Creating space for critical conversations in chemistry: Lessons Learned from organizing DEIJR Symposia at national meetings of the American Chemical Society

Posted: Sep 13 2023 by

Guizella Rocabado
Southern Utah University

Stephanie Feola
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Guizella Rocabado, Southern Utah University

Stephanie Feola, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Author Note: This is one of two blog series. This first post is written by Guizella Rocabado.

Creating space for discussions and presentations about issues of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Respect (DEIJR) is a means of building momentum for systemic change in discipline-based education research (DBER) communities. In this two-part blog, I, Guizella Rocabado, and co-organizer Stephanie Feola, will share the lessons we've learned throughout this change process. In this first installment, we will describe the lessons learned from instituting the change of creating a space for DEIJR research and conversations during the American Chemical Society National Meetings. In the second installment, we will share how the focus of the presentations, the nature of the discussions, and theorizing about DEIJR have changed since we began organizing the symposium in 2019 and draw implications for systemic change.