Students can be highly engaged without being highly vocal. This session examines prevailing assumptions about classroom participation and introduces approaches that recognize listening, reflection, writing, collaboration, and digital interaction as meaningful forms of engagement. Participants will leave with practical techniques and frameworks for broadening participation in equitable ways that advance rigorous learning.

This session is for RIT faculty, including adjuncts and teaching assistants. Participants should request access services if needed.

How can we create mentoring environments that help STEM students feel supported, connected, and empowered to succeed?

Join us for a brown bag lunch conversation focused on effective mentoring approaches for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM. The presenters will share lessons learned from an NSF-funded project focused on supporting and retaining students in STEM fields, highlighting strategies for building a supportive mentoring ecosystem, fostering student belonging and engagement, and helping students navigate challenges throughout their academic journey.

Participants will have an opportunity to consider how these approaches can be adapted to their own mentoring and teaching practices.

Speakers

Dr. Makini Beck, Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Teaching Practices, Associate Professor, SOIS & CLA

Dr. Jillian Cadwell is a research and workforce development leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing energy innovation, strategic partnerships, and STEM talent development across academia, industry, government, and community organizations. She currently serves as Research Associate Faculty with the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Dr. Ke Wu is a Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and Dean of Graduate School at the University of Montana. Her initial research focuses on statistical modeling in educational settings. Dr. Wu’s work in recent years explores the social, psychological, cultural, and systemic aspects of diverse students and faculty members in STEM in higher education. Currently she is the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI of several projects such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded STARS project and Howard Hughes Medical Institute-funded CIS project.