Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity

CERSE

The Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity (CERSE) is based in the University of Washington Department of Sociology.  We specialize in rigorous program evaluation and research to improve education for all. Our center focuses on increasing equity in educational contexts and broadening representation in STEM fields, with ample experience in higher education. Our work addresses emerging workforce challenges such as recruitment, retention, and equitable participation, helping institutions create environments where all individuals can thrive.

In 2016, we changed our name from the Center for Workforce Development to better reflect the type of work that we do and why we do it.

Check out our UW CERSE Resume 2025!

Why We Do What We Do

  • Our program evaluation and research offer evidence-based insights toward informing and transforming systems, and improving policies and practices.
  • We believe that thoughtful collaboration with our clients leads to excellent programs or projects.
  • We believe that education should be equitable and accessible to all people, not just people from dominant identity groups. STEM education has been a focus of our center because inequities have historically been heightened in these contexts.
  • Significant changes must be made in order for STEM fields to be accessible, welcoming, and desirable to individuals belonging to excluded identity groups.
  • We believe that Black lives matter. CERSE is committed to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement through our words and actions, as individuals and collectively as an organization. Read more >>

What We Do & How We Do It

Integration of Research, Evaluation, & Consulting Multiple Methodologies Relationships Critical Lens
We see research and evaluation as complementary, and a commitment to collaboration with our clients ensures that our work is relevant and actionable.We employ methods that fit each question, context, and population. The use of multiple methodologies allows us to more thoroughly understand issues and how to address them.We establish and foster relationships with the people we work with because we respect the work that they do.We operate with a critical orientation. This means that issues of social justice inform our thinking and acting.

Commitment to Equity

The Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity (CERSE) is committed to prioritizing equity in all aspects of its evaluation, research, and internal governance. We evaluate and research efforts to broaden participation and expand social equity. Given this focus, we consider it the responsibility of our evaluators to highlight and suggest potential solutions regarding any equity concerns that arise during the course of a project, regardless of whether the issues explicitly relate to the focus of our evaluation. We offer such feedback in the spirit of supporting successful projects and institutions. We also understand that we all have room to grow and welcome feedback about ways we can improve.

 

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