In the fourth grade, Penny Wise’s teacher convinced her she was terrible at math. Moved into a remedial math program, Wise spent the next nine years doing the bare minimum to pass the subject. She looked forward to the day she would graduate and never have to think about math again.

She had only one course left in her way – Grade 13 Math.

“I had a teacher whose teaching style connected with me. I gave it more effort than I had ever given it before, and I did really well,” she recalls.

That one person redirected the course of Wise’s life. She went to university intending to major in history and French, with plans to pursue law. However, her positive experience in that final high school math course convinced her to take calculus in her first year.

“I had a fantastic professor who was really good at teaching. I discovered that math fit with how I thought about things,” says Wise. “It ended up being my best mark of everything I had taken that year.”

Wise switched majors, moving into math for commerce, which lead her to pursue an MBA and ultimately become president of 3M Canada.

“When I look at the power of role models, mentors, and people that champion you – people that lift you up and take interest in what you do – to me that is the most critical part of success in the STEM journey,” she says.

‘STEM training costs too much’

3M strives to be a leader in equity for women, guided by metrics on representation and salaries. Wise attributes the longstanding culture of EDI at 3M to the company’s first chairman, William McKnight and the McKnight principles: a growth mindset through empowerment, courage and collaboration.

The company holds a STEM talk roughly each quarter – the most recent one with the business community. “We brought together leaders from across Canada in areas such as banking, manufacturing, technology, and pharma. We talked about what each of us are doing about equity, diversity, and inclusion,” she says.

One of the barriers the group identified was financial: “There is a perception that STEM training costs too much,” says Wise.

3M Canada has data to back this up. The State of Science Index (SOSI) in 2022 found that 84 per cent of respondents believe that there are barriers to students pursuing a STEM education with the top barriers being access (not enough STEM classes or educators) and affordability.

This finding is important in the context of the 2021 State of Science Index, which found that 92 per cent of Canadians agreed with the statement that “the world needs more people pursuing science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) related careers.”

“Right now, there is a funnel of talent coming out of STEM [programs],” Wise says. “What we need is a pipeline of talent.”

Getting beyond just talking about EDI

However, the process for transforming the existing funnel into a pipeline isn’t fast or easy. Chemistry faculty Jennifer Wolf and Jimmy Lowe of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) have experienced this firsthand. As with Wise, Wolf and Lowe are making efforts to go beyond just talking about increased inclusivity in chemistry-based industries.

One initiative Wolf is involved in is the Fundamentals of Water and Wastewater Operations certificate program, which is designed for Indigenous people working in or seeking employment in the field. The program is organized in partnership between BCIT and the BC First Nations Health Authority, with funding to eliminate financial barriers donated by the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation.

“There are people already working in water and wastewater, but they might not have a strong understanding of the chemistry involved,” Wolf explains. “We created a mini course to support learners in the program develop the chemistry background they need to succeed.”

Recognizing many Indigenous students live and work in remote communities, most of the program is designed to be online. The approach is expected to increase access for learners, benefiting them and their communities.

“Indigenization and decolonization needs to be more than just checking off boxes,” Lowe says. “To do it right requires relationships before we create [educational] programs.” In other words, understanding students’ situation and existing strengths is foundational for making a meaningful contribution.

Despite Lowe’s interest in collaborating with these external groups, the effort and time required go beyond his assigned duties and require personal sacrifice that not every faculty member is in a position to give. It’s hard to feel successful so long as it’s forced to the side of your desk by your primary responsibilities, he says.

When accessibility and relationship-building are at odds

These BCIT faculty are also devoted to improving inclusivity in chemistry through in-person learning experiences, but it’s admittedly a work in progress.

For example, Lowe taught a specialized course for Indigenous students on effective habits for post-secondary learning. Despite his years of experience, Lowe felt unequal to the task due to the range of issues and diversity of strategies required to address the needs of each learner. Many of the challenges his students faced were more complex than could be addressed in a six-week course and involved multiple aspects of their lives.

Particularly for Indigenous students traveling long distances for their education, social and economic issues can have major impacts on learning. Although the shorter-length course helped, it provided less opportunity for relationship building. System-level supports that move with Indigenous students beyond single courses is a strategy that is becoming more common and can be important for improving the experience for students and instructors.

Hearing the complexities and challenges that Lowe and Wolf have experienced, I wondered what they recommend for others interested in strengthening Indigenous relationships in chemistry.

“The paths forward need to include Indigenous people,” Lowe stresses. “Talk to them directly. Ask them what they would like to see to support their learning. It’s a process, not a destination.”

Wolf agrees, adding “this is about continuing our efforts.”

In alignment with those efforts, Wolf and Lowe are among the co-organizers of a symposium on Indigenous Relationships in Chemistry scheduled for CSC 2023 in Vancouver this June. Along with their co-organizers, they are hopeful that presenters and attendees will use the symposium to continue the discussion on increasing inclusivity in chemistry through new and existing relationships.

Brett McCollum is a professor of chemistry at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, a 2019 3M National Teaching Fellow, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. He has previously served as the MRU Board of Governor’s Chair in Educational Leadership, and Chair of SoTL Canada (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Canada). His research focuses on effective uses of technology for chemistry education, student development of chemical language and representational competencies, and approaches to enhancing student engagement in research partnerships. McCollum volunteers as a member of 3M Canada’s STEM Advisory Council.