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Study shows motivation is key for teachers to overcome racial bias in classroom

A study published in Learning and Instruction found that pre-service teachers' genuine desire to be unprejudiced is positively associated with their endorsement of culturally supportive instructional practices. Cultivating open-mindedness rather than anti-racist training is key for teachers to overcome racial bias.

SourceUniversity of Toledo·JournalLearning and Instruction·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 9, 2021

UC Davis C-STEM Center receives $2.4M grant to introduce African American girls to engineering and robotics

The UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education has received a $2.4 million grant to establish an initiative introducing Black/African American girls to engineering and robotics. The Ujima Girls in Robotics Leadership Project offers a free, hands-on program teaching girls middle and high school engineering and leadership.

Engineer and university administrator Gary S. May receives 2021 AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award

Gary S. May has received the 2021 AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award for his three-decade career as a professor of computer engineering and university administrator. He founded numerous programs to support underrepresented minority STEM students, mentoring over 100 Ph.D. candidates who are now leading positions in academia and industry.

A trailblazer

Elisabeth Gwinn, a professor at UC Santa Barbara, has been awarded the AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award for her decades-long commitment to mentoring underrepresented students in physics. Her work has transformed her department and improved the lives of countless students.

LGBQQ college students face barriers to campus mental health services, study finds

A RAND Corporation study found that LGBQQ college students are more likely to seek off-campus mental health services due to concerns over confidentiality and uncertainty about on-campus eligibility. Despite this, they experience higher rates of psychological distress, academic impairment, and stress compared to their heterosexual peers.

SourceRAND Corporation·JournalJournal of Adolescent Health·DateMay 30, 2017

WSU receives $3.6 million NIH grant to increase underrepresented students in science majors

The WSU-IMSD program aims to facilitate the entry, persistence, and success of underrepresented minority students into science majors, guiding them to pursue careers in academics and scientific research. The program has shown significant impact, with IMSD student graduation rates at 87% and 64% pursuing further degrees.

'Hip-hop' students unfairly targeted, study finds

A two-year study by Michigan State University's Muhammad Khalifa found that hip-hop students are unfairly targeted and disciplined more harshly than their peers. The research highlights the need for schools to adopt a more inclusive approach, allowing students to express themselves without fear of retribution.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalMulticultural Learning and Teaching·DateJan 10, 2014

Program improves Ph.D. student diversity

A new paper at Brown University describes a program that has significantly improved recruiting and performance of underrepresented minority students in its life sciences doctoral programs over the last four years. The program's three-part strategy includes partnerships with undergraduate institutions, minicourses to build skills needed...

Some minority students may fare better than whites when working part time, new research finds

A study of nearly 600,000 students found that African-American and Hispanic students tend to work longer hours than non-Hispanic white students but experience less negative effects on their grades. High school students who worked long hours at part-time jobs were more likely to be employed and report working more than 25 hours a week.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalDevelopmental Psychology·DateJan 24, 2013

Ability grouping in elementary school hampers minority students' literacy

A new study by University of Illinois professor Christy Lleras found that ability grouping in elementary school impairs the literacy of lower-grouped minority students, while having little effect on higher-grouped minority students. The practice creates larger achievement gaps among minority students and exacerbates inequality.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalAmerican Journal of Education·DateApr 21, 2009

Inequality rules today's public schools

Researchers at the University of Washington found that existing school systems perpetuate inequality through hidden special treatment and segregation. The study suggests expanding overcrowded schools could alleviate abuses, contradicting warnings about school choice programs increasing racial segregation and inequality.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalEducation Policy Analysis Archives·DateOct 22, 2003

A victory for affirmative action

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of affirmative action policies in medicine, with the editorial highlighting the importance of a diverse physician workforce. In medicine, racial inequalities persist despite increased diversity among junior doctors, with only 20% of consultants from ethnic minorities.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateJul 3, 2003