The ADVANCE Implementation Mentors (AIM) Network was initiated November 9^th, 2010 at the ADVANCE Workshop in Alexandria, Virginia.  The target audience was and is all ADVANCE Program [i.e., Institutional Transformation (IT), Partnerships in Adaptation, Implementation and Dissemination (PAID), and Catalyst grants] Change Leaders whose primary role is ADVANCE related  (e.g., PIs/Directors/Coordinators.)

ADVANCE Implementation Mentors (AIM) Network Mission

The mission of the AIM Network is to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the national ADVANCE efforts by establishing a community of practice for ADVANCE Change Leaders.  To this extent, the AIM Network seeks to provide ADVANCE Change Leaders with:

• programmatic and “process” information;
• mentoring, support, and networking;
• skill-enhancement and professional development;
• access to STEM gender and intersectionality research;
• opportunity to collaborate on presentations, grant proposals, and papers; and
• identification and dissemination of ADVANCE promising and emerging best practices.

Women of Color (WOC) Allies and Partners Project Mission and Goals

Funding for the WOC Allies and Partners Project has ended; however, gender and race/ethnicity intersectionality continue as a key focus of the AIM Network.  

The goal of the WOC Allies and Partners Project was to provide ADVANCE Implementation Mentors (AIM) Network members training to be active allies and tools to engage in empowering partnerships for STEM WOC at ADVANCE institutions, thus facilitating an academic culture shift in support of the recruitment, retention and advancement of all STEM faculty women.  To achieve this goal we:

• Developed the Allies and Partner’s Project Webinar
• Provided and Allies and Partner’s Project focused Op-Ed Project training
• Developed the Allies and Partner’s Project Toolkit