Exploring Merit & Opportunity in Academic Computer Sciences
Michigan State University TETRAD Initiative for Interdisciplinary Research
“Exploring Perceptions of Merit and Opportunity in Computer Sciences” examines how academic computer scientists understand and experience merit, opportunity, advancement, leadership, and professional development within the field. Specifically:
​
-
How academic computer scientists conceptualize merit and opportunity in relation to career advancement, departmental leadership, and professional development
-
The extent to which perceptions of merit and opportunity align with or diverge from institutional policies, practices, and values within academic computer science departments
-
Perceived barriers and supports encountered by computer scientists as they pursue advancement, leadership, and professional growth opportunities across career stages
-
The effectiveness of current communication and engagement efforts in encouraging influential department members to support fair, transparent, and meaningful advancement practices
-
Which stakeholders are involved in advancing change related to fairness, transparency, and opportunity within academic computer sciences, and the strategies they employ to promote and implement these efforts
The project is supported by the Michigan State University Tetrad initiative. Launched in Fall 2023, the initiative is designed to foster new cross-unit and cross-college collaborations among Michigan State University faculty who have not worked together before, resulting in projects that create opportunities for extramural support of unique research programs. ​
Who Can Participate
We welcome participation from academic computer scientists across roles and career stages, including faculty, department chairs, researchers, graduate students, and others working within computer science academic environments. We aim to include a wide range of perspectives that reflect the diversity of the discipline.
Why This Study Matters
Computer science is a rapidly evolving field with significant influence across higher education, industry, and society. Yet questions remain about how opportunity, recognition, leadership, and professional growth are defined and distributed within academic computer science spaces.
​
By participating, computer scientists can help generate research that informs more equitable and effective approaches to advancement, leadership development, and institutional change.
Share Your Perspective
Your experiences can help us better understand how merit, opportunity, and advancement are experienced in academic computer sciences—and what changes may support greater fairness, transparency, and opportunity across the field.
​
Contribute to research that can make a difference for computer scientists.
