I was honored to be invited as a speaker at the inaugural symposium, InclusiveSciComm: A Symposium on Advancing Inclusive Public Engagement with Science, hosted by the Metcalf Institute at the University of Rhode Island (September 27-29, 2018).
According to the symposium summary, which can be found here, it was the "first national symposium of its kind..."Coordinated by Sunshine Menezes, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Communication at The University of Rhode Island, along with a national organizing committee, the goals of the program focused on creating inclusive dialogue and relationships when it comes to the communication of science: "Inclusive science communication counters the systemic oppression of marginalized communities and engages all voices in scientific dialogue... The symposium’s 150 participants included students and professionals who represented a variety of sectors involved with science communication and public engagement with STEM topics. Through a series of concurrent panels, a keynote address, and workshop sessions, attendees moved from learning about examples of inclusive approaches to building understanding of how to intentionally integrate inclusivity into their own science communication practice and/or research."
I was especially moved and inspired by Raychelle Burks' keynote address "Voice and Value," where she discussed her own journey and experiences in industry and as a professor of chemistry as a woman of color.
I was part of the session entitled, "Expanding Public Discourse and Engagement in STEM with Art and Technology." The panel description: "The combination of art, technology, and social networking has created a huge range of opportunities for innovation in public engagement with science. Panelists will discuss trends, including how publics engage and learn with each as part of every day practice, and how they have changed their teaching and research practices to be more holistic and inclusive. Some practical examples include utilizing story telling, integrating multimodal technologies with crafting and art, and leveraging professional networks. Panelists also will discuss opportunities and challenges, and will lead a discussion around successful and less successful strategies and future directions."My talk was titled: "From Computer Science for All to Interdisciplinary Learning with Technology: Opportunities for Diverse, Culturally-Situated and Humanistic Engagement in STEM." I covered research projects I have engaged in to both better understand how diverse and underrepresented learners are supported / unsupported in computer science and technology, and how different tools and supportive learning environments invite more inclusive collaborative learning and engagement.
You can find all of the information about the various sessions here, along with the symposium agenda, report and videos of each of the talks, including my own.