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UNIDE - The Undergraduate Network for Increasing Diversity of Ecologists (RCN-UBE Introduction)

Author(s): Maria Miriti1, Zakiya Leggett2, Natasha Woods3, Becky Mansfield1, Carmen Cid4

1. Ohio State University 2. North Carolina State University 3. Moravian University 4. Eastern Connecticut State University

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Summary:
We aim to build a sustainable network of ecologists, educators, social scientists, and students who are committed to identifying and remedying cultural and social barriers that reduce human diversity in ecology and environmental disciplines (EE).…

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We aim to build a sustainable network of ecologists, educators, social scientists, and students who are committed to identifying and remedying cultural and social barriers that reduce human diversity in ecology and environmental disciplines (EE). Central to our efforts are the perspectives and experiences of students who are underrepresented by racial, ethnic or cultural identities. 2022 marks the second year of our efforts and we are excited to be launching this website to share our efforts and to invite your participation to help realize our mission.

Licensed under CC Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International according to these terms

Version 1.0 - published on 17 May 2023 doi:10.25334/W5YW-NE52 - cite this

Description

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Project Website

The network proposes to identify culturally value-laden concepts that are foundational in ecology and environmental science; to develop evidence-based strategies to improve inclusion in culturally or ethnically lopsided environments; to assess the relative impact of color-blind compared to “identity-safe” teaching interventions at the university level; and to develop and promote pedagogy that promotes social-belonging in support of greater inclusiveness in EE education. Activities of this network include: development of inclusive, culturally sensitive teaching practices that are based on evidence-based pedagogical models; Investigation of multi-disciplinary interventions such as service-learning modules, or participatory action strategies that can foster broad interest in ecology and environmental science; development of tools to assess the impact of teaching interventions in nurturing cultural sensitivity; development of tools to assess the efficacy of culturally sensitive teaching interventions in promoting broad participation in ecology and environmental education.

At the university level, many STEM instructors have been trained in an environment that values research more than pedagogy. Social scientists possess the training to assess the relationship among values embedded in scientific disciplines. A network of diverse EE practitioners, social scientists and education scholars can develop inclusive, culturally responsive interventions more effectively than any group could do in isolation. By engaging students and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, the broader impacts of this work include a network that can incorporate the authentic, lived experiences of underrepresented communities to develop effective undergraduate classroom approaches to increase recruitment and retention of URM students into ecological and environmental career paths. The results of the network’s efforts will inform the need for improving how we integrate the human dimension into undergraduate ecology education.

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Developing Inclusive Ecology Pedagogy Poster

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Notes

This document was updated in May 2023. Please see our web site for additional information. 

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