Scientific problem solving and innovation are enhanced by including individuals from a diversity of backgrounds and identities, including different races, religions, physical abilities, ethnicities, genders, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations. This is a result of the diversity of beliefs, perspectives, and ideas that people from different backgrounds and identities hold. Despite this, under-represented groups continue to face significant challenges entering the scientific workplace and their contributions tend to be under-recognized. The impediments are manifold and include both internal and external limitations. External limitations include explicit and implicit bias from those tasked with instructing, mentoring, and hiring. Internal limitations include personal perceptions that affect interest or achievement in science including low self-assessment and stereotype threat. As a first-generation woman in science, I am acutely aware of these barriers to entry. I will work to understand and eliminate external and internal limitations that impede the retention of women and other underrepresented groups in science through discipline-based education research, using inclusive curriculum, and inclusive mentoring strategies.
Teaching research: Active learning pedagogies are proven to enhance student attitudes, learning outcomes, and student retention in the biological sciences. However, taking an evidence based approach through discipline based education research allows us to identify areas in the classroom that can be strengthened. I conducted research to understand classroom qualities and types of interactions that promote the participation of women. Participation is critical because it enhances understanding of course material, decreases anxiety about course content, and enhances academic performance, which may ultimately lead to increased retention in STEM majors. We found that women participated less in large classrooms and that this was not ameliorated by diversifying interaction types.
Inclusive curriculum: I will create and present content that is accurate and avoids over-emphasis on examples/material that inadvertently reinforces stereotypes and centers all learning in the West. For example, when teaching about evolution I will describe the historical continuity of ideas of evolution by natural selection through Arab scholars during the Islamic Golden Age (for example, Al-Jahiz and Ibn Kaldun), to Darwin, and ending in modern times, incorporating diverse examples from Project Biodiversify (www.projectbiodiversity.org).
Mentoring: I use an inclusive mentoring strategy, which includes three elements: 1) My mentoring is evidence based and adaptive, which means I employ proven strategies (e.g. mentor maps, mentoring contracts) but can also adjust my mentorship based on feedback from my mentee. 2) My mentoring strategy recognizes and responds to identities in mentorship. For example, if I work with a first-generation student I might tailor my mentorship to specifically address imposter syndrome. 3) I also employ multiple mentorship structures in my mentoring, with the awareness that I might not be able to adequately respond to all aspects of a persons identity.
Teaching research: Active learning pedagogies are proven to enhance student attitudes, learning outcomes, and student retention in the biological sciences. However, taking an evidence based approach through discipline based education research allows us to identify areas in the classroom that can be strengthened. I conducted research to understand classroom qualities and types of interactions that promote the participation of women. Participation is critical because it enhances understanding of course material, decreases anxiety about course content, and enhances academic performance, which may ultimately lead to increased retention in STEM majors. We found that women participated less in large classrooms and that this was not ameliorated by diversifying interaction types.
Inclusive curriculum: I will create and present content that is accurate and avoids over-emphasis on examples/material that inadvertently reinforces stereotypes and centers all learning in the West. For example, when teaching about evolution I will describe the historical continuity of ideas of evolution by natural selection through Arab scholars during the Islamic Golden Age (for example, Al-Jahiz and Ibn Kaldun), to Darwin, and ending in modern times, incorporating diverse examples from Project Biodiversify (www.projectbiodiversity.org).
Mentoring: I use an inclusive mentoring strategy, which includes three elements: 1) My mentoring is evidence based and adaptive, which means I employ proven strategies (e.g. mentor maps, mentoring contracts) but can also adjust my mentorship based on feedback from my mentee. 2) My mentoring strategy recognizes and responds to identities in mentorship. For example, if I work with a first-generation student I might tailor my mentorship to specifically address imposter syndrome. 3) I also employ multiple mentorship structures in my mentoring, with the awareness that I might not be able to adequately respond to all aspects of a persons identity.