30th Anniversary Blog
Room for Wisdom
Clare Boothe Luce Program Participants' Perspectives on STEM Ethics and Society
In recognition of the Program’s 30th anniversary, we are highlighting what we see as a critical but generally under-addressed aspect of the study and teaching of science: STEM Ethics and Society. We will draw on the vibrant community of Clare Boothe Luce scholars and professors from supported institutions to share their insights on how to approach, address, and hopefully preempt what could be some of the most challenging issues of our time.
This collection of articles is intended to start conversations about existing challenges, to share what’s being done at some of the nation’s top higher education institutions, and to encourage the next generation of scientists to think about the role of STEM ethics and society in their own work.
Program Aims
Since its first grants in 1989 the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program for Women in STEM has become the single most significant source of private support for women in science, mathematics and engineering in Higher Education in the United States. Clare Boothe Luce, the widow of Henry R. Luce, was a playwright, journalist, U.S. Ambassador to Italy, and the first woman elected to Congress from Connecticut. In her bequest establishing this program, she sought “to encourage women to enter, study, graduate, and teach” in science, mathematics and engineering. To date, the program has supported more than 2,900 women. As of 2021, the CBL Program for Women in STEM has awarded a total of 819 grants to 200 different institutions, including 65 grants to Minority-Serving Institutions.
Award Categories
The CBL Program awards grants in three categories:
- Undergraduate Awards
- Graduate Fellowships
- Professorships
Designated Institutions
Thirteen institutions, specifically designated in Ambassador Luce’s bequest, receive income from an initial allocation in perpetuity. These institutions are known as Designated Institutions.
Recent Grants
Momentum Newsletter
Program Administrators
Carlotta M. Arthur, Ph.D. was the first African American woman to earn a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University. After a decade in the aerospace and automotive industries, she completed an M.A. in Psychology and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialty in Psychophysiology/Health Psychology, from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Carlotta was a member of the inaugural cohort of W.K. Kellogg Scholars in Health Disparities at the Harvard School of Public Health. She also served as an Assistant Professor at Meharry Medical College, an HBCU in Nashville, TN; an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Smith College; and as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. Prior to joining the Luce Foundation, Carlotta directed the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, Diversity Initiatives, HBCU, and Appalachian Colleges Programs at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Prior to joining the Luce Foundation, Sarah was the administrative assistant for the PCLB Foundation, managing their office space and providing support for their grant cycle. She was also previously a research assistant at the New School and in the law firm of Paul Weiss. Sarah earned a master’s degree from the New School in Politics, focusing on Global Environmental Politics, and she earned her bachelor’s degree at Penn State University in International Relations with a minor in Environmental Inquiry.
