WIR was founded by Dr. Kathleen Slobin as WISMET (Women in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology) about in early 2000. The goal was to attract a grant to NDSU that supports the advancement of women in the STEM sciences. The group is now known as ADVANCE/FORWARD developed out of WISMET. They began as FORWARD in 2002 and received the NSF ADVANCE grant in 2008.
In 2008, funding for WISMET changed from EPSCoR to the Provost’s Office. Together with this change of funding, membership was opened to all female faculty of NDSU. The name was subsequently changed to WIR to reflect the inclusiveness of the organization. WIR fulfills a niche within NDSU that provides a platform for female faculty to present their research and network.
