Facilitating Discussions of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through an Open Conversational Format: Graduate Students’ Perspectives

• Fariha Mahmood ^[1] ; Novan A. G. Gray ^[1] ; Kathryn A. Benincasa ^[1]
  1. [1] McMaster University

     McMaster University

     Canadá

     
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 99, Nº 1, 2022, págs. 268-273
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The Conversation Series is a grassroots initiative consisting of monthly discussion events (“Conversations”) on topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), organized by and for the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) at McMaster University. The initiative originated in June 2020 with the #ShutDownSTEM strike, which urged reflection on anti-Black racism in academia and sparked a broader recognition of the need for EDI conversation within the department. The Conversations are informal, 60–90 min virtual events centered on specific subjects such as accessibility, mental health, or allyship. The audience (consisting primarily of graduate students, faculty, and staff) is invited to discuss the focus topic with subject-matter experts, share experiences, and ask questions. The goals of the events are to maintain a space for EDI-related subjects to be discussed; to provide key information about the subject to attendees; to support attendees in adopting more inclusive practices, and to bring awareness to the experiences of minoritized groups. Attendance numbers and qualitative observations of engagement were used to assess the success of each event. Initial observations show a largely positive response and the retention of a core audience. An increase in EDI-enhancement initiatives in the department was also noted.