Pitt ICRE - Building Up

A lack of diversity among postdocs and faculty is a consistent issue across universities nationwide that negatively impacts not only students but also the current faculty in regard to satisfaction and overall university success.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), here is a percentage distribution of the race and ethnicity of full-time faculty in degree-granting postsecondary institutions:

39%

White males
35%

White females
7%

Asian/Pacific Islander males
5%

Asian/Pacific Islander females
4%

Black females
3%

Black males
3%

Hispanic males
3%

Hispanic females

Our Mission

Advancing medical research. Advancing careers.

Our mission is to help universities build up their potential and success with an evidence-based program designed for postdocs and early-career faculty who are underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis. We provide guidance based on our Building Up study that tested the effectiveness of a career development intervention developed at the University of Pittsburgh. Postdoc and faculty participants receive the resources and support they need to advance their research careers, and universities receive a proven program to improve their diversity, retention, and community.

Building Connections

We help postdoc and faculty participants build up their university connections with monthly meetings, mentoring, and networking.

Building Identity

Our proven program helps build up your university’s identity, and we provide guidance throughout the year for implementation.

Building Knowledge

We help postdoc and faculty participants build up knowledge with coursework in grant and manuscript writing, including online options.

Why should universities join the Building Up program?

Learn from Anantha Shekhar, MD, PhD, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, about the importance of diversity on campuses and how the Building Up program helps universities find success.

What are you building up?

Hear from a Building Up scholar at the University of Pittsburgh about how the program has helped her establish her name in her field, receive awards and recognition for her work, and build her confidence.

“What I have valued most is being part of a family of researchers.”
-Dr. Judith K. Morgan

Why building up?

New perspectives. More potential. Empowered success.

At Predominately White Institutions, junior faculty or postdocs of color rarely see people who look like them. And if scholars from underrepresented backgrounds are present on campus, they often face expectations to take on diversity-related work and equity issues. Both situations create a disconnect within the university because of the lack of support for underrepresented postdocs and faculty. This can lead to faculty leaving. The university not only loses out on a valuable perspective and expertise, but also budget, as the average cost of losing a faculty member in a department of medicine exceeds $400,000.

Collaboration

Implement a program that tackles diversity issues more inclusively to improve faculty productivity.

Resilience and Retention

Support underrepresented postdocs and faculty who disproportionately leave the workforce to improve faculty retention.

Community

Develop a sense of community among junior faculty and postdocs of color to provide a true sense of belonging.

Who we are

Doris M. Rubio, PhD

Co-Director

Natalia Morone, MD, MS

Co-Director

Audrey Murrell, PhD

Co-Director

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the answers to our most frequently asked questions.

How much does Building Up cost?

5% salary support for Director
5% administrative support
10% faculty effort to teach the two courses

What courses and/or certifications do you provide?

We provide online courses for Grant Writing and Manuscript Writing that your university can offer.

We also provide a Leadership Certificate Program. In this program, participants will watch webinars and have moderated discussions.

What resources are available to learn more about the Building Up program?

We have a fact sheet for administrators and a published paper that demonstrates the program’s effectiveness. Please complete our contact form to learn more. We would be happy to contact you.