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Home / Newsroom / Dr. Chrystal Bruce To Co-Direct $1 Million ASCEND Grant Project
Chrystal Bruce smiles at the camera

Dr. Chrystal Bruce, Professor of Chemistry, has been named co-director of a $999,899 National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant project that will support the advancement of mid-career STEM female faculty.

The project, Advancing STEM Careers by Empowering Network Development (ASCEND), will give individual faculty members the tools needed to advance their careers through peer-to-peer networking, while also addressing the systemic barriers which can prevent women from being promoted to full professor or obtaining administrative positions.

My co-leaders and I participated in an NSF ADVANCE grant that started in 2012. We were so impacted by the peer mentoring support we received that we submitted this proposal. I’m honored to be a part of this important work.

The project, supporting up to 75 participants, will be co-directed by Dr. Bruce, Sarah Kirk of Willamette University, Maria Bertagnolli of Gonzaga University, Hala Schepmann of Southern Oregon University, Elizabeth Roberts-Kirchhoff of University of Detroit Mercy, and Patricia Flatt of Western Oregon University. Project leaders in the Southeast are Cheryl Swanier from Claflin University, Victoria Turgeon from Furman University, and Mary Katherine Watson from the Citadel.