Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Research
As a Filipino woman in science, I am a strong advocate for and supporter of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts and initiatives. After all, I am a product of such programs.
I believe discussions around DEI should not be limited to those three words. Conversations surrounding power, accessibility, identity, and lived experiences are also needed.
I believe that learners have diverse identities because of their lived experiences. The way learners experience a classroom vary because of these identities and experiences. Therefore, if you want to achieve equity and inclusion, you must first analyze the accessibility of knowledge and resources and understand what structures give power to who and why.
I have conducted DEI research for four years, including investigating faculty conceptions of diversity, analyzing facilitator practices through power and authority lenses, and examining student participation patterns.
I have also established and led DEI initiatives, facilitated DEI-related professional development, and practiced/taught about justice-oriented science teaching.
Examples of DEI Initiatives I’ve been Involved in
The Establishment of the Student Coalition in the SDSU and UC San Diego Mathematics and Science Education Program
Prompted by the 2020 coverage of the Black Lives Matter Movement and the COVID-19 pandemic, I, alongside two colleagues, organized and led a student movement within my Ph.D. graduate program that created a space where we (as students and faculty) can discuss, address, and act on issues of systemic racism within our program.
The movement first began by establishing a coalition between all the students within the program (e.g., first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years) and building community and norms. As a group and based on our lived experiences, we analyzed the structure and dynamics within our program that worked to dismantle or perpetuate inequity. Together, we drafted a letter to the faculty and staff of our program where we made a statement in solidarity with our Black community members and offered recommendations to program structures that would combat systemic racism and make our program more equitable and inclusive.
As a result of our letter and group efforts, we made an important step towards working with faculty, staff, and students to reform our program. A number of program structures and changes emerged from this coalition, including the:
Establishment of a critical reading circle for students to read books or papers surrounding DEI issues;
Intentional incorporation of Black authors in program coursework;
Formation of the Student-Faculty Bridge Committee, where student and faculty representatives regularly meet to discuss and address DEI initiatives and multicultural programming.
Research on Faculty Conceptions of Diversity
For four years, I spearheaded a project that aimed to support instructor-focused DEI professional development. We interviewed 30 instructors teaching at minority-serving institutions and asked questions related to their conceptions and approaches to diversity in relation to teaching and learning in their classrooms. Using qualitative coding methods, we established a framework that revealed three main conceptions of diversity. The framework was constructed in such a way to promote instructor reflection and provide support for conceptual change.
This work has been presented at over ten academic conferences, and the framework has guided the creation of a professional development workshop focused on ways to conceptualize diversity in classrooms. I have facilitated this workshop at five academic conferences, including at the 2021 Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Virtual Conference on Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and the 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Virtual Annual Meeting.
