The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded the Regents of the University of Michigan $152,492 on December 1, 2026, to support collaborative research examining career entry into biomedical faculty roles under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076).
The project investigates which educational, professional, and institutional factors predict faculty hiring outcomes in the biomedical sciences, how job applicants navigate the hiring process and make career decisions, and how faculty search committees define and implement evaluation practices. The research 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 be synthesized through an open-access data infrastructure including publicly available dashboards, reports, and research products to support informed career decision-making.
Work is performed at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a period of performance extending through November 30, 2031. The award supports fundamental STEM education research under NSF's ECR (Education and Human Resources Core Research) program, with findings intended to strengthen workforce development in the U.S. biomedical workforce and improve preparation and recruitment of future faculty.