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Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER)

Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research

(iEMBER) Network

Vision and Mission

The vision of the inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER) Network is to improve biology education for learners that are often traditionally excluded from the field. Our mission is to build a network of people who are researchers, educators, and change-makers from a variety of perspectives to broaden participation in biology education research.

Goal

The main goal of the iEMBER network is to support and bring together new and established iEMBER members into teams seeking 1) to understand the impact of education environments on undergraduate biology students and 2) to mobilize this understanding to dismantle barriers to participation and foster welcoming, safe, supportive, and engaging learning environments and structures.

Objectives

The objectives through which we seek to achieve these goals focus on fostering new collaborations, the pitching of new research projects, community and education resources, a community of practice, and sustainability.

 

Objective Activity
Foster New Collaborations Facilitate startup pitch competitions
Organize conferences/sessions on interdisciplinary collaboration
Assess Start-up Pitch Networking Strategy Analyses of surveys, interviews, and participant website data
Create Community and Education Resources Conduct surveys and sessions with interdisciplinary participants
Establish assessment, supports, and resources for teams
Develop Infrastructure for a Community of Practice Establish and foster collaboration infrastructure using QUBEShub
Assess membership and community needs
Develop Long-term Sustainability Establish leadership parameters, sponsors, and collaborators

 

Mechanism of Change

We are creating a geographically, institutionally and demographically diverse network which actively supports collaboration among STEM faculty, education researchers, social scientists, administrators and more. We host events to spark research collaborations through networking, research project pitch competitions, financial support, and resources.

Conferences and Workshops

  • iEMBER Conference at Montana State University Billings, MT (June 2022)
  • iEMBER Conference at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, MO (June 2017, April 2019)
  • iEMBER Virtual Networking Sessions (April 2020)
  • Organization of sessions/events/meet-ups at discipline-based conferences (2017-Current) 
    •     American Anthropological Association (AAA)
    •     American Education Research Association (AERA)
    •     American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
    •     Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU)
    •     Genetics Society of America (GSA)
    •     Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA)
    •     National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
    •     Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER)
    •     Southern Sociological Society (SSS)

 

Publications

  •  Formation of the Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER) Network: Building a Culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Published February 2019 https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.18-03-0042)

  • Insights from the Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research Network: Our Experience Organizing Inclusive Biology Education Research Events (Published April 2020 https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.2083)