Diversifying STEM

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Race and Gender

Edited by Ebony O. McGee and William H. Robinson

Rutgers University Press

2020 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

Research frequently neglects the important ways that race and gender intersect within the complex structural dynamics of STEM. Diversifying STEM fills this void, bringing together a wide array of perspectives and the voices of a number of multidisciplinary scholars. The essays cover three main areas: the widely-held ideology that science and mathematics are “value-free,” which promotes pedagogies of colorblindness in the classroom as well as an avoidance of discussions around using mathematics and science to promote social justice; how male and female students of color experience the intersection of racist and sexist structures that lead to general underrepresentation and marginalization; and recognizing that although there are no quick fixes, there exists evidence-based research suggesting concrete ways of doing a better job of including individuals of color in STEM. As a whole this volume will allow practitioners, teachers, students, faculty, and professionals to reimagine STEM across a variety of educational paradigms, perspectives, and disciplines, which is critical in finding solutions that broaden the participation of historically underrepresented groups within the STEM disciplines.

Diversifying STEM is a compilation of sound and comprehensive research…accessible to multiple stakeholders both in and outside of the field of STEM education. Parents, teachers, administrators, policymakers, college students and researchers could benefit from this work. Crystal Hill Morton, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, School of Education

Whether examining colorblind liberalism or tracing the paths of Black, Afro-Brazilian, and Pakistani women through science and mathematics at American universities, a multidisciplinary team of authors present a range of perspectives and analysis on students of color in STEM fields. Diversifying STEM brings together top scholars on topics of vital importance to today’s educators, especially those who want to increase the number of qualified STEM students at their institutions. Brian A. Burt, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The etymology of the word diversity aligns with mathematics and science in its focus on variation. This book offers insight into how variation in identity influences the experiences and socialization of students in STEM education. Building on theories and concepts from across the social sciences, the book’s contributors engage the STEM opportunity to learn literature in novel fashion. William F. Tate, Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis

The partnership between Dr. McGee and Dr. Robinson has given STEM diversity work an expanded, multidisciplinary lens that allows us to consider both research and practitioners' experiences. This book shares the unique perspectives of scholars from across the nation, encompassing a variety of backgrounds. It's a rich outcome of the 'Diversifying STEM' panels at Vanderbilt and related work, and a resource that can be used to better inform our practice. Renetta Garrison Tull, Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UC Davis

Chronicle of Higher Education 'Selected New Books on Higher Education' round-up
https://www.chronicle.com/article/Selected-New-Books-on-Higher/247906 Chronicle of Higher Education

This collection of articles, many including first-person accounts, reflects the experiences of women and people of color as they negotiate entry to STEM fields. As such, it is a much-needed contribution to the literature, a book that should be required reading for STEM faculty and administrators especially at predominantly white institutions who truly want to make their departments and universities more inclusive. Highly recommended. Choice

EBONY O. MCGEE is an associate professor of diversity and STEM education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

WILLIAM H. ROBINSON is a professor of electrical engineering and the associate dean for academic success in the school of engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Introduction
Part I: The Structural Dynamics of STEM
Part II: The Impact of Race and Gender on Scholars of Color in STEM
Part III: The Way Forward for Students, Faculty, and Institutions: Strategies for STEM Success
Acknowledgments
Notes on Contributors
Index

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