FNWI Diversity Day: Significance of Role Models

Talks

Dr. Bas Hofstra (Radboud Social Cultural Research, Department of Sociology)

Diversifying the Professoriate

The primary means of social and intellectual reproduction in the professoriate is through mentoring doctoral students who become faculty mentors and publish research. However, opportunities to transition into such roles are not equal, and underrepresented groups face challenges building and sustaining their representation in the professoriate. What are social resources enabling them to overcome these challenges? To study this, the authors analyze nearly all PhD recipients in the United States from 1980 to 2015 (~1.03 million) and follow their careers. Women and underrepresented minorities are less likely to transition into academia than men and whites, but their chances increase when they are paired with same-attribute advisors and when they have significant group representation in their departments. In contrast, men and white scholars receive no costs or benefits from different- or same-attribute advisors. These findings warrant inspection to see how such relations can be fostered in all mentors.

Dr. Jeanette Mostert (RadboudUMC) 

The Radboud Young Academy: recognising and rewarding role models that improve our working environment

The Radboud Young Academy is a diverse group of young ambitious staff, working in different positions and representing all faculties. We are strongly motivated to develop our academic field, engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and contribute to the academic culture of the Radboud University, Radboudumc and beyond. One of our activities is the Recognition & Rewards prize. For this award every employee of Radboud University and Radboudumc can nominate a colleague or colleagues who contribute to a healthy and effective work environment. With this prize we want to put people in the spotlight that improve our academic culture, but are often not recognised or rewarded for these actions.