WAMC Awarded National Science Foundation Grant

ALBANY, NY (11/12/2008)(readMedia)-- The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded WAMC Northeast Public Radio a two-year grant of $283,900 to produce and nationally-distribute the series, Access to Advancement: An Audio Exploration of the National Effort to Increase the Role of Women with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Access to Advancement builds upon WAMC's five previous NSF-funded radio series (available on http://www.womeninscience.org/), which highlight the role of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This programming contributes to a nation-wide effort to involve more women, people with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in STEM education and careers. As the demand for STEM specialists rises in the international job market, promoting a more inclusive STEM workforce is one response to the growing need to remain globally competitive in these fields.

"We are honored to have received this award," says WAMC President Alan Chartock. "This is the sixth consecutive grant the National Science Foundation has awarded us, and it represents the Foundation's great faith in our ability to let the public know what is going on in STEM education. We are particularly happy to be recognized for our work highlighting the contributions women have made and can make to STEM fields."

With the new grant beginning in January 2009, awarded through NSF's Research in Disabilities Education Program, WAMC will shed light on the advancements and opportunities in STEM for women with disabilities. The series will include five documentary-style stories about tools, educational practices, and research designed to broaden the participation of women with disabilities in STEM. It will also present five profiles of women with disabilities working or learning in STEM fields.

The series concentrates on individuals who historically have faced what is often referred to as "double discrimination," as well as the work being done to address it. Much progress has been made in recent years toward closing the gender gap in STEM education and careers; however, despite advancements in some areas, gaps remain in others, such as computer science. And an even greater disparity exists between the numbers of individuals with disabilities and their non-disabled counterparts in the STEM workforce.

"It's a whole new world of exciting challenges and opportunities," says Glenn Busby, Principle Investigator of Access to Advancement. "U.S. educators are pushing to get more diversity and more underrepresented students to fill huge gaps in our STEM workforce. I am very pleased that WAMC will participate in this process-to inform a national audience about the limitless career possibilities for women with disabilities and the opportunities for achievement. I expect this series to be riveting radio."

The series has the potential to cause an attitudinal shift among those who have identified false barriers to achievement for women with disabilities in STEM. WAMC hopes the series will also inspire institutions and organizations to replicate the effective practices being used throughout the nation. There is a tremendous amount of great work being done by colleges, universities, and individuals to make the STEM workplace and classroom accessible and appealing to everyone. WAMC will spread the word to radio listeners across the country, and to Internet audiences through streaming audio and podcasts.

Access to Advancement was made possible by support from the National Science Foundation under grant number HRD-0833247. For more information about this series please call (800) 323-9262, ext. 169 or email womeninscience@wamc.org. To listen to or learn more about WAMC's Women in Science programming, please visit http://www.womeninscience.org/.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio network broadcasting 24 hours a day to portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic states. A full list of WAMC's frequencies and details on programming can be found at http://www.wamc.org/.