Higher Education and Diversity Lab
Higher education institutions are more diverse than ever yet diversity efforts are experiencing some of their harshest backlash.
What do they and society stand to lose as a result?
The Higher Education and Diversity (HEIDIVE) Lab examines how higher education institutions enact diversity structures that support historically marginalized groups along the lines of gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity in the United States, cross-nationally, and over time.
What we do
We conduct research that informs our understanding of the myriad ways that colleges and universities in the United States and around the world have changed as a result of efforts to diversify post-secondary education. Do academic leaders reflect the diversity of the student body? How have academic structures and programs changed to meet the interests, needs, and experiences of those whom they teach and employ? After decades of efforts to diversify science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields of study, what is the gender distribution of STEM graduates and what explains changes (if any) over time?
Higher education leaders
At a time of growing diversity of students and faculty and complex challenges facing higher education, colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world increasingly recognize the benefit of diverse academic leaders.
Diversity-supportive features
Diversity-supportive features in higher education, such as academic programs and resource centers, have been found to reduce discrimination and improve the experiences and outcomes of students. This is especially the case for those marginalized by their race/ethnicity, sexuality, first-generation status, and/or the intersections of these identities with gender.
Gender and STEM
The importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields of study has grown alongside efforts to diversify and increase the number of STEM graduates. Our work seeks to understand how the gender distribution of STEM graduates has changed worldwide and what explains variation over time.
Awards & Media
Grants
Clayman Institute for Gender Research Faculty Research Fellowship, Stanford University, “Constructing the ‘Diversity-Affirming Organizational Structures and Environments’ Index,” 2017–2018 (C. M. Wotipka)
Institute for Research in the Social Sciences Faculty Seed Grant, Stanford University, “World Gender Database,” 2017 (C. M. Wotipka & F. O. Ramirez)
Clayman Institute for Gender Research Non-Residential Faculty Research Fellowship, Stanford University, “Cross-National Study of Female Faculty,” 2008–2009 (C. M. Wotipka)
Our Team
Contact
For questions about our projects and opportunities, email us at WotipkaLab@stanford.edu.