Title: A Good Place to Do Science: A Case Study of an Academic Science Department
1A Good Place to Do Science A Case Study of an
Academic Science Department C. Greer Jordan
(greer_at_case.edu) Diana Bilimoria
(diana.bilimoria_at_case.edu) Case Western Reserve
University
2Purpose
- To identify work environment factors that
facilitate high quality science and inclusion - Generate theory about how these factors create
the enduring culture of a department or work
group
3Research Question
- How is a productive and inclusive work
environment created and sustained?
4Case Study Site
- Science Department
- Top program and NIH funding rankings
- 2 women chairs, different operating styles
- Above average numbers of women faculty and
students - Women faculty at all ranks
5Methods
- Case Study Approach using
- Document archival research
- Direct observation
- 29 interviews of departmental members
- 16 primary faculty
- 4 secondary, active faculty
- 3 staff
- 6 post-docs and doctoral students
6Findings - A Model of a Productive and Inclusive
Science Culture
Integrative Leadership
Participative Department Activities
Inclusive Science Identity
Productive and Inclusive Science Culture
Learning and Inclusion Processes
Constructive Interactions
Full report available at http//www.case.edu/admi
n/aces/documents/science_department.doc
7Findings - Inclusive Scientific Identity
- Values
- Good Science (significant, trustworthy)
- Doing science cooperatively (vs. competitively)
- Beliefs
- Interaction is part of doing good science
- Anyone can do good science if they can learn
quickly, are well-trained (developed), are
excited about science and willing to work hard
8Findings Participative Departmental Activities
- Team teaching with participation across faculty
ranks - A variety of department social events (different
contexts, time of day, informal) - Participative faculty meetings
- Regular meaningful seminars and presentations
9Findings Constructive Interactions
- Four Types
- Collegial Interactions respectful, civil
- Tacit Learning Interactions information
sharing, modeling behaviors - Relational Interactions personal interest,
caring - Generative Interactions problem solving and
resource generating
10Findings Integrative Leadership Practices
- Treating everyone fairly and equitability
- Seeking input from faculty in decision-making
- Promoting meaningful opportunities for
interaction - Performing the role of chair as a service to the
scientific community of the department
11Findings Learning and Inclusion Processes
- Transparent decision-making
- Open and inclusive faculty recruitment processes
- Formal and informal information dissemination
processes
12Conclusions
- Creating an top-quality, inclusive, science
culture within a department requires attention to
a set of factors values and beliefs,
interactions, activities, leadership, processes. - Implementation does not need a particular
leadership style - A key advantage of such a culture is its
attractiveness to a wider range of scientists,
both female and male, which has implications for
recruiting and retaining faculty, post-docs, and
students.
13Implications for Chairs
- Use the role of chair in service to the
department - Relate to faculty fairly and equitably
- Create and maintain transparent decision-making
processes - Recruit for and encourage faculty development
that supports constructive interactions - Engage faculty in a variety of participative
activities and contexts that support constructive
interactions - Check own assumptions about who a scientist Is
and what a scientist does - Initiate ways to make the department a scientific
community
14Implications for Senior Faculty Members
- Check your own assumptions about who a scientist
is and what a scientist does - Initiate ways to make the department a scientific
community - Strive to develop and encourage constructive
interactions, especially across demographic or
functional differences - Help the system value colleagues for all aspects
of their academic performance, not just one
aspect (research) - Advise powerful department members about their
role in creating positive work environments for
all - Seek greater transparency in departmental
activities