Margaret Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of engineering

Dr. Margaret Hunter is working to bridge the gender gap that exists in technical studies such as engineering, physics and mathematics by working to develop a framework for college curricula in those fields that will attract more women students.

"The gender and racial gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs limits the pool of potential workers and threatens the nations intellectual and economic competitiveness," Dr. Hunter said. "The lack of women in these professions also diminishes the social consciousness that competent female leaders would bring to technical endeavors."

Dr. Hunter, who in 2007 received a three-year National Science Foundation grant of almost $725,000 to carry out her work. is coordinating Project ESTEEM - Equitable Science Technology Engineering Education and Mathematics a collaboration of faculty from Hofstra's Center for Technological Literacy, Nassau Community College and CUNY's Queensborough Community College that is developing a framework for infusing gender equitable information and materials into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum at community colleges.

Project ESTEEM enhances women's opportunities to succeed in technical studies leading to further education and careers. The framework helps teachers, publishers and curriculum developers to infuse equity into existing curriculum materials, rather than to develop new equity materials. The framework being developed will be broadly applicable to all curriculum materials in these fields at all levels of education.