Dr. Catherine Ross is currently acting as the College of Architecture's National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program Professor. ADVANCE is dedicated to analyzing and eliminating gender disparities in the academic setting. At Georgia Tech, it provides resources to reduce gender bias, mitigate barriers due to family responsibilities, and increase career advancement opportunities for women. Dr. Ross was appointed in early 2009 as the ADVANCE Professor for the college, tasked with leading the program for faculty, aspiring faculty, and academic professionals.

To date, the program has hosted a kickoff meeting and a brainstorming session. It has also started to survey participants on their experiences with opportunity or discrimination in the CoA. Survey results will help prioritize future program activities and measure progress. Finally, three new academic awards have been announced. The College of Architecture NSF ADVANCE Women of Excellence Award will be granted to one female faculty member, one graduate student, and one undergraduate.

The ADVANCE program is funded by the National Science Foundation and Georgia Tech. The initial program term was from 2002-2006 and focused on traditional sciences. Due to its continued success, the program term was extended and now includes all social sciences and disciplines in which women have historically been underrepresented.