AWIS Launches STEM Equity Community Platform with Elsevier's Support

ARC Network Community connects equity scholars and practitioners on Mendeley and SSRN

News provided by

The Association for Women in Science & Elsevier

Jun 25, 2019, 10:01 ET

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AWIS today announces the launch of the ADVANCE Resource and Coordination (ARC) Network Community which connects scholars and practitioners committed to equity in STEM. In support of this initiative, Elsevier's leading reference manager and academic social network, Mendeley, will host a dedicated ARC Network group. In addition, SSRN, Elsevier's leading early stage research and preprint server, will host a dedicated STEM First Look series to support the initiative.

"With the online research collaboration tools generously provided by Elsevier, the ARC Network will facilitate the early adoption and implementation of promising practices and sharing of new research findings," said Heather Metcalf, PhD, AWIS Chief Research Officer and ARC Network Principal Investigator. "Providing these opportunities broadens our collective impact on STEM equity in unprecedented ways."

SSRN will publish the Equity in STEM "First Look" series, a quarterly digest of a wide range of STEM equity content and early stage research. The series will include presentations, white papers, videos, podcasts and webinars. Each curated issue will allow peers from the ARC Network Community to share content, empowering the community with early-access to the tools and knowledge needed for change. Available at www.equityinstem.org/firstlook, the inaugural publication provides a historical perspective of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE program and outcomes of and lessons learned from past awardees.

"The ARC Network Community is an important initiative that we are very happy to support. We hope making it easier for researchers and practitioners committed to equity in STEM to connect with each other, helping them share research quickly and easily, will help us all move towards gender equity for faculty in STEM disciplines," said Shirley Decker-Lucke, Content Director at SSRN.

In addition, the ARC Network is collaborating with Mendeley to host a dedicated online group. Members will access and contribute to a rich library of curated resources – including reports, articles, datasets, toolkits, videos and more – that serve as an important part of systemic change efforts. As the go-to hub for community collaboration, the platform also offers members the opportunity to share events hosted by the community and their institutions, as well as online learning opportunities, such as webinars and virtual workshops.

About the ARC Network

Funded by the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program, Award HRD-1740860, the ADVANCE Resource and Coordination (ARC) Network seeks to achieve gender equity for faculty in higher education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. As the STEM equity brain trust, the ARC Network recognizes the achievements made so far while producing new perspectives, methods and interventions with an intersectional, intentional and inclusive lens. The leading advocate for women in STEM the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) serves as the backbone organization of the ARC Network. Learn more about the ARC Network at www.equityinstem.org.

About AWIS

The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) is a global network with 80 grassroots chapters and affiliates connecting more than 100,000 professionals in STEM with members, allies and supporters worldwide. Founded in 1971, AWIS has been the leading advocate for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to achieve business growth, social change, and innovation. We are dedicated to driving excellence in STEM by achieving equity and full participation of women in all disciplines and across all employment sectors. To learn more, visit www.awis.org and @awisnational.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps scientists and clinicians to find new answers, reshape human knowledge, and tackle the most urgent human crises. For 140 years, we have partnered with the research world to curate and verify scientific knowledge. Today, we're committed to bringing that rigor to a new generation of platforms. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, 39,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com