Title: A nationwide data-driven approach to equitable course outcomes in chemistry
Speaker: Dr. Jaclyn Stewart (she/her)
Associate Dean Academic, Faculty of Science; Professor of Teaching, Department of Chemistry
University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
Abstract: Post-secondary science courses, including chemistry, have a role to play in supporting equity and inclusion in STEM. The extent to which our courses have equitable outcomes influences which doors are open or closed, and to whom, and ultimately determines if we can address the need for diverse teams of skilled scientists to devise and implement effective solutions. However, by default, these critical and central STEM courses discourage and under-reward students that do not conform to the norm. The Canadian Consortium of Science Equity Scholars is a new group of educators and researchers dedicated to enhancing equity in post-secondary science courses. By examining disaggregated sociodemographic data, we have pinpointed evidence of inequities of achievement that lead to underrepresentation in the field. This research aims to change systemic barriers to student success and uncover ways to foster students’ sense of belonging in chemistry. In this presentation, we will discuss possible explanations for the disciplinary and/or institutional differences we are seeing in our early data.
Biography: Jaclyn J. Stewart is a Professor of Teaching in the Department of Chemistry and the Associate Dean Academic in the Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. She has an honours B.Sc. degree in chemistry, a M.Sc. in wood science, and a Ph.D. in educational psychology. She specializes in teaching general chemistry, organic chemistry, and science communication. Her current research interests include investigating how students learn from feedback in chemistry and STEM education equity. Her current passion is to grow a nationwide community of science educators and researchers to investigate course-level equity and identify inclusive educational practices. In 2022, the Chemical Institute of Canada presented Jackie the CIC Award for Chemistry Education.