School of Social Transformation faculty member assumes new title with NSF
School of Social Transformation faculty member and Founding Executive Director of the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST) Kimberly Scott is accepting a new position with the National Science Foundation (NSF).
As Scott passes the torch, she hopes CGEST will “ensure all children have access to resources and opportunities to become techno-social change agents.”
CGEST is an Arizona State University research center designed to create programs, research and opportunities for students, communities and institutions. Scott founded CGEST during former President Obama’s second term when the White House Council on Women and Girls launched programs for women and girls in STEM.
The NSF is a federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to support science, public health and other STEM values. Scott will work in the office of the assistant director of the STEM education directorate. “This is an inaugural position for the entire agency and reflects NSF’s commitment to creating opportunities for everyone," Scott explains.
As Scott takes on this new role, SST faculty member Mako Ward assumes the role of CGEST interim director. “Kimberly Scott has served as a mentor, and I’ve observed the center’s growth for many years,” Ward said. “I was honored when she asked me to serve as the center’s interim director as she takes on this exciting new role at NSF.”
Scott and Ward point to CompuGirls as one of CGEST’s greatest accomplishments. CompuGirls is a program funded by many federal and private grantors and has offered opportunities for girls, teachers and families from underprivileged schools across the world to learn STEM skills. Scott shared her hopes for the future of CGEST, saying, “Under Dr. Ward’s leadership, I anticipate CGEST to broaden its reach and expand its impact across disciplinary divides.”
In her new role, Ward will leverage her research background in the arts to expand the success of the center’s programs and advance research at the intersection of arts, sciences and society. “I aim to launch CGEST 2.0 — the next generation of the center’s work with an expanded focus on transformative leadership, community-attuned curriculum design and arts-based practice at scale.”
Scott takes on her position at the NSF on Jan. 13, 2025.
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