Associate Professor of Architecture Isabelle Gournay has been named ADVANCE Professor by the university’s ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence. She will serve as the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation’s (MAPP) liaison for the 2017-18 academic year. Gournay succeeds Professor Madlen Simon, who represented the school during the last academic year, continuing her efforts to both empower and advance MAPP’s women faculty within the school and the university.
MAPP has been a part of UMD’s ADVANCE initiative since its inception in 2011; Professor Emeritus Marie Howland was a founding member, helping to create the infrastructure for networking forums and support systems for women faculty. A priority for Simon this past year was to formulate best practices for improving the diversity of faculty search candidates, which includes exploring where other programs—and universities—are finding success. She also worked to further the cultural climate and morale among MAPP faculty, which included regular, informal get-togethers with female faculty that provided support and assistance in promoting faculty achievements.
“I look forward to sharing stimulating and constructive ideas with other Advance Professors throughout campus,” said Isabelle. “It is an exciting opportunity to work with the extremely committed and talented scholarly and creative women of MAPP’s faculty, staff and students.”
Created in partnership with the National Science Foundation, the ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence works to improve women faculty’s representation, retention and personal growth and foster a positive work environment through leadership opportunities, awareness and initiatives.