Program Aims
Transforming the STEM Ecosystem
STEM Convergence, a complement to the Clare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM, seeks to transform the STEM ecosystem in all sectors so that girls and women, especially from underserved communities, can study and work in healthy, welcoming, and supportive environments.
The program also aims to democratize STEM by making STEM learning accessible to all girls and women. Doing so empowers them to flourish as scientists, entrepreneurs, and STEM leaders. By fostering knowledge production and knowledge sharing, the program works to better understand the experiences of girls and women in STEM, strengthen local organizations and networks to address the challenges these individuals may face, and transform the STEM spaces they inhabit.
Program History
For nearly a decade, the Henry Luce Foundation leveraged a portion of its Higher Education Program funds to support systemic, structural, and cultural change efforts in STEM to complement the work of the Clare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM. This pool of funding supported programs such as women’s STEM leadership programs and the National Academies sexual harassment study. In 2021, the Foundation moved to codify this additional pool of funding into a new program area, STEM Convergence, to increase its commitment to institutional and structural change in STEM.
Areas of Support
To meet the aims outlined above, STEM Convergence focuses its grant making efforts on areas outlined below. STEM Convergence typically awards grants that are between $50,000 and $300,000. In your application, please indicate the area(s) your project falls under.
STEM Gender Equity Research and Implementation: STEM Convergence supports efforts that root out the causes preventing girls and women from pursuing STEM fields. Such efforts can include local and national research projects aiming to understand and address gender disparity in STEM and programs aimed at shifting, transforming, and building inclusive cultures at all stages of learning,
Empowering Women and Girls to Pursue STEM: STEM Convergence supports efforts that encourage and empower women and girls to develop interests in and pursue STEM studies and careers. It seeks to cultivate STEM literacy and enthusiasm among young girls and women, especially those from underserved communities. Such efforts can include programs that foster STEM literacy, confidence, and leadership at different stages of education, STEM pathways development, and mentorship and leadership development,
Facilitate Knowledge Sharing: STEM Convergence supports opportunities that facilitate cross-institutional and cross-sector collaborations to advance gender equity in STEM.
STEM Convergence by the Numbers - 2023
Recent Grants
Program Administrators
Aida Gureghian is the program director for leadership at the Henry Luce Foundation. She previously served as the assistant dean for professional development at the Graduate School of Arts and Science at New York University, where she designed and implemented innovative programming to cultivate leadership and public engagement skills. Aida also served as the assistant dean for students at NYU, where she launched several pathway programs for underrepresented students. Prior to pursuing a career in higher education administration, she taught history at the University of Pennsylvania and Brooklyn College. Aida earned her bachelor's degree in history from UCLA, her MPhil from Oxford University, and her PhD in history from the University of Pennsylvania.
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.
