2024 PA/Sea Change Award

Appalachian State University Earns Award from Physics & Astronomy SEA Change Program

SEA Change Bronze Award logoP/A SEA Change celebrates 2024 awardee, opens applications for next cohort

Appalachian State University Physics Department has earned a Bronze Award from the Physics and Astronomy SEA Change Committee (P/A SEA Change) for their work to create a more inclusive and diverse physics department.

P/A SEA Change is a collaboration among many physics and astronomy professional societies: American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM), American Astronomical Society (AAS), American Institute of Physics (AIP), American Physical Society (APS), AVS (Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing), National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP), the Physics and Astronomy Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research, and Optica and the Society of Physics Students (SPS). This is a disciplinary program, funded by a subaward from the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s AAAS SEA Change’s NSF grant and by a grant from the American Institute of Physics Venture Fund. The program’s goal is to support continual, data-informed systemic change in postsecondary STEMM education. The program is not prescriptive, instead asking that the improvements are self-driven and account for one’s context. AAAS SEA Change focuses on institutional level change, while P/A SEA Change is tailored for physics and astronomy departments.

The mission of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Appalachian State University is to offer sustainable, nationally recognized degrees in which the student body is enabled, through science-intensive instruction and experiential learning delivered by well-trained and empowered faculty and staff, to make productive, enduring contributions to the fields of physics and astronomy applicable to the Appalachian region, the state, the nation, and the world.

“We are proud of achieving the Physics and Astronomy Departmental SEA Change Bronze Award and thankful for this opportunity to make our department an even more awesome place for physics and astronomy students. While we have always strived for excellence in all aspects of our department, the Bronze Award program ensures that we use a thorough scientific process to adjust our procedures and recommendations and behaviors to ensure the success of all our students. This recognition confirms our dedication to first-rate teaching and student support.” Brooke C. Hester, Professor & Assistant Chair of Physics and Astronomy, noted.

The SEA Change process entails undergoing a self-assessment regarding department demographics, paying particular attention to race, gender, and the intersection between them. The assessment includes questions around policies and procedures as well as culture and climate. Both qualitative and quantitative data are encouraged.

The self-assessment supports the creation of a 5-year action plan that addresses some of the issues and leverages some of the opportunities; the action plan must have specific steps and metrics to demonstrate how an issue will be addressed. The self-assessment is also used to create a narrative that explains what was learned and how they made choices for their action plan. The narrative and action plan are part of the application for a Bronze-level award. A review panel provides feedback and recommends whether the application receives a Bronze-level award. The P/A SEA Change Committee, which consists of representatives from multiple physics and astronomy professional societies, ultimately decides whether to award a department. Awardees work on their five-year action plans, with regular check-ins. At the end of 5 years, they can reapply to maintain their status.

The P/A SEA Change program is not a one-size-fits-all approach, as departments can be incredibly different when it comes to resources and challenges. Thus far, 18 departments ranging in size, type, and location have engaged in the program and are making progress.

The program is recruiting for a fourth cohort. Interested physics and astronomy departments are encouraged to fill out this form by August 1, 2024. 

“Right now, the future of the physics profession depends on physics and astronomy departments changing the culture so that every undergraduate and graduate student, post-doctoral fellow, staff member, and faculty member can succeed. We expect that the Physics and Astronomy SEA Change project, the first national-level award program centered around systemic change and academic excellence in physics and astronomy, will help to move more physics departments in this direction,” said Beth Cunningham, Chair of the Physics and Astronomy SEA Change Committee and CEO of AAPT.

The P/A SEA Change program enables physics and astronomy departments to use data to help pinpoint where they are, what they’re doing well, and where they can improve in regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“The P/A SEA Change Committee was excited to award Appalachian State Physics and Astronomy after witnessing their dedication in recognizing areas of improvement and addressing them in their action plan. The work is challenging for many reasons, and App State Physics and Astronomy persisted. For the SEA Change programs and other efforts, I believe App State Physics and Astronomy will be a role model for those who wish to address systemic matters that impede our departments and disciplines in being the best we can be,” said Alexis Knaub, Director of P/A SEA Change.”

Physics and Astronomy SEA Change
P/A SEA Change seeks to support postsecondary physics and astronomy departments in United States or U.S. territories by creating systemic, structural change so departments can be inclusive and excellent. A disciplinary version of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—known as SEA (STEMM Equity Achievement) Change— P/A SEA change is a collaboration of 11 professional physics and astronomy societies: American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM), American Astronomical Society (AAS), American Institute of Physics (AIP), American Physical Society (APS), AVS (Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing), National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP), the Physics and Astronomy Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research, Optica, and the Society of Physics Students (SPS).