Attracting, retaining, and preparing a diverse academic engineering workforce: The AGEP model for success

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recognized that the Nation´s need for a technical workforce is in conflict with the changing demographics facing the nation. Our nation is rapidly becoming more diverse due to growth in groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in technical fields. Nowhere is this underrepresentation more evident than in academia. It was determined that one potential way to attract more underrepresented students to pursue engineering careers was to increase the diversity of the engineering faculty, proving powerful role models to potential technical students. Therefore, over 10 years ago, NSF began a program that sought to diversify the Nation´s faculty in engineering, science and mathematics fields, called the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP). The AGEP Program is now a national network of multi-institution alliances. Nationally, the AGEP program has recorded significant gains in doctoral degrees awarded to underrepresented minorities in engineering. The Southeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (SEAGEP) Program includes the University of Florida, Clemson University, and the University of South Carolina. SEAGEP is the top producer of Hispanic PhDs in the country and is third in the production of African American PhDs in engineering. Best practices in recruiting, retention, and preparation for the professoriate are detailed.