Written by Dr. Clarissa Keen
Even if you have been stuck in lab all summer, there is usually some internal stirring (good and/or bad) that occurs as the fall semester approaches. The joy of the academic cycle, a yearly fresh start, the anticipation of colder weather, the surge of students back to campus. Whatever you are feeling, I encourage us all to take some time to think about how we are moving forward in both our individual and collective DEI practice as the 2023-2024 academic year approaches.
Let’s start from an individual perspective! It is important to remember that no matter where we are on this journey, we always need to do work on ourselves in order to heal and grow. I encourage you to take time before the semester begins to do some reflecting, make some plans, and set some goals.
Possible guiding questions:
● Is there identity work you need to do for yourself? What do you need to unpack, unlearn, and begin to question?
● Looking back on the past year, are there external/systemic barriers to your success that you need to acknowledge? Who can hear this? Who can help you?
● How have you been complicit in the system? (We all have, honey.) How have you challenged it? How are you choosing to grow your DEI practice this year?
There are SO MANY different ways to approach these questions and they can be answered by anyone at any level. There are also many rabbit holes to go down when you start to unpack these core ideas, so maybe just start with one thing you want to think about and explore (you can save others for next semester). As always, remember to rest and take care of yourself - this is hard stuff.
When we talk about DEI work, we also
must consider the collective. While individual work is crucial for growth, it is through the collective that true change is made and support is found. A common idea used in the DEI world is the concept of mutual aid: relying on each other rather than systems to meet our individual and collective needs. Mutual aid can be a way to subvert systems of power and make real change within a community. At the start of this fall, ask your fellow members of the chemistry department what needs we share and how we can meet them together. These can be very basic needs like food, housing, time, sleep, etc. They can also be more academic, such as informal mentoring, advocacy, and creating safe spaces. One of the best ways to meet the needs of minoritized groups is to create affinity groups or counter-spaces [1] so that people can feel seen, heard, and supported.
If you are preparing to teach this fall, the CTE [2] has a host of back-to-school offerings that will dig more deeply into equitable education practices. Additionally, you can find some of these already written on the BC Chem Department DEI web page [3]. I will attempt to summarize some quick ideas for bringing a DEI lens to your teaching or mentoring of students.
First step, know your students and kno
w your space:
Learn students’ preferred names, the correct pronunciation, and correct pronouns as quickly as possible at the beginning of the semester. It can also be helpful to know what interests or hobbies they have so you can connect with them. Build things into the class that help students share about themselves and connect the material to their lives.
Look at your space from an equity perspective. Think about ability; where will the wheelchair go? If someone is colorblind, can they read your slide? How will you meet students' accommodations? How will students interact with each other and with you?
Second step, think about time:
Specifically, think about holidays and plan accordingly. Look up Jewish and Muslim holidays and acknowledge them/plan around them so students don’t have to.
Think about the times we are in. What pressing socioscientific issues are on students' minds? Are they going to ask you a million questions about Oppenheimer? How can you incorporate the current chemical landscape in
to your course?
Lastly, remember to gather feedback in your courses several times throughout the semester. Think about what DEI data you need to make decisions moving forward and how you might elicit this from your students.
I hope this academic year is full of joy and learning for all, and that we keep DEI top of mind as we get swept up in the busy academic cycle. Best of luck with the start of classes!
References: