Male faculty are invited to a workshop that shows them how to positively impact gender equity at Iowa State, particularly in the STEM fields. The free, two-hour workshop, "Men Allies for Gender Equity," will be offered in person three times over two days next month: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Oct. 21, 12:40-2:40 p.m. Oct. 21, and 8:50-10:50 a.m. Oct. 22. Each session can accommodate about 25 participants, and registration is required.
The workshop's interactive format equips and supports men to serve as effective allies for gender equity in their department, college and university. It's a guided conversation with opportunities to ask questions and practice skills in scenario-based exercises, said D. Raj Raman, Morrill Professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and a workshop planning member. The Iowa State debut of the workshop occurred in a virtual format last January.
"I think asking men in privileged positions, which includes our Iowa State faculty, to educate themselves about gender equity is a real win -- for everyone. Men need to engage in these conversations," Raman said.
Roger Green, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, who led his first allies workshop a dozen years ago, will lead all three sessions.
The male allies workshop is part of Advocates and Allies, one of six program areas built into Iowa State's three-year ADVANCE Midwest Partnership with three universities: Western Michigan, Michigan Tech and NDSU. Like Iowa State, two of the three are alumni of the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE initiative. The four partners share data and resources, and collaborate on projects that change institutional practices and support an environment where women engineers, mathematicians and scientists thrive. Morrill Professor of geological and atmospheric sciences Cinzia Cervato leads Iowa State's Midwest partnership team.
The target audience for this workshop is male (or those who identify as male) faculty members. To register, email Raman, who will send a Doodle pool with more information and an option to register for one of the sessions. Registrants will receive the campus location.
