Dr. Leggon’s research focuses on African American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Native American, and Native Pacific Islander women in science and engineering; this focus developed while she was a Staff Officer in the Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel at the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. Her work underscores the criticality of disaggregating data by race/ethnicity AND gender in order to develop policy, programs and practices that enhance and expand the science and engineering talent pool in the United States.

Currently, she is co-Principal Investigator on two grants funded by the National Science Foundation: “Inside the Double Bind - A Synthesis of Literature on Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (REESE); and “Cross-Disciplinary Initiative for Minority Women Faculty” (ADVANCE Leadership).

Her most recent publications include: “Women in Science: Racial and Ethnic Differences and the Differences They Make,” Journal of Technology Transfer, 32, 2006; “Gender, Race/Ethnicity and the Digital Divide,” in Women, Gender, and Technology, edited by Mary Frank Fox, Deborah G. Johnson, and Sue V. Rosser, Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2006; and “Assessing Programs to Improve Minority Participation in STEM: What we know and what we need to know,” in Doctoral Education and the Faculty of the Future (with Willie Pearson, Jr.) edited by Ronald Ehrenberg, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press (in press).

Dr. Leggon earned the PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, and the BA in Sociology from Barnard College, Columbia University.