Diversity Statement
Scientists can tend to view our fields as sterile, to be studied without the influence of personal experience and emotion. Because of this, there is a perception that science teachers do not have a need or obligation to teach in an intentionally inclusive matter. This perception is clearly false, as evidenced by the lack of diversity in STEM fields and lack of persistence of underrepresented groups. My undergraduate education at Mount Holyoke College highlighted the vastness of diverse experiences that can be present in a science classroom. While I have experienced being the minority in the science classroom from a dual perspective as a queer woman, my time at Mount Holyoke College allowed me to engage in an exceptionally diverse community, learn to challenge my own implicit biases and face my own privilege. The comprehensive education I obtained in a vibrant community of women, people of color, international students, and LGBTQ folks is invaluable, and the hard work I’ve done to take ownership of my privilege and use it for good has made me a more inclusive person, scientist, and teacher. It is vital for me to be a part of fostering and promoting diversity in chemistry, and I aspire to do so as a faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution. I aim to promote inclusivity for all students in the classroom, work to increase diversity in STEM, and foster open communication between students and instructors.
It is important that students feel like their diverse identities are acknowledged and validated. I will frame my classrooms as safe spaces for students to feel heard, respected, and comfortable with and by one another. One way I aim to do this is through exposing students to a diverse group of scientists as the first class assignment. I will have students prepare short profiles of women, POC, and LGBTQ chemists and present their findings to the class. This experience will highlight the diversity of chemistry as a scientific community, provide role-models for students that share some aspects of their identity, and foster an understanding of the importance of diversity in the field to all students, even those who fall under majority categories. I also strive to actively dismantle the stigma around mental illness and mental health issues. I will do this by providing students information about stress and mental health resources on campus and in the community, especially before and after difficult assignments and exams. This was something I was sure to do during my time as a teaching assistant. In addition to sharing information about university resources, I shared some of my own background in chemistry and my own challenges to help to normalize struggle and failures. Students should feel comfortable seeking out the help that they need, and by encouraging self-care habits early on in their undergraduate careers, they will thrive in their courses.
Outside of the classroom, I will work to increase diversity in STEM through initiation of and participation in outreach programs. I have done this as a graduate student at UW-Madison by participating in the PEOPLE program. The PEOPLE program aims to retain pre-college students of color and those from low-income households in education, help them graduate prepared for college, and increase enrollment and graduation rates of students from diverse backgrounds at UW-Madison.1 One aspect of the PEOPLE program is to put on exciting summer courses for high school students to enroll in. In the chemistry department, graduate students are integral in designing and implementing these courses. I have volunteered with the PEOPLE program for four consecutive summers, helping instruct courses about the different polymeric materials that make up computers. As a researcher in the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, I have also worked towards making science more accessible to the general community, by writing informal blog-posts about different scientific subjects. For example, my blog post entitled “What does nanotechnology have to do with chocolate?” was recognized as a ScienceSeeker Editors Pick.2-3 I also created a podcast series through Sustainable-Nano about women in science.4-6 I hope to engage in programs similar to the PEOPLE program at my future institution, or help to initiate them if they are not already in place. I would like to establish a similar blog platform in my classrooms, where students will be tasked to write blog posts. This will not only help them learn the material, but allow them to participate in scientific outreach to the greater community.
For students to truly learn and feel comfortable in a classroom, it is imperative that they feel comfortable communicating with their instructors. I aim to foster open communication between students and instructors through reinforcing the classroom as a safe space. Students often do not feel comfortable expressing their opinions to instructors due to the inherent power dynamic. In addition, if students do not feel like their identity is heard or valued by instructors, they are less likely to engage with the class. I will give students permission to challenge me as an instructor, not only within the realm of the course, but also if I was to do or say something they found insensitive to their identities. I hope that this policy will help students to speak up for themselves in situations where they feel oppressed or unheard. I will also hold my office hours in a neutral location, such as the student center or library, so that the power dynamic is not reinforced by the trope of the student in the professor’s office. An important part of fostering open communication with students is also developing a supportive learning community within the classroom. I will use the syllabus and first day of class as a way to set ground rules for communicating with others, share a clear diversity and inclusion statement, and collaboratively create a classroom contract with my students.
While my undergraduate experience at Mount Holyoke College sparked my interest in teaching and solidified my dedication to diversity, I have dedicated an immense amount of time during my graduate training to developing myself as an inclusive teacher, mentor, and scientist. I’ve consistently sought opportunities to enhance my knowledge about diversity and inclusion issues in the classroom, taking multiple Delta courses, workshops, and attending the Midwest Retreat for Diversity in Chemistry conference. I hope to share this dedication with my future institution through promoting inclusivity for all students in the classroom, working to increase diversity in STEM, and fostering open communication between students and instructors.
References
1. https://peopleprogram.wisc.edu/
2. http://sustainable-nano.com/2017/02/09/what-does-nanotechnology-have-to-do-with-chocolate/
3. http://www.scienceseeker.org/2017/02/scienceseeker-editors-selections_13.html
4. http://sustainable-nano.com/2018/11/03/ep-27-the-constant-loop/
5. http://sustainable-nano.com/2018/01/16/ep-22-thin-films-nobel-prizes/
6. http://sustainable-nano.com/2017/11/15/podcast-ep-20-brundtland/