Moore and the National Science Foundation to harness STEM talents of under-represented populations
James L. Moore III
EHE Distinguished Professor of Urban Education James L. Moore III, Department of Educational Studies, has been appointed the program director of Broadening Participation in Engineering within the Directorate of Engineering at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Virginia.
According to data from Change the Equation, the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce is no more diverse today than it was 14 years ago.
Through targeted and systematic investments, Moore’s efforts will focus on identifying exemplary practices that aim to increase the diversity of the engineering workforce. He will solicit, review and manage a range of NSF-funded projects that offer short-term and long-term impact in diversifying the engineering workforce. Such projects will allow the nation to quickly translate, replicate and expand those practices in creating pathways to engineering careers throughout the United States. Moore will also serve as resource to his directorate, as well as other directorates across NSF.
“The engineering workforce should mirror the nation and include diverse populations, such as women and men of color, who have been under-represented in the field too long,” said Moore.
As a nationally and internationally recognized scholar, Moore focuses his research on the sociocultural, familial, school and community factors that support, enhance and impede the academic outcomes of outstanding students of color. He has also published extensively on educational pipeline issues for African Americans and other communities of color. Having received more than $1.5 million in research grants from the NSF over the years, Moore has already successfully explored under-representation in STEM among students of color. The funding has allowed Moore to document the factors that influence the recruitment, retention and academic achievement of undergraduate female and male STEM majors at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominately white institutions (PWIs).
EHE Distinguished Professor of Urban Education James L. Moore III is pictured with past fellows of the Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male.
Moore’s research has been put into action through his role as the executive director of Ohio State’s Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male. Under his leadership, Ohio State has seen a very high freshman-to-sophomore retention rate among the African American males who take part in the center’s annual summer early arrival program: 95 percent. When compared to the national average of 85 percent for all black men, the impact of the Bell Center and Moore’s research is even more apparent. In addition to the four-day early arrival program, the center offers study skills classes and mentorship opportunities to introduce black males, many of whom are first-generation college students, to university life and connect them with resources to help them succeed academically.
Moore is revered at Ohio State and across the country for his research and expertise on broadening participation topics. He is a highly sought after educational consultant by K-12 school districts, institutions of higher education, and other state and federal agencies. For example, at the city level, Moore has been asked to co-chair Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, which will issue a report this fall on the state of black males in Columbus and provide recommendations to address gaps in opportunities.
“The significant contributions that Dr. Moore has made to the fields of school counseling, gifted education, urban education and STEM education have enhanced the college experiences of many minority students,” said Don Lewis Millard, acting deputy division director of the Division of Engineering Education and Centers within the National Science Foundation.
“In his new role at the NSF, Dr. Moore will maximize his impact among under-represented young people in the STEM field even more.”
