STEM Leadership Series: Excellence, Catalysts for Change, and Inclusive Impact

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Series Overview

Abstract

Transforming STEM necessitates a collaborative effort involving STEM professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to taking actionable steps in cultivating a productive and inclusive community. Institutional leaders can strategically apply theories of change to guide the design and implementation of transformative ideas, ensuring their sustained impact over time. Through the exploration of innovative ideas, curriculum materials, policy revisions, and network leveraging, leaders can drive meaningful changes to advance initiatives within their institutions. This series will delve into the strategies employed by influential leaders in the field who have successfully spearheaded the transformation of STEM.

Audience

This series is designed to support representatives from institutions of higher education committed to supporting equitable outcomes for all individuals. Therefore, we encourage university and college presidents, provosts, deans, faculty, and staff to attend and participate in the discussion.

Goals

The goals of the conversation are:

  • Promote institutional and inclusive excellence by implementing policies and practices that meet the needs of a diverse population.
  • Share ideas and practices that can be utilized in various settings to promote equitable outcomes and contribute positively to university metrics.
  • Reflect on current trends influencing institutional decision-making and consider future trajectories.
  • Identify funding entities and organizations that can increase access and opportunities to broaden STEM participation and foster a sense of belonging.

Empowering Scientific Excellence: Leadership, Inclusion, and Innovation in STEM

Monday, March 18th, 2024

11 am - 12 pm Pacific | 12-1 pm Moutain | 1-2 pm Central | 2-3 pm Eastern

Presenters: Shirley Malcolm and Holden Thorp

Abstract

The progress of science thrives on the contributions of diverse individuals and perspectives. To nurture scientific excellence, leaders play a crucial role in creating opportunities for creativity, innovation, novel ideas, and expanded participation in STEM. This presentation invites leaders to reflect on lessons learned, delve into current trends, and explore pathways forward, ensuring the continual advancement of the field of science.

Logistics

Registration has closed. The webinar recording will be posted to this page.

Time - 11 am-12 pm PT | 12-1 pm MT | 1-2 pm CT | 2-3 pm ET
Duration - 60 minutes
Format - Online web presentation via Zoom web meeting software with questions and discussion. Go to the webinar technology page for more information on using Zoom. Detailed instructions for joining the webinar will be emailed to registered participants the Friday prior to the webinar.

Please email Holly Kelchner (hkelchner@carleton.edu) if you have any technical questions about this event.

Presenters

Shirley Malcom is senior advisor and director of SEA Change ( This site may be offline. ) at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In more than 40-years at AAAS she has worked to improve the quality and increase access to education and careers in STEMM for all.

Dr. Malcom is a trustee of Caltech and regent of Morgan State University. She was a member of the National Science Board, policymaking body of the NSF, and served on President Clinton's Committee of Advisors on ST. Malcom, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, holds a PhD in ecology from Penn State, M.A. from UCLA and B.S. from the University of Washington. She is a fellow of the AAAS and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences where she serves as International Secretary. She was co-chair of the Gender Advisory Board of the UNCSTD and co-chair of Gender InSITE, an international collaboration to support application of a gender lens in policymaking in STI.

Malcom serves on the boards of the Heinz Endowments, Kavli Foundation and Public Agenda. She chairs the board of the National Math-Science Initiative. In 2003, Malcom received the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences, the highest award given by the Academy.


Holden Thorp became Editor-in-Chief of the Science family of journals on 28 October 2019. He came to Science from Washington University, where he was provost from 2013 to 2019 and professor from 2013 to 2023. He is currently a professor at George Washington University and on leave to serve as the Editor-in-Chief at Science.

Thorp joined Washington University after spending three decades at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where he served as the 10th chancellor from 2008 through 2013. He holds an honorary doctor of laws degree from North Carolina Wesleyan College and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Thorp cofounded Viamet Pharmaceuticals, which developed VIVJOA (oteseconazole), now approved by the FDA and marketed by Mycovia Pharmaceuticals. Thorp is a venture partner at Hatteras Venture Partners, a consultant to Ancora and Urban Impact Advisors, and is on the board of directors of PBS, the College Advising Corps, and Saint Louis University. He serves on the scientific advisory boards of the Yale School of Medicine and the Underwriters' Laboratories Research Institutes.

Recording

Click to view or download the webinar recording (MP4 Video 955.3MB Mar18 24).

Resources



Catalyzing Change in STEM: Strategies for Inclusion, Equity, and Social Impact

Monday, April 15th, 2024

11 am - 12 pm PT | 12-1 pm MT | 1-2 pm CT | 2-3 pm ET

Presenters: Zakiya Wilson Kennedy and Santa Ono

Abstract

The advancement of STEM thrives on embracing diversity and fostering inclusive environments. This webinar delves into strategies for catalyzing positive changes and broadening participation in STEM disciplines, emphasizing the crucial role of leadership in driving these efforts forward. Drawing insights from best practices, the session explores approaches to creating opportunities for all individuals, regardless of background or experience, to contribute to scientific excellence. From dismantling barriers to meeting the needs of diverse learners to cultivating a culture of inclusivity and equity, leaders are invited to reflect on lessons learned and explore pathways toward impactful change. Join us as we delve into the implications of institutional leadership, core values, and social impact in fostering a vibrant and inclusive STEM community.

Logistics

Registration has closed. The webinar recording will be posted to this page.

Time - 11 am - 12 pm PT | 12-1 pm MT | 1-2 pm CT | 2-3 pm ET
Duration - 60 minutes
Format - Online web presentation via Zoom web meeting software with questions and discussion. Go to the webinar technology page for more information on using Zoom. Detailed instructions for joining the webinar will be emailed to registered participants the Friday prior to the webinar.

Please email Holly Kelchner (hkelchner@carleton.edu) if you have any technical questions about this event.

Presenters

Dr. Wilson-Kennedy is a leader in promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM higher education and careers. Her research focuses on the persistence of individuals from all backgrounds in STEM fields, particularly in faculty and student recruitment, retention, and success. Through mentoring models grounded in identity development and empowerment theories, she creates structures to cultivate self-efficacy and agency, especially for underrepresented groups in STEM.

She has led various institutional initiatives to broaden participation in STEM, including the freshman seminar course SCI 1001 and the NSF-funded ADVANCE Catalyst project. Dr. Wilson-Kennedy's work has been supported by organizations like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, resulting in publications in peer-reviewed journals and co-edited books on broadening participation in STEM.

Recognized for her contributions, she was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2021 and has received awards such as the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. Dr. Wilson-Kennedy is actively involved in professional organizations promoting diversity in STEM, such as the Society of STEM Women of Color and the American Chemical Society Women Chemists of Color Initiative.

She holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Jackson State University and a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from Louisiana State University.

President Santa Ono is a distinguished leader in higher education with extensive experience in vision research, particularly in experimental medicine focusing on the immune system and eye disease. He holds professorships at U-M in ophthalmology and visual sciences, microbiology and immunology, and molecular, cellular, and developmental biology.

President Ono chairs influential boards, including the U-M Health Board, Fulbright Canada, and the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3). He serves on numerous other boards, such as the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

Previously, President Ono served as president of the University of British Columbia and the University of Cincinnati. He is a fellow of prestigious organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

President Ono earned his B.A. in biological sciences from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in experimental medicine from McGill University. He is married to Wendy Yip, an immunologist and lawyer, and they have two daughters, Sarah Yip-Ono and Juliana Yip-Ono.



Recording

Click to view or download the webinar recording (MP4 Video 638.9MB Apr15 24).

Resources



Course and Curricular Reform across STEM Disciplines with Equity and Justice as the Guiding Principle: A Case Study at Bates College

Monday, May 20th, 2024

11 am - 12 pm PT | 12-1 pm MT | 1-2 pm CT | 2-3 pm ET

Presenters: April Horton and Katy Ott

Abstract

Strategies for building capacity for inclusion to address our own disparities in delivering an equitable and inclusive learning experience for our students are needed nationwide. This webinar will present strategies we used to engage faculty and staff in robust and ongoing professional development in both racial equity and inclusive pedagogies. We will discuss how we built capacity for inclusion through changing mindsets and skill sets while we supported STEM departments and programs as they changed courses, curricula, and practices in ways that were informed by their own data and student experiences. We will give examples of change like building a cohort-based community through academic and peer engagement to address student belonging and to center an atmosphere of support, as well as how we made considerable progress at the level of institutional (e.g., tenure and promotion guidelines, creation of inclusive teaching center) and departmental level change (e.g., reformed courses and practices) that has increased positive outcomes for all students in STEM.

Logistics

Registration has closed. The webinar recording will be posted to this page.

Time - 11 am - 12 pm PT | 12-1 pm MT | 1-2 pm CT | 2-3 pm ET
Duration - 60 minutes
Format - Online web presentation via Zoom web meeting software with questions and discussion. Go to the webinar technology page for more information on using Zoom. Detailed instructions for joining the webinar will be emailed to registered participants the Friday prior to the webinar.

Please email Holly Kelchner (hkelchner@carleton.edu) if you have any technical questions about this event.

Presenters

April Horton is a professor of biology and the Wagener Family Professor of Equity and Inclusion in STEM at Bates College. She is dedicated to helping increase the number of minoritized students in the sciences, and to improving the college STEM experiences for all students. She currently leads Bates' Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence grant initiative and has recently helped her own department innovate and redesign their core curriculum. She teaches courses and conducts research in the areas of molecular genetics, developmental biology and evolution. She also participates in local and national initiatives to reform undergraduate curricula and remove barriers that prevent students from thriving in STEM (e.g., PULSE). Formerly, she was professor and chair of biology at the University of Richmond where she also directed a Howard Hughes Medical Institute funded, and nationally recognized, Integrated Science Experience (URISE) program that engaged students in interdisciplinary and inquiry-based science and math curricula and research while providing supportive and inclusive learning communities. Professor Hill was the recipient of several teaching awards including the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.



Katy Ott is associate professor and chair of the mathematics department at Bates College. Katy's mathematics research is in the areas of harmonic analysis and partial differential equations. Her research program has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation. Katy is committed to broadening participation in mathematics via education, outreach, and communication. She is a member of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence grant leadership team at Bates and has participated in professional development and curricular work on campus. Within the math department, Katy has helped the math department to adopt pedagogical and structural changes to the calculus sequence and to the mathematics major to improve student outcomes. Katy also co-designed a 200-level math elective called Mathematics for Social Justice, and has been involved in national programs exploring educational opportunities at the interface of mathematics, data, and social justice. Katy is involved in multiple initiatives to promote women in mathematics, specifically outreach activities aimed at middle school and high school students. For this work, she was recognized as a Fellow of the Association in Women in Mathematics in 2024. Professor Ott is the recipient of the 2022-2023 Kroepsch Award for Excellence in Teaching at Bates College.



Recording

Click to view or download the webinar recording (MP4 Video 151.4MB May20 24).

Resources