The National Science Foundation has awarded funding to an AGEP grant proposal, Inclusive Graduate Programs: An AGEP (Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate) Pilot in Physics.  The lead institution is Northwestern University and OSU is one of the co-leads. Associate Professor Geraldine Cochran is a Co-Principal Investigator.

From the Abstract: 

Culture describes the customs, norms, social institutions, and "normal" interpersonal behaviors of a particular social group. Culture can be inclusive and equitable, accepting of a wide range of prior experiences, identities, and histories. Unfortunately, studies have shown that the culture of physics graduate programs is not inclusive or equitable, and that racial and gender inequality and the unequal distribution of resources, power, and economic opportunity are prevalent in STEM disciplines. These inequalities systemically advantage some people over others, hindering our scientific, technological, and economic advancement as a nation through the lack of diverse perspectives. The underrepresentation of women and individuals from minoritized and marginalized racial and ethnic communities persists in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Among STEM, physics is the field with the poorest diversity in graduate education. The culture of STEM and physics, in particular, is characterized by a dominant culture that favors norms of success based on stereotypical characteristics of competitiveness, individualism, assertiveness, and arrogance, which leads to the marginalization of groups of people who are underrepresented in STEM. Despite robust literature documenting the experiences of marginalized students in graduate education, little progress has been made toward creating more welcoming and inclusive physics programs. This Inclusive Graduate Programs: An AGEP Pilot in Physics project will target both changing program practices and policies, as well as the mindsets of institutional and powerful actors in departments. The goal of this project is to create systemic and lasting cultural change in a cohort of leading physics graduate programs to lay the foundation for expansion across STEM. The researchers aim to support physics graduate programs to become more inclusive and equitable, creating and sustaining a welcoming and supportive environment specifically for historically excluded groups, who in turn will matriculate, graduate and advance to academic faculty positions in far greater numbers, diversifying the discipline. By diversifying physics, the least diverse discipline, the researchers aim to create a model for STEM graduate programs nationwide.

Read more: NSF Award Search: Award # 2330015 - Inclusive Graduate Programs: An AGEP Pilot in Physics