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SPECIAL INTEREST #1: Breaking Barriers for Black Females in STEM

"Science is not a boy's game, it's not a girl's game. It's everyone's game. It's about where we are and where we're going."
—Nichelle Nichols
 
I have a particular interest in breaking barriers for Black Females in STEM because of my personal experience with it. I am an African American female who was originally on the pursuit of a STEM career as a doctor.  However, I later discovered my passion was in mentoring others to attain a STEM career. Through my experiences in college, I noticed that many minorities were inadequately prepared for STEM classes, especially at an Ivy League institutiion. Many peers who looked like me were droppping out. From my research project in Fall 2014, I discovered there is actually a "leaky pipeline" where black females show the most interest in STEM but end up the least likely to go for a STEM career. Going to events about STEM and seeing very few role models that look like my students, I am invested in inspiring black females others to make it through the cracks so they can be the new face of STEM diversity.
 

Readings of Interest

Below are a list of some readings that I have found particularly interesting and enlightening about the lack of black females in STEM careers

 

  • Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV--Female and Minority Chemists and Chemical Engineers Speak about Diversity and Underrepresentation in STEM (Rep.). (2010, March). (Click here to read)

 

  • Bertram, V. (2014). One nation under-taught solving America's science, technology, engineering, and math crisis. New York: Beaufort Books.

 

  • Kuchment, A. (2013, April 16). To Attract More Girls to STEM, Bring More Storytelling to Science. Scientific American. (Click here to read)

 

  • O'Brien, L. T., Blodorn, A., Adams, G., Garcia, D. M., & Hammer, E. (2014). Ethnic Variation in Gender-STEM Stereotypes and STEM Participation: An Intersectional Approach. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. doi: 10.1037/a0037944  (Click here to read)

 

Pilot Research Study

As a part of an assignment for a class I took called Research for Educational Change, I conducted a pilot phenomenological study to uncover strategies that are currently employed at my school to engage African American females in the STEM fields and analyze how does school-based factors influence students’ engagement in STEM. Data was collected in two ways: three one-on-one interviews and a focus group of four participants, both methods conducted strictly with students. 

 

Here is a copy of my research paper: "ONE PIPELINE, MANY CRACKS: RETENTION PROBLEM OF BLACK FEMALES IN STEM"

Current Work

As an educator, I try to engage my students both inside and outside the classroom with STEM. Whether that is through providing hands-on activities and projects, bringing my students on trips and conferences, or having speakers come speak to my students, I am determined to provide as much direct exposure to my students as possible.

 

Examples:

  • PROJECT: Some of my students produced a PowerPoint and video about Type 2 Diabetes.  (View PowerPoint & Video here)

 

  • GUEST SPEAKERS/TRIP: I collaborated with my former minority pre-med organization from college to host a week long College Rush Week discussing education and health care disparities at my school that ended with a trip to Columbia University (View here)

Previous Work

While I attended Columbia University, I was president  for two years of of a minority pre-medical organization that strives to guide, support, and encourage premedical students, with a special emphasis on underrepresented minorities, in their various endeavors to become members of the medical field. As president, I managed to expand Charles Drew from 7 executive board members and only 30 general-body members to 15 executive board members, several committees, and more than 200 diverse general-body members. I established new initiatives that include weekly events, monthly general body meetings, study breaks, community service initiatives, medical school visits, and fundraising events to revitalize organization that still continues today. In addition, I advised, supported, and counseled numerous premed undergraduate students about being a minority pre-med at Columbia, which has resulted in a large increase of the number of Columbia minority pre-meds that have matriculated into medical school.

 

Biggest personal accomplishment: The organization received the Organizational Award along with 9 executive board members receiving individual leadership awards at the King’s Crown Leadership Awards from Columbia University. I received a Leadership Legend's Award.

 

SPECIAL INTEREST #2: Traveling

 “The travel impulse is mental and physical curiosity. It’s a passion…”  

—Paul Theroux

 

I have always had a strong desire to travel. This yearn to travel is not just an impulse, but is rooted in a long deferred desire to see the world. Growing up, I loved learning about various cultures, largely because I did not have the opportunity to travel. In college, my interests lead me to major in History, focusing on colonialism. However, that curiosity for the world was never truly fulfilled until I got on a plane for the first time in the Summer 2012, to travel outside the United States.

 

Since then, I have not stopped traveling. I have walked along the great winding walls of China, seen the grandeur architecture of Italy and Vatican City, enjoyed the picturesque beaches of Costa Rica, and been inspired by the majestic waterfalls of Canada. I have experienced the various foods, monuments, and culture of 20 states so far.

 

In my leisure time, I try to work toward my goal of visiting two new states and one new country a year. My travels have been for leisure and learning. My lifetime goals are to see all 50 states and visit as many countries as possible in 6 out of 7 continents (minus Antarctica)!

States I've Visited

Visited 20 States (40%) 

  • Connecticut

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Louisianna

  • Maine

  • Maryland

  • Massachusetts

  • Michigan

  • Mississippi

  • New Jersey

  • New York

  • North Carolina

  • Pennsylvania

  • Rhode Island

  • South Carolina

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Virginia

 

I am planning to visit Colorado in July 2015 and

New Hampshire in August 2015!

Countries I've Visited

Visited 7 Countries (3.11%)

  • Canada

  • China

  • Costa Rica

  • Dominican Republic

  • Italy

  • United States

  • Vatican City

 

I am planning to visit India this August 2015!

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