Governance and funding
In 2009, faculty and staff from the iSchools at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania State University and Drexel University collaborated to design the iSchool Inclusion Institute.
The i3 initiative is based on the premise that a diverse faculty will draw students from underrepresented groups into the information professions.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has supported i3 with two generous grants: a one year planning grant of $100,000.00, awarded in 2009, and a three year implementation grant of $600,000.00, awarded in 2010. Additional support has come from the iSchools Caucus, a consortium of information schools dedicated to advancing the information sciences as a broad, interdisciplinary field. The iSchools actively recruit i3 Scholars for graduate study and provide faculty and staff to serve as guest speakers and lecturers during the summer institutes.
Governing structure
i3 is managed by principal investigators Dean Ronald L. Larsen and Assistant Professor James "Kip" Currier of the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences. Dean Larsen and Dr. Currier are supported by the i3 Advisory Board and the working committees for recruitment, curriculum and evaluation. Members of the advisory board and working committees bring years of professional experience in academia and the private sector to the program, and represent over twenty five institutions across the country.
Goals and the case for diversity
To meet the growing economic demand for graduates in science and technology fields, the i3 initiative intends to accomplish the following goals:
- Increase the number of highly skilled graduate students and faculty in the information sciences, and retain those individuals in United States colleges and universities
- Provide role models for students and faculty from underrepresented groups
- Better represent and serve the diverse communities across the country
- Promote innovation and creativity across the information sciences and related disciplines
i3 is part of a larger, national effort to reinvest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, explained that connection in his 2011 editorial in Science, "Boosting Minorities in Science." The National Science Foundation and the National Academies have documented the same need to broaden participation in these fields.
The case in brief
The minority groups underrepresented in science and engineering are among the most rapidly growing in the United States population, so the country must develop strategies to harness this resource to grow a robust science and engineering workforce and remain globally competitive. The United States labor market is projected to grow faster in science and engineering than in any other sector. Increasing retention of underrepresented students in these fields will require increased financial support, redesigned first year classes that encourage active learning, and strong social support and mentoring. Best practices include precollege summer programs, substantive early research experiences, academic support, social integration and faculty involvement.
Read more about the i3 initiative and how it addresses these national goals.