Project Grant 2234351

FLOURISH: A NETWORK FOR PRE-TENURE SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGISTS OF COLOR -THE FIELDS OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY SUCCEED IN PART BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF THEIR SCIENTISTS. HOWEVER, AS SCHOLARS OF COLOR ADVANCE IN THE FIELD THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO FIND PEERS AND MENTORS OF COLOR AT THEIR RESPECTIVE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. REVERSING THESE TRENDS IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. THIS PROJECT CREATES NEW AND CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRE-TENURE FACULTY OF COLOR TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PEERS AND TO CONNECT WITH TENURED FACULTY OF COLOR WHO SERVE AS MENTORS. THE ACTIVITY ? FLOURISH ? IS A YEAR-ROUND NETWORK FOR PRE-TENURE SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGISTS OF COLOR THAT INCLUDES AN ANNUAL RETREAT AND ONLINE WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE RETREAT FEATURES PARTICIPANT- AND MENTOR-LED WORKSHOPS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEACHING STRATEGIES, AND RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY FOR SCHOLARS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ACADEMIC PROFILES AND BUILD A SUCCESSFUL CASE FOR ADVANCEMENT. YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES FEATURE WEEKLY COLLABORATIVE WRITING SPACES, QUARTERLY WRITING RETREATS, MEETINGS WITH PEERS AND MENTORS, AND TRACKING OF PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2020, FLOURISH HAS PROVIDED A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR RETENTION WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE FIELD OF SOCIAL/PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY. FLOURISH SUPPORTS AN EXPANDING PIPELINE OF SCHOLARS WHO WILL SERVE AS SUCCESSFUL ROLE MODELS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF FACULTY AND SCIENTISTS. FACULTY OF COLOR FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES TO ADVANCEMENT THAT HINDER SUCCESS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS. THESE FACULTY MEMBERS EXPERIENCE CULTURAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND PROFESSIONAL FORMS OF ISOLATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE FEW FACULTY OF COLOR IN THEIR DEPARTMENT OR ACADEMIC DIVISIONS. THEY CAN ALSO BE TASKED WITH DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNTS OF SERVICE THAT DISRUPT TEACHING AND RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR DIVERSIFYING SCIENCE OFTEN FOCUS ON THE RECRUITMENT STAGE BUT TEND TO NEGLECT LATER STAGES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT. FLOURISH PROVIDES CONFIDENTIAL SPACES FOR SENSITIVE DISCUSSIONS WHERE TENURE-TRACK FACULTY OF COLOR CAN ADDRESS CHALLENGES AND MITIGATE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. IT ALSO OFFERS SPACES FOR AFFIRMING SCHOLARS? POSITIONS AND PROMOTING THEIR WORK. THE SPACES FLOURISH CURATES ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TENURE-TRACK FACULTY OF COLOR TO EXPAND THEIR PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS THROUGH SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS AND THEIR SOCIAL NETWORKS THROUGH SOCIAL SUPPORT. WORKSHOPS DEDICATED TO DEFINING TENURE/PROMOTION GUIDELINES, IDENTIFYING INSTITUTIONAL NORMS, AND SETTING INDIVIDUALIZED GOALS PROVIDE A CLEAR AND PRECISE SUPPORT PATH DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESSFUL ADVANCEMENT. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF FLOURISH IS TO FOSTER PROMOTION, RETENTION, AND INCLUSION FOR FACULTY OF COLOR TO DIVERSIFY THE FIELD AND RESEARCH OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.