Inside CASL: New Director of Operations
The Center for the Advancement of STEM Leadership (CASL) is excited to announce the hiring of a new Director of Operations. Below are a brief biography and some insight into what makes Dr. Moreland enthusiastic about our work.
Dr. Nicole Moreland serves as the Director of Operations/Project Manager for CASL. Prior to joining the CASL Team, Dr. Moreland served as the Director of Howard University’s Office of Research Development, helping to foster the research community within HU and among partners. Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a Ph.D. from Howard University.
Please, describe your role in CASL.
“As the Director of Operations for CASL, I work to coordinate and integrate aspects of the Center’s work to ensure its objectives are met. More specifically, in concert with the leadership team, I create, implement, and monitor a timeline that contains clear benchmarks for progress on research, education, knowledge transfer/outreach, strategic initiatives, and evaluation.”
What excites you about the work of CASL?
“It’s an honor to work with the CASL Team to advance the goals of the Center. As an HBCU graduate, the work of CASL is one that’s personal and emotional for me. CASL is telling a story that really needs to be told especially from the perspective of Black Leadership and its connection to broadening participation in STEM. It’s going to be really cool when CASL’s work causes a shift in all of higher education and we see more African Americans graduating and pursuing STEM PhDs and not just from HBCUs.”
Why is broadening participation in STEM important?
“I think broadening participation in STEM is important because it means diverse perspectives and more representation but more importantly the implications are increased performance, creativity, and better solutions with all people in mind.”
What does leading with soul mean to you?
“To me, leading with the soul is to first understand the context in which you lead and then to embrace a collective identity while continuing to be invested in the people and the outcome.”
Well said! Dr. Moreland’s passion excites the leaders and staff of CASL, and we look forward to working alongside her in capturing the Soul of Leadership.