Life Science and CASTLE
Seminar
Humanizing biology to
promote equity in STEM education
Dr. Robin Costello
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Biological Sciences
University at
Buffalo
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Abstract:
What can be done to
disrupt inequities in STEM higher education? In her seminar, Dr. Robin
Costello will discuss two different approaches to address this question.
The first approach pairs institutional data with structural equation
modeling to locate the underlying factors responsible for equity gaps in
STEM graduation rates. Identifying these explanatory mechanisms is vital
for understanding the interventions most likely to narrow current equity
gaps. The second approach evaluates one classroom intervention that aims
to promote equitable student outcomes, namely curricular materials that
highlight counter-stereotypical scientist role models. This seminar will
present the results of a nation-wide experiment that evaluated the
efficacy of these course materials in undergraduate biology courses and
parsed the effects of including visual depictions and humanizing
information about counter-stereotypical scientists. This seminar will end
with a call for instructors to make small curricular modifications in
their undergraduate STEM courses to support students along their STEM
pathways.
Intended
Audience
All are
Welcome!
To request an interpreter, please visit myaccess.rit.edu
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