The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University $189,075 on December 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to conduct collaborative research examining career entry into biomedical faculty roles.
The research will generate knowledge about career pathways to tenure-track faculty positions in biomedical sciences by investigating which educational, professional, and institutional factors predict faculty hiring outcomes; how applicants navigate the hiring process and make career decisions; and how faculty search committees define and implement evaluation practices. The project integrates national surveys of STEM faculty job applicants, longitudinal interviews, surveys of faculty search committee members, and analyses of national faculty posting data. Quantitative and qualitative analyses will identify factors associated with hiring outcomes and explain applicant decision-making, committee practices, and institutional hiring practices. Findings will inform an open-access data infrastructure including publicly available dashboards, reports, and research products to support career decision-making.
Performance of the award runs through November 30, 2031, at Southern Illinois University's Carbondale, Illinois campus. The award is classified as a Project Grant and receives support under the NSF Education and Human Resources (ECR) program, which emphasizes fundamental STEM education research generating foundational knowledge in critical, broad, and enduring areas.