Does geography determine who gets to learn science? Who does science belong to? In this episode, we discuss Dr. Sophia Rahming’s provocative research around the structural biases and barriers to studying science and the need for culturally responsive science education. Dr. Rahming is an Associate Director in the Center for the Advancement of Teaching at Florida State University and is researching the experiences of Afro-Caribbean women in STEM in the United States.
Memorable moments:
[00:01:50] And so for me, democratizing that or having STEM for all means that those students, adults, whomever - they see themselves in science too, and that they have the sense of belonging, they know that they can and will do science.
[00:04:55] My line that I say to my friends is that they are geniuses at the beginning, science geniuses, and then school and society de-geniuses them.
[00:07:53] I would like to see the content itself change such that it is culturally responsive. I know that there is money in big production of science materials that come out of, for example, the United States, that is shipped everywhere. And some of the examples they use are not culturally relevant.
[00:14:13] You are only allowed to do a certain kind of science based on your geography. So “Science is Empire.” It depends on where you are.
[00:15:30] If not for immigration abilities or access, some people will never achieve their STEM dreams. And we won't get the innovation that we desperately need in this world.
Episode 7 Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aQ4jq6qYhDZ9xpjqtbXGG2rRfqN7mC1IWh1_naDZxc4/edit?usp=sharing
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