PROMOTE SCIENCE


A photo of my name tent, including my name, my pronouns, and my representative image, a lion.

During the first class period I have students generate name tents so that I can call them the correct name and pronouns. These name tents also contain an important or representative image to the student. Often, the students tell me a story about the image, which helps me to remember.


Promote belonging.

In cooperation with Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching, I co-led a STEM TA session centered on promoting belonging in the classroom. For this session, I developed materials that identified ways in which students from underrepresented groups may not feel like they belong in STEM classrooms. These materials fostered discussion around ways to promote feelings of science identity and belonging in the STEM classroom.

Group of scientists smiling with a whiteboard behind them that says #SquidSquad.

This is a photo from lunch with members of IBA and Dr. Sarah McAnulty, founder of SkypeAScientist.



Promote inclusion.

I am a founding member of and participant in the Inclusivity in the Biosciences Association , where we promote inclusion of and information about underrepresented groups in the sciences at Vanderbilt. In 2019, I co-authored an awarded TIPS grant which proposed and produced a flipbook chronicling the experiences of Black women in STEM. This flipbook is meant to provide community for Black women in STEM, by offering a space for Black women scientists to share the highs and lows of their experiences.

Screenshot of a Twine game I am working on.

This is a screenshot of the Twine game I am working on to introduce common laboratory techniques and biology basics to young scientists.


Promote access.

I work to provide entry to science to all kinds of learners. One way that I do this is by generating materials that are fun and relatable to many kinds of student. Most often, I create games for learning. I have recently begun working on a Twine game for high-school and college-age science-curious students. I have developed many other engaging pedagogical resources.