasons, culture and biology.
Leading the project at SUNY New Paltz is Associate Professor of Chemistry Pamela Stenson, who serves as the principal investigator. She is supported by a team of co-investigators from multiple departments, including biology, geology, physics, and educational studies. Their collective goal is to identify and address barriers that may prevent underrepresented students from succeeding in STEM disciplines. The project will also involve collaboration with campus leadership and external consultants to ensure that sustainable changes are implemented across the institution.
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