COSM Diversity & Inclusion News
November 2021
This Month’s Theme: Race & Ethnicity “(Un)conscious Racism: Black & Asian Experiences Intersect"
Welcome
The Diversity & Inclusion newsletter is delivered monthly via email during the fall and spring semesters and is always available on the new COSM D&I webpage. Send contributions and suggestions to any of the COSM D&I Ambassadors listed at the bottom of this newsletter and/or on the webpage.
Diversity Quote of the Month
"I think we can all contribute to creating an environment in US higher education in which all of its members are intellectually and socially engaged, valued, interacting, and more closely connected to each other and the world.”
- Christine Ortiz Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT Founder of Station1
Fact Fuel for Data-driven Conversations
COSM Community D&I Spotlight
The Interdisciplinary Research Experiences in Coastal Plain Science, which hosts 10 undergraduate scholars from across the US each summer, equips the next generation of scientists with an intimate understanding of environmental issues. Importantly, this REU site is doing an amazing job of broadening participation in STEM through the recruitment of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in the natural sciences (African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Native Americans, 1st generation college students, and students with disabilities), military cadets, and disabled veterans. We are proud of our colleagues Checo Colón-Guad (PI), Daniel Gleason (Co-PI), and the team of faculty and staff who make it all happen!
Other D&I News
Kamala Harris introduced “The 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act” in 2019. Ms. Harris is now the Vice-President-Elect of the United States; the first woman and the first person of South Asian-Black heritage in that position.
COVID-19 vaccine researcher Kizzmekia Corbett tells STEM students to stay focused, seek mentors, let their work address the haters - The St. Louis America
Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act was signed into Law in 2020
- NASA highlights women in space - NASA
- Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, SASE, stands with their Black and Brown brothers and sisters in the pursuit of racial justice and social equity - SASE Press Release
D&I Campus Connections and Opportunities
STEM Organizations
SACNAS Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
NOBCChE A non-profit professional organization dedicated to assisting black and other minority students and professionals in fully realizing their potential in academic, professional, and entrepreneurial pursuits in chemistry, chemical engineering, and allied fields.
STEM Veterans USA Our mission is to connect veterans in STEM with opportunity.
University Opportunities:
Georgia Southern Women in STEM Alliance (contact Sabrina Hessinger)
- Safe Space Training: Information about Safe Space
USG Diversity & Inclusion Summit: October 30, 2020
Center for Teaching Excellence: Workshop Calendar
S-STEM Grant (contact SGremillion@GeorgiaSouthern.edu)
NSF ADVANCE Grant (contact Tan@GeorgiaSouthern.edu)
SEAChange with the AAAS is a program with significant interest at the college & university level (contact SHessinger@GeorgiaSouthern.edu)
External Opportunities
- 10th Annual Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) Conference + Out to Innovate 2020: November 12-15, 2020
The Global Women in STEM Leadership Summit: November 4-5, 2020
Diversity in STEM Opportunities: Pathways to Science
Try This! – Promoting the Advancement of our Georgia Southern Women in STEM (Students and Faculty)
According to “Girls and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEMing the Tide and Broadening Participation in STEM Careers,” one key and simple step that each department can take to encourage women in STEM is to support and promote diversity conferences and professional societies that provide networking and professional development opportunities. Authors Drs. Nilanjana Dasgupta and Jane Stout explain how this can be done in addition to highlighting other programs and policies that are known to be effective (evidence-based strategies).
Also, check out the Georgia Southern Alliance for Women in STEM (contact: Sabrina Hessinger)
This Month's Theme: Race and Ethnicity
“Unconscious & Automatic Prejudice” & “(Un)conscious Racism: Blacks & Asians can relate!”
Prejudice and Discrimination: Crash Course Psychology
“Prejudice can be non-conscious and automatic.” Most people do not make a conscious decision to be biased. However, our unconscious beliefs influence how we see and relate to others. In fact, implicit beliefs feed the stereotypes that are used to justify and embed social inequalities. A short CrashCourse video (9 min. 53 seconds) explains, and can be a great way to share this topic with your students.
“Black Genius, Asian Fail”: The Detriment of Stereotype Lift and Stereotype Threat in High-Achieving Asian and Black STEM Students
When dealing with assumptions about their abilities, Asian and Black STEM students actually share many things in common. From 2010 to 2014, Dr. Ebony McGee carried out a study with postsecondary, high achieving STEM students of color (Asian, Black, Latinx) which included 23 Asian and 23 Black students. Her findings show that students experience the same stresses whether they are facing “stereotype lift” (the myth of the intellectual superiority of Asians) or “stereotype threat” (the myth of the intellectual inferiority of Blacks). Systematic marginalization has put both groups on opposite ends of the racial STEM hierarchy, pitted them against each other, and influenced drastically different achievement outcomes. However, as Dr. McGee concludes, students of color have many shared experiences that can serve as starting points for the formation of strong coalitions.
To Be Asian with a Face Mask During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Martin Luther King, Jr. wisely said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The same prejudices levied against the Black and Latinx communities extend to many other groups. The COVID-19 outbreak has put a spotlight on the indignities that Asians often face. Dr. Sherry Wang (Faculty, Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University) shares how, time and time again, racism has fueled harmful, anti-Asian responses to outbreaks, even in academia (Read or click on the “Listen” symbol for the podcast, 14 mins).
“Botched”
Black academics face alarmingly high rates of tenure denial. In June 2020, the cases of Drs. Paul Harris and Tolu Odumosu tenure denials made national headlines. From the outset, there were two fundamental problems, (1) a lack of diversity on the tenure and promotion committees and (2) committee members who were not familiar with the candidates’ scholarship. Academics of color know all too well that they have to be “twice as good” to be considered “good enough”. To learn more about the experiences of Black faculty in academia, watch the very honest “Fight for Tenure” hosted by Diverse Issues in Higher Education (1hr. 30 mins).
Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Teachers and Other Educators
There are effective ways to mitigate the influence of prejudice in our personal and professional circles, and our classrooms. Prior experience or intensive training is not required. Here a few simple steps from the National Association of School Psychologists that we can all take.
Reflective Moment
Biases have been (un)knowingly cultivated in us.
Developing an awareness of our unconscious assumptions is a great first step! Curious about yourself? Take the “Race” or “Asian American” Implicit Association Test (IAT).
Something you'd like to see? We'd love to hear from you.
COSM Diversity & Inclusion Committee Co-Leaders
Arpita Saha - Chemistry & Biochemistry
Brandon Quillian - Chemistry & Biochemistry
Karelle Aiken - Chemistry & Biochemistry
Sabrina Hessinger - Mathematics
Administration
Amanda Klingel
Brian Koehler
Issac Taylor
Biology
Brigette Brinton
Geneva DeMars
Jennifer Brofft-Bailey
Johanne Lewis
Justin Montemarano
Marylou Machingura
Sara Gremillion
Sue Ellen Dechenne-Peters
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Arpita Saha
Brandon Quillian
Brent Feske
Debanjana Ghosh
Karelle Aiken
Ryan Groom
Shainaz Landge
Geology & Geography
Amy Potter
Rob Yarbrough
Kathlyn Smith
Mathematics
Duc Van Huynh
Eryn Stehr
Jim Brawner
Kyle Bradford
Sabrina Hessinger
Stephanie Wiggins
Tuyin An
Physics & Astronomy
Hua-Jian Jason Liu