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Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering

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Overview

The Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering advises the U.S. National Science Foundation on policies, programs, practices and activities to encourage the full participation of women, underrepresented racial/ethnic populations and persons with disabilities within all levels of the nation’s STEM enterprise.

The committee was established by the U.S. Congress through the "Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act" in 1980 to address the problems of growth and diversity in America’s STEM workforce.

Committee membership

Membership details

Committee members, currently comprised of 19 individuals, come from diverse STEM disciplines, drawn from diverse institutions in higher education, industry, government and nonprofit sectors. Its membership also reflects the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the country's citizenry and includes persons with disabilities. Members of the committee typically serve a three-year term.

A full committee meeting is held three times a year to review and evaluate policies and program opportunities focused on the state of participation and advancement of women, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities in education, training and science and engineering research. Based on the findings, the committee makes recommendations to NSF for improving the levels of participation of underrepresented groups in STEM professions.

Committee members also interact with other federal agencies — such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, the Smithsonian Institution and the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities — in forging ongoing collaborative insights about efforts to broaden participation by underrepresented groups in the nation's STEM workforce. CEOSE is a congressionally mandated advisory committee to the National Science Foundation.

Current roster

Click on a member's name to view their biography. 

CEOSE biennial reports to Congress

Report cover for the CEOSE Report 2019-2020

Making visible the invisible: Bold leadership actions 2019–2020 (PDF, 6.44 MB)

In this report, the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering recommends the National Science Foundation demonstrate and promote bold leadership actions to create, integrate and make visible elements within and across its programs to enhance broadening participation of underrepresented and underserved groups in STEM.

CEOSE Report Cover 2017-2018

Investing in diverse community voices 2017–2018 (PDF, 2.65 MB)

In this report, CEOSE advises NSF to give increased attention to including diverse community voices across its research and education portfolios through community-driven projects. They suggest NSF fund research that focuses on building inclusive, community-engaged STEM communities to promote STEM participation on the ground and at all ages, as well as reap the scientific benefit of the insights of people from diverse settings, neighborhoods and circumstances in the innovation cycle.

CEOSE Report Cover 2011-2012

Broadening participation in America's STEM workforce 2011–2012 (PDF, 2.09 MB)

In this report, CEOSE recommends NSF implement a bold new initiative, focused on broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM, similar in concept and scale to NSF's centers, that emphasizes institutional transformation and system change; collects and makes accessible longitudinal data; defines clear benchmarks for success; supports the translation, replication and expansion of successful broadening participation efforts; and provides significant financial support to individuals who represent the broadened participation sought by NSF.

Special report

Envisioning the Future of NSF EPSCoR (2022)

The Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering established a subcommittee to conduct a visioning activity for the future of NSF EPSCoR. The subcommittee recently completed its report and made eight recommendations to inform the envisioning of the future of NSF EPSCoR. Click to view the full report or the two-page summary. Also, please watch the videos about the report below. 

Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR video
In the video, Drs. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Alicia J. Knoedler, Sandra Richardson, and Kelly Rusch highlight the outcomes of the Envisioning the Future of NSF EPSCoR report. They also review the high-level achievements of the NSF EPSCoR program and express NSF’s continued dedication to furthering the impact of initiative in terms of building research infrastructure, supporting education and workforce development, as well as economic development and broadening participation in STEM across jurisdictions.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Education and workforce development
Dr. Prabhakar Clement (Professor, University of Alabama) introduces the recommendations offered by the CEOSE subcommittee in the NSF EPSCoR visioning process. The video identifies ways the EPSCoR programs contributes to Education and Workforce Development and presents recommendations to promote synergistic research and educational activities including, 1) funding large intra- and inter-jurisdictional grants to enable funding requests for the recruitment and retention of young faculty, thereby building a sustainable workforce and 2) expanding research and collaboration opportunities and related career support and mentoring for individuals at different career stages and pathways within NSF EPSCoR funding programs, especially those from underrepresented groups. These recommendations will build a strong framework to develop a sustainable STEM workforce.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Subcommittee member, Prakash Nagarkatti
Dr. Prakash Nagarkatti (Distinguished Professor, University of South Carolina) discusses the successes of South Carolina’s EPSCoR Track-1 program. As a member of the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) subcommittee, Dr. Prakash emphasized the impact of EPSCoR on the collaboration across institutions to create research opportunities for underrepresented groups and to stimulate the state’s economy.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Broadening participation
Dr. Scott Wicker (Associate Professor of Chemistry, Kentucky State University) introduces the recommendations offered by the CEOSE subcommittee in the NSF EPSCoR visioning process. The video reviews the benefits of Broadening Participation in science and research and presents recommendations to enhance participation including, 1) deepening inclusion strategies to include EPSCoR researchers, especially those from underrepresented groups, in all pre- and post-award facets of the program and 2) expanding access and opportunity for MSIs, PUIs and TYCs. These recommendations will catalyze science, discovery, and innovation.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Subcommittee member, Daniela Marghitu
Dr. Daniela Marghitu (Professor, Auburn University) discusses the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) subcommittee’s goals and visioning process for the future of NSF EPSCoR. The goals include, 1) expanding and supporting human capital, 2) bridge building, and 3) strengthening resources and infrastructure. Dr. Marghitu explains how the subcommittee’s eight recommendations and nineteen suggestions intend to strengthen the EPSCoR program, providing enhanced support for jurisdictions to serve as a lever for American innovation.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Research and infrastructure capacity and competitiveness
Dr. Carol L. Silvia (Professor of Political Science, University of Oklahoma) introduces the recommendations offered by the CEOSE subcommittee in the NSF EPSCoR visioning process. The video reviews the needs identified by the Research and Infrastructure Capacity and Competitiveness subcommittee working group and their recommendations to address these needs, including investing in 1) diverse talent recruitment and retention and 2) the construction and modernization of physical and administrative infrastructure. These recommendations will broaden pathways of opportunity and expand the NSF EPSCoR program’s impact.
Credit: National Science Foundation
Envisioning the future of NSF EPSCoR: Economic Development
Dr. Marian McCord (Senior Vice Provost, University of New Hampshire) introduces the recommendations offered by the Committee on Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) subcommittee as a part of the NSF EPSCoR visioning process. The video highlights the impact EPSCoR has on Economic Development and presents recommendations to enhance EPSCoR’s achievements in support jurisdictional economic development. These include, 1) leveraging established funding programs at federal agencies and 2) building on jurisdiction’s unique strengths and priorities. These recommendations will encourage sustained economic growth and expansion of economic benefits across EPSCoR jurisdictions.
Credit: National Science Foundation

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