Mary Frank Fox

Dean's Distinguished Professor

Member Of:
  • School of Public Policy
  • ADVANCE IAC
  • Technology Policy and Assessment Center
Office Location: DM Smith 307B

Overview

Mary Frank Fox is Dean's Distinguished Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology,

Dr. Fox's research focuses upon gender, science and academia--the study of women and men in academic and scientific organizations and occupations, with significant implications for science and technology policy. Her research has introduced and established the ways in which scientists' participation and performance reflect and are affected by the social and organizational settings in which they are educated and work.  Dr. Fox's research is published in over 60 different scholarly and scientific journals, books, and collections.  

Dr. Fox is an orginal Co-PI on Georgia Tech's NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant, and served as Ivan Allen College ADVANCE Professor (2001-2020):  A Pioneer of Inclusivity and Equity at Georgia Tech Reflects on 20 Years of ADVANCEs   In 2015, she received an award as "Section Star" from the Science, Knowledge, and Technology Section of the American Sociological Association.  In 2016, she received the Gender Equity Award at Georgia Tech, and in 2017, the Ivan Allen College Distinguished Research Award, and the Faculty of the Year Award of the Student Government Association.  She was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2017.  In 2020, she was elected Chair of the Section on Social, Economic, and Political Sciences of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Fox brings to the national forefront issues of diversity, equity, and excellence through her current work with advisory boards and panels including those as:  Member (and twice past chair) of the Social Science Advisory Board, National Center for Women and Information Technology; Council Member (twice elected), Section on Science, Knowledge, and Technology, American Sociological Association; Advisory Board, Expanding Computer Education Pathways Alliance; Editorial Board Member of the leading journal, Social Studies of Science; and recently elected member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Electorate Nominating Committee, Division on Social, Economic, and Political Sciences, and elected to the AAAS Nominations Committee (at large).

 

Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Michigan, Sociology
  • B. A., University of Michigan, Sociology
Areas of
Expertise:
  • Academia
  • Engineering
  • Gender
  • Organizations
  • Science
  • Science And Technology Policy

Interests

Research Fields:
  • S&E Organizations, Education, Careers and Workforce
  • Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
Geographic
Focuses:
  • Europe
  • United States
Issues:
  • Gender
  • Inequality and Social Justice

Courses

  • HTS-6112: Studies-Science & Engr
  • PUBP-2030: Organizations and Policy
  • PUBP-4214: Gender,Sci,Tech&Pub Plcy
  • PUBP-6014: Organization Theory
  • PUBP-6403: Sci Careers/Workplaces
  • PUBP-6417: Critic Perspect-Sci&Tech
  • PUBP-8813: Gender, SciTech, and Policy

Additional Information

Joined Faculty In 1993

Current and
Recent
Projects:
  • The Transmission Zone Between Producers and Consumers of Knowledge About Women in Science and Engineering, supported by National Science Foundation (NSF).

  • Gender and Entrepreneurship

Research
Collaborators:

 

  • Shiri Breznitz (University of Toronto)
  • Carolina Canibano (INGENIO/Research Institute of the Spanish National Council of Scientific Research, Valencia)
  • Irina Nikivincze (Georgia Tech)
  • F. Javier Otamendi (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos)
  • Gerhard Sonnert (Harvard University)

Graduate and Undergraduate Research Partners

  • Yasamin Khorashahi (Public Policy)
  • Emma Menardi (Public Policy)
  • Diana Roldan Rueda (Public Policy)
  • Rachel Wexler (Public Policy)

Fox Research Teams, Students, and Graduates

Professional
Associations:

Advisory Boards

  • Committee of Visitors, Program Evaluation, Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation
  • Expert Reviewer, Equality Can't Wait Challenge, Melinda Gates Foundation
  • External Advisory Board, ADVANCE Institutional Transformation, Arizona State University
  • External Advisory Board, ADVANCE Institutional Transformation, Clemson University

Awards

  • Elected Fellow, American Association the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2017)
  • Ivan Allen College Distinguished Faculty Researcher Award, 2017
  • Faculty of the Year Award, Georgia Tech Undergraduate Student Association, 2017.
  • Gender Equity Champion Award for Faculty, 2016
  • Section Star Award, Science, Knowledge, and Technology Section, American Sociological Association, 2015.