Driving positive change and building a more welcoming environment across the STEM enterprise requires intentional efforts and contributions from all members in the field-both students and leaders. However, most of the training and development programs in STEM focus on students and early career scientists, and the STEM discipline still lacks strong representation, positive perceptions of culture and a constant sense of belonging among all members. These persistent gaps within the field stem, in part, from the absence of programs on the training and development of individuals on the other side of the professional spectrum-leadership. Enhancing awareness and elevating sustainable change in the field ultimately requires the engagement and commitment of not only early career professionals, but also of STEM leaders. To address these gaps, ASM led an in-depth leadership development program focused on training leaders across STEM to drive positive culture change where all are welcome and can thrive.
The ASM Microbiology Leaders Evolving & Accountable to Progress Project
In 2024, ASM led an inaugural project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) dedicated to training leaders within the microbial sciences to foster progress and impact while embodying access and accountability-the ASM Microbiology Leaders Evolving and Accountable to Progress (MicroBio-LEAP) project. The MicroBio-LEAP project consisted of developing, facilitating and evaluating a 10-month long program-the ASM Training-of-Leaders (ToL) Scholars Program-where participants met bi-weekly in a virtual platform and once in-person for an intensive summit in the middle of the program experience.
This in-depth training and development program intended to complement efforts that utilize a "bottom-up" approach toward change (e.g.., training students and early career professionals) by taking a "top-down" approach, focused on leaders in the field who have the strongest influence on institutional practices and policies. The program was intentionally designed to be longer in duration and more intensive than similar training programs, as research shows that lengthier programs had more significant impacts on the participants.
Training Leaders to Drive Impact and Sustainable Change in the Field
The ToL Scholars Program intended to drive positive culture change in the microbial sciences field by promoting deep, individual introspection amongst the leaders in the program, facilitating peer group exchanges with all program participants and providing a space where participants could practice knowledge and skills to ensure the training went beyond awareness to action.
"The ToL Scholars Program exceeded my expectations, empowering me to significantly expand my influence and impact. I emerged with a renewed commitment to inspire change within my future lab, which I will soon be directing." Portia Mira, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
The opportunity to participate in the inaugural program was open to all leaders in the microbial sciences. To recruit ToL Scholars, ASM and the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs (AMSMIC), partner organization during the MicroBio-LEAP Project, held an open call from mid-September to mid-October 2023. The open call received 89 applications from members across microbiology sectors, including academia, government and industry. After 4 rounds of rigorous review, the MicroBio-LEAP Task Force-the volunteer advisory team that helped lead facilitation of the ToL Scholars program-in collaboration with members of the Progress, Impact, Access & Accountability (PIAA) Committee and ASM staff, selected 24 scholars to participate in the inaugural cohort. Scholars were selected with the intent of building a heterogenous cohort, exemplifying strong representation across sectors, career stage, leadership experience, employment role and experience driving culture change. Additionally, both ASM and AMSMIC members were represented in the cohort.
Once selected, the scholars quickly rolled up their sleeves and got to work. The ToL Scholars Program took a collaborative learning approach, emphasizing peer-to-peer discussion in the form of small group activities and large group reflection. The small groups consisted of 4-5 members of varying experiences and backgrounds. Over the course of the program, the scholars built a strong connection with their group members, promoting an environment that encouraged vulnerability, humility and growth.
To further engage the scholars, project staff and the MicroBio-LEAP Task Force worked diligently to customize the course content so that it was applicable to the microbial sciences. This included developing small group activities to reflect settings commonly found in the microbial sciences. By making these customizations, the ToL Scholars found that they could better relate and apply their real-world experiences to the concepts being taught, making for a richer and deeper training experience.
"Before participating in the Training-of-Leaders Scholars Program, I had an overconfident and superficial understanding of intercultural competence. I now recognize that true understanding goes beyond surface-level friendliness or professional collegiality." Samina Akbar, Ph.D., Marian University
Throughout the 10-month program, the ToL Scholars engaged in activities that fostered awareness, eliminated discrimination, created openness and built skills within the microbial sciences. To demonstrate and showcase their progress and development during the program, each scholar presented a final project/proposal for a policy or recommendation they could implement within their workplace or sphere of influence.
The Final Deliverable to Showcase Progress and Demonstrate Learning
In the last month of the program, all scholars gathered in a virtual platform to present their final deliverable and share their vision for driving positive change in the microbial sciences using the knowledge and tools acquired during the training program. Proposals ranged from creating a psychologically safe working environment among their direct reports, to developing a policy memo to influence change on an institutional level. Regardless of the level of impact, the scholars shared the common goal of wanting to advance progress toward making the microbial sciences, and related fields, a safe, supportive and welcoming community.
During the final-deliverable share-out session of the MicroBio-LEAP ToL Scholars Program, ASM CEO Stefano Bertuzzi, Ph.D., MPH, , joined to provide opening remarks to all in attendance. "It is our strategic roadmap at ASM that is focused on empowering you-the microbiologists, our members, our stakeholders-to shape the future of the field," Bertuzzi said. Bertuzzi emphasized the important role that leadership must play in bringing the Society's efforts to fruition. "None of this would be possible if we don't have in the departments, [through] the leaders of the field, [an] environment [and] culture that is welcoming, that is encouraging and that really demonstrates those values, so the people who are there will actually feel that they belong, that they're part [of the field], and that they want to be there and grow there."
Evaluating the Program and Experience
ASM envisioned that by the end of the program the ToL Scholars would develop skills, knowledge and tools to drive change and influence the values, norms, priorities and practices (i.e., culture) of the microbial sciences, ultimately leading to:
More voices being heard, considered and included regardless of academic merit, professional recognition, institutional affiliation, tenure, etc. (e.g., more balanced editorial boards, meeting presentations and representation).
More accessible, safe and welcoming work, training and research environments (e.g., meetings, labs and classrooms).
More inclusive and diverse ideas of who scientists are and what they look like (e.g., greater feelings of inclusiveness in the microbial sciences reported through ASM's member perception survey).
More leaders in the field with the knowledge and skills to create transparent norms and practices that support a sense of belonging and identity for scientists from all backgrounds and demographics.
Based on evaluations of the program conducted by Christine Pribbenow, a professional evaluator who uses mixed methodology to assess student and faculty learning and evaluate educational programming at various institutions and organizations, the effort to design an in-depth and informed training program dedicated to driving change yielded positive results. The ToL Scholars Program was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative metrics, including surveys, interviews and check-ins throughout the program. To evaluate their overall growth as a cohort, the scholars took the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) at the beginning and end of the program. The IDI uses a 50-item assessment to determine an individual's level of intercultural competency-how they approach different cultures from their own. The ToL Scholars as individuals and as a cohort were placed on a continuum to identify their areas of growth. At the end of the program, the cohort's score increased by approximately 7 points, and they grew in their ability to recognize important differences between cultures.
Continuing the Work
While the program concluded in early 2025, the work and impact is still ongoing, and the mission to build a positive and welcoming culture throughout STEM doesn't end here. With the tools, knowledge and confidence gained through this experience, each ToL Scholar is uniquely positioned to lead meaningful change and inspire others to do the same. The end of the program marks the beginning of real-world application, and the scholars are empowered and encouraged to continue implementing their deliverables and sustaining their efforts to build a professional culture where all members can excel, succeed and flourish in their chosen career pathways.
