The Investigator Career Advancement Program (iCAP) at UMass Chan Medical School centers diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging—integrating a cohort-based faculty development curriculum, structured mentorship networks, and individualized scientific writing support to empower all tenure-track junior faculty with the tools they need for a successful career in academic research. Through ongoing evaluation, we are working to assess whether our DEIB-centered, holistic approach enhances the success, satisfaction, retention, and sense of belonging for early-career faculty, especially those from underrepresented groups. This colloquium will help attendees (1) reflect on the strengths and challenges of their own retention programs for faculty from underrepresented backgrounds, (2) design and improve faculty retention initiatives to increase diversity within their institutions, and (3) support and empower faculty and trainees from underrepresented groups to succeed and feel a sense of belonging.
Justine Pinskey, UMass Chan Medical School
Mary Munson, UMass Chan Medical School
Cynthia Fuhrmann, UMass Chan Medical School