Project ELEVATE charts course for faculty success
The 2024 Project ELEVATE retreat welcomed participants from Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University to Philadelphia for lectures, work sessions, workshops, and networking.
Project ELEVATE (Equity-focused Launch to Empower and Value AGEP Faculty to Thrive in Engineering), a National Science Foundation-funded alliance, hosted its annual summer retreat in Philadelphia at Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square. The three-day event consisted of lectures, work sessions, workshops, and networking, and included participants from Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University.
Formed in 2022, Project ELEVATE is focused on developing a career advancement model that promotes the equitable advancement of early career tenure-stream engineering faculty from underrepresented groups in engineering. While the work is ongoing, in-person gatherings like the summer retreat aim to foster community and empower participants with practical tools to achieve their professional goals.
“As a new professor, I find myself asking how to pursue this career in research and education, while aligning my values and identity, to make a long-term impact,” explained Trevor Jones, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “The Project ELEVATE retreat presented a unique opportunity to explore this question and its many follow-ups. I am grateful for the community gained, along with new insights from peers, and timely wisdom from mentors.”
Developing and sustaining an infrastructure that facilitates impactful mentoring is one of Project ELEVATE’s three focus areas. Sylvia Mendez, professor at the University of Kentucky and former chair of the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, led a productive session focused on the importance of and best practices for mentorship. Participants were encouraged to develop a mentoring philosophy, goals, and values, to increase shared understanding in their mentor relationships. Mentee-mentor pairs who were present had an opportunity to connect and further build upon their connections.
As a new professor, I find myself asking how to pursue this career in research and education, while aligning my values and identity, to make a long-term impact.
Trevor Jones, Assistant Professor, Mechnical Engineering
“The Project ELEVATE retreat provided the perfect work-life integration outlet,” shared Mendez, who is also a member of the Project ELEVATE advisory board. “The gathering included informative and inspirational messages about the importance of equity-focused institutional change efforts and time to learn more deeply about one another through laughter and fun. Time was well spent, supporting and challenging participants to consider what motivates them to engage in this work.”
Leadership, sustainability, and action planning for the coming year were also emphasized through the retreat’s activities.
“Being part of the Project ELEVATE mentoring program is about more than just guidance toward tenure—it's a transformative opportunity to grow, connect, and become empowered as an underrepresented tenure-track engineering faculty member,” said Jeremy Brown, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. “The in-person summer retreat amplified that experience, offering a space to reflect, recharge, celebrate, and build meaningful relationships that last a lifetime.”
The overarching goal of Project ELEVATE is to develop, implement, and institutionalize a career-pathway model that can be adapted for use by peer institutions. It focuses on equity-focused institutional change by developing a sustainable mentoring infrastructure for early-career engineering faculty and offering professional development opportunities for faculty and administrators to learn about and implement inclusive practices in their workplaces.
“Participating in the Project ELEVATE retreat was a truly enriching experience,” said Kimberly Villalobos Carballo, assistant professor of technology management and innovation at New York University. “It gave me a chance to connect with fellow faculty who share similar challenges in navigating the early stages of an academic career. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity ELEVATE offered me to voice my concerns and receive advice from senior faculty members who generously shared their experiences. This retreat offered a supportive community with crucial insights that have given me a head start in understanding the challenges ahead and tools to effectively overcome them.”
Learn more about Project ELEVATE.