As the School of Engineering expands, racial and gender diversity will be a priority in hiring new faculty, said Lawrence Larson, dean of the school of engineering. Part of this effort will involve collaboration with the Diversity Advisory Board, he said.
Of the 51 current faculty members, around 78 percent are white and around 90 percent are male, he said. The School of Engineering plans to add 12 new faculty members over the next decade, The Herald reported Oct. 13.
"We are especially open and welcoming to recruiting new faculty members from historically underrepresented areas in science and engineering," Larson said. He said he and the Diversity Advisory Board are pursuing ways to "ensure that the diversity of (the) engineering faculty mirrors the diversity of society."
Larson said he will meet with the Diversity Advisory Board in early February to discuss issues concerning faculty, graduate student and post-doctoral student diversity plans. Last summer, he met with Jabbar Bennett, assistant dean of recruiting and professional development, to discuss the same topics.
Larson said he hopes the meetings with the Diversity Advisory Board during this upcoming hiring season will "ensure a strong and diverse set of faculty candidates."
