| The SD EPSCoR diversity plan represents bold, catalytic, strategic and systemic approaches to recruiting and supporting citizens of all races, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, economic status, and sexual orientation within STEM. With a small population, South Dakota must take advantage of all its human resources if it is to advance.
South Dakota faces significant challenges in the area of diversity. Currently, student and faculty numbers fail to mirror the state's population in many areas of science and engineering. Women and American Indians are most notably underrepresented.
Sample SD EPSCoR Diversity Plan Goals and Strategies
- Develop a mechanism for sharing successful diversity initiatives and discussing policies, progress and barriers statewide. The annual SD EPSCoR Diversity Summit will be a venue for sharing and linking promising, but currently disconnected diversity initiatives.
- Develop meaningful partnerships between state government, K-12, higher education and the private sector to strengthen STEM education for diverse audiences and to diversify STEM-related workforce. Utilizing statewide initiatives to improve instruction for underrepresented groups and those in remote regions as well as diversifying SD's STEM workforce.
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