LibGuides: BIO 290A: Being Human in STEM: Home

General STEM Sources

Collaborating with People Like Me: Ethnic Co-Authorship within the U.S.; Journal of Labor Economics Volume 33, July 2015
This study analyzed 2.5 million research papers based on author surname origin (all authors based in the United States) and found that (1) people were more likely to have co-authors with the same surname origin, (2) greater ethnic homogeneity among authors is associated with publication in lower-impact journals and fewer citations, and (3) papers with authors in more locations and with greater diversity of surname origin are more likely to be published in higher-impact journals and receive more citations than others. This may be due to a variety of perspectives, group dynamics, or attracting attention through different/more networks associated with each author. These findings suggest that greater diversity in ethnicity and location of authors leads to greater spread and impact of research.
Black Undergraduate Women and Their Sense of Belonging in STEM at Predominantly White Institutions; NASPA Journal About Women in Higher Education Volume 10, Issue 2, 2017 (available via ILL)
This study investigated the experiences of Black undergraduate women in STEM, specifically how racial and gendered microaggressions affect sense of belonging in 3 recent recipients of bachelor’s degrees. It focuses on addressing the lack of work that exists to understand the sense of belonging of Black undergraduate women in science, technology, engineering, and math. “Isolation is reinforced through unconscious policies or culture that send messages to Women of Color in STEM that they do not belong and their presence becomes invalidated… even when women adopt the perceived characteristics necessary to be successful… which are often associated with masculine identities, they are still excluded for various reasons such as not adopting socialized roles of women in academia” (211). This is a good resource for person-focused narratives and allows the reader to learn about experiences other than their own without putting the burden on those around them
Towards a truer multicultural science education: How whiteness impacts science education; Cultural Studies of Science Education Volume 14, 2019
This article deals with the underlying causes of the observed achievement gap. The writers indicate that this needs to be addressed before strategies aimed to combat this issue can be effectively implemented. Le and Matias explain that race is only an issue because whiteness exists. The article is theoretical and consists of five different parts: making the case for race, situating the study in the science education field, differentiating between critical race theory (CRT) and critical whiteness studies (CWS), describing examples of whiteness in science education, and explaining implications.
A descriptive study of race and gender differences in how instructional style and perceived professor care influence decisions to major in STEM; International Journal of STEM Education, Volume 6, 2019
This is a research article that delves into perceptions of professor care for students comparing responses based on racial and/or gender identities. The researchers discuss the impacts of teaching styles on retention and how intersectionality relates to reported experience.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2021. Addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism in 21st Century STEMM Organizations: Proceedings of a Workshop in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Additional workshop resources: https://bit.ly/3aRvNhG

The topics covered by this summit include definitions of DEI terminology, the roots of structural racism, relevant findings on implicit bias and stereotypes, and myths perpetuated about racism in American society. These topics provide background context to the pressing issues relevant to the scientific enterprise of STEM disciplines such as graduate admissions processes and lack of inclusive communities for students of color. The report concludes with suggested actions for improving DEI in STEM education, including changes to graduate admission processes, greater efforts to provide a supportive environment, changes to recruiting and hiring, and improving the effectiveness of diversity trainings.

Classroom Resources

Deep teaching in a college STEM classroom; Cultural Studies of Science Education, Volume 15, 2020
Interactive Web Version
This article includes an introduction to the concept of "Deep Teaching" which explains how changes to pedagogy and the use of more inclusive teaching strategies can be effectively implemented. The author recommends an approach that begins with an internal examination, and then proceeds to the external changes to be made to the classroom climate. It provides a model for building inclusive STEM classrooms, and also addresses the issue of the “exclusive” classroom atmosphere.
Inclusive teaching; CBE—Life Sciences Education, Volume 18, No. 2 2019
This article offers active, guiding steps for STEM faculty to build inclusive classrooms. It intends to fill gaps in training in inclusive teaching practices. It provides an evidenced-based teaching guide that is aimed at helping instructors supplement their training with more resources to increase confidence implementing inclusive teaching practices. It is specifically designed for science faculty who want to expand their knowledge on differential inclusivity in the field for students who hold underrepresented racial, ethnic, or gender identities.The author advocates for the use of large and small-scale networks to maximize inclusivity and learning outcomes.
Instructional Readiness in the Inclusive STEM Classroom
The article (published in the Journal of STEM Education: Innovations & Research) discusses the ways in which the STEM classroom can be better equipped to serve and teach students with disabilities. Previous research found that there is very little overlap between STEM professors and Special education credentialing, even though almost all professors had students with disabilities in class before. “Best practices for students with disabilities who are receiving instruction in an inclusive STEM education classroom can be facilitated by differentiated instruction, behavior management and the use of data to inform instruction” (7).
Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses
Uses an inducted coding video study to analyze content included in the first day of a STEM class at undergraduate institutions. The study identifies patterns across 23 different STEM courses and provides breakdowns of the proportion of class instructors devoted to different topics. They also break down the percentages of instructors that deal with each topic in the first day. Only one of the 23 instructors addressed diversity in STEM on the first day of class. Something that instructors may find helpful in this article is to examine how some phrases send mixed messages about the priorities of the course or what classroom climate the instructor hopes to establish.
Toward Inclusive STEM Classrooms: What Personal Role Do Faculty Play?
Includes strategies for faculty to reflect on how pedagogy is influenced by their experiences, implicit and unconscious biases, and ways to become aware of these influences. They advocate for delving into discussions of diversity, beyond the realm of the comfortable and into deeper issues related to faculty and the acknowledgement of differences of identity in their students.

BIO 290A: Being Human in STEM: Home

Welcome to the Inclusion in STEM working guide

General STEM Sources

Classroom Resources