“Life is about celebrating uniqueness, diversity, and then bringing it all together like the varied colours of a rainbow. Different yet connected
H. L. Balcomb
Growing up in the German education school system made me realize after moving to North America that I was privileged to attend tuition free schools and universities and being able to pursue my dream of studying biology. As the first member of my family with low socioeconomic, working-class background attending the Gymnasium (German high school allowing graduating students entrance to higher education institutions) to pursue a Bachelors’, Masters’, and PhD degree, I recognize that there can be significant barriers for some students to get the opportunity to go to university. This is especially true for students with low social economic, Indigenous and immigrant background, and other underrepresented groups are facing barriers entering an academic path. For me, it is important to be a role model and advocate for underrepresented first generation academics, especially as a woman in a natural science. I have had first-hand experience with issues that many women and first-generation academics must face, such as imposter syndrome, communication issues with senior members of the scientific community. Those issues must be vocalized, which I am currently doing in my work with the group “Women and Gender Minorities in Science” at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (University of British Columbia, UBC), Lunch and Learn of the Graduate Student Society “Experiences of Minorities in Graduate School”, participating in the annual conference “UBC Gender Equity & STEM” and volunteering for the “Indigenous Research Mentorship Program”.
From my own experiences, I know how important it is to have educators and mentors who create an environment that supports everybody as an individual and an inclusive atmosphere to promote the best possible personal development. The question that I will strive to answer moving forwards is, “how can I provide support and opportunities to help create that perseverance in those who struggle, or are afraid to make mistakes and fail?”. I can lead a diverse team that accepts and integrates perspectives that are based on individual experience, culture, and ways of thinking. Promoting a safe and inclusive team and classroom atmosphere will facilitate understanding and learning from each other and gain more support from a group. In academia and especially in research, success does not come from individual workers fighting against the world. Rather, the most successful work comes from teams with a high diversity, where the best ideas are curated by open communication in a respectful environment.
In the classroom, I use a pedagogical approach that benefits all students independent of their background. By using the C.R.E.A.T.E method (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypotheses, Analyze and interpret the data, and Think of the next Experiment), I am able to expose my students to various techniques and tools of and for learning (e.g., concept maps, group work, individual readings, repetition, two-step quizzes) to include all types of learning and understanding knowledge and skills. I prove that using the C.R.E.A.T.E. approach using pre- and post-term surveys that all students from various backgrounds and different demographics showed improvements in their understanding and knowledge to the same level. Implementing C.R.E.A.T.E. and transforming the curriculum for me meant also assessing its efficacy across various groups of students as one pedagogical approach to teaching may not serve all students equally at any given institution. I am a keen learner about evidence-based teaching approaches that supports all students in their learning but also increases their self-efficacy, abilities, and epistemological beliefs. I understand that every student has a unique and diverse way in learning and I am trying to offer as many options in my teaching to accommodate everyone’s learning style in my class.
Within the biology program at UBC, I am working for more inclusivity for people identifying as a member of the LGBTQIA+ by co-facilitating the Departmental Action Team (DAT) Sex and Gender Inclusivity in Biology project. The DAT group consist of faculty, staff and student and we are working on (1) creating scholarships supporting LGBTQIA+ taking biology courses, (2) reviewing teaching materials to improve teaching about the differences between sex and gender, and (3) creating resources for students and faculty for support at UBC and beyond but also working on a mandatory workshop for Teaching Assistants and faculty for more sensitivity using sex and gender related topics and language.
I actively self-educate and learn about the history of Indigenous Peoples of Canada, and work on how to Indigenize and de-colonize the biology curriculum. I am aware that this is a long journey of learning, reflecting, and acknowledging. By including Indigenous knowledge in my courses, I aim to provide my students a broad perspective of science. Additionally, based on my personal history being a first-generation student, I am working on a project which is developing a mentoring program for first generation students in the UBC Biology program which will connect undergraduate students.
I am committed to helping to reverse the trends of social biases driven by family legacy by building a diverse team and environment in which everyone is valued and given resources and opportunities they need to succeed. I actively seek opportunities in research, the classroom, and across campus to enhance diversity and opportunity for individuals from historically under-represented backgrounds. I work together with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office and the Office of Indigenous Strategy Initiatives at the University of British Columbia to grow my knowledge, skills, build connections, and cultivate cultural diversity. I actively seek the opportunity to create working groups addressing gender and minorities issues as well as first generation academics and international students issues. These groups would help those facing challenging experiences and problems in their daily academic life, offer a safe space to exchange experience, and offer help and knowledge.
Concrete measures I pursue aim for a divers and inclusive environment:
From my own experiences, I know how important it is to have educators and mentors who create an environment that supports everybody as an individual and an inclusive atmosphere to promote the best possible personal development. The question that I will strive to answer moving forwards is, “how can I provide support and opportunities to help create that perseverance in those who struggle, or are afraid to make mistakes and fail?”. I can lead a diverse team that accepts and integrates perspectives that are based on individual experience, culture, and ways of thinking. Promoting a safe and inclusive team and classroom atmosphere will facilitate understanding and learning from each other and gain more support from a group. In academia and especially in research, success does not come from individual workers fighting against the world. Rather, the most successful work comes from teams with a high diversity, where the best ideas are curated by open communication in a respectful environment.
In the classroom, I use a pedagogical approach that benefits all students independent of their background. By using the C.R.E.A.T.E method (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypotheses, Analyze and interpret the data, and Think of the next Experiment), I am able to expose my students to various techniques and tools of and for learning (e.g., concept maps, group work, individual readings, repetition, two-step quizzes) to include all types of learning and understanding knowledge and skills. I prove that using the C.R.E.A.T.E. approach using pre- and post-term surveys that all students from various backgrounds and different demographics showed improvements in their understanding and knowledge to the same level. Implementing C.R.E.A.T.E. and transforming the curriculum for me meant also assessing its efficacy across various groups of students as one pedagogical approach to teaching may not serve all students equally at any given institution. I am a keen learner about evidence-based teaching approaches that supports all students in their learning but also increases their self-efficacy, abilities, and epistemological beliefs. I understand that every student has a unique and diverse way in learning and I am trying to offer as many options in my teaching to accommodate everyone’s learning style in my class.
Within the biology program at UBC, I am working for more inclusivity for people identifying as a member of the LGBTQIA+ by co-facilitating the Departmental Action Team (DAT) Sex and Gender Inclusivity in Biology project. The DAT group consist of faculty, staff and student and we are working on (1) creating scholarships supporting LGBTQIA+ taking biology courses, (2) reviewing teaching materials to improve teaching about the differences between sex and gender, and (3) creating resources for students and faculty for support at UBC and beyond but also working on a mandatory workshop for Teaching Assistants and faculty for more sensitivity using sex and gender related topics and language.
I actively self-educate and learn about the history of Indigenous Peoples of Canada, and work on how to Indigenize and de-colonize the biology curriculum. I am aware that this is a long journey of learning, reflecting, and acknowledging. By including Indigenous knowledge in my courses, I aim to provide my students a broad perspective of science. Additionally, based on my personal history being a first-generation student, I am working on a project which is developing a mentoring program for first generation students in the UBC Biology program which will connect undergraduate students.
I am committed to helping to reverse the trends of social biases driven by family legacy by building a diverse team and environment in which everyone is valued and given resources and opportunities they need to succeed. I actively seek opportunities in research, the classroom, and across campus to enhance diversity and opportunity for individuals from historically under-represented backgrounds. I work together with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office and the Office of Indigenous Strategy Initiatives at the University of British Columbia to grow my knowledge, skills, build connections, and cultivate cultural diversity. I actively seek the opportunity to create working groups addressing gender and minorities issues as well as first generation academics and international students issues. These groups would help those facing challenging experiences and problems in their daily academic life, offer a safe space to exchange experience, and offer help and knowledge.
Concrete measures I pursue aim for a divers and inclusive environment:
- Advertising open Postdoc, PhD, graduate students, undergraduate student, and volunteer position very broadly on various outreach platforms to reach as many people as possible.
- Working with my lab on a Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Statement and Code of Conduct
- In courses I teach, I let my students establish community guidelines based on their experiences.
- Providing for each team member equal work space and opportunities, including, desks, software, access to libraries and journals, laboratory equipment, participation at workshops and conferences, mentoring opportunities.
- Foster open communication with each of my students and postdocs to understand their needs from me and provide one-on-one dialogue on projects and personal development, setting achievable timelines, and agreements on goals.
- Providing weekly lab meetings to, include all team members on ongoing projects, updates, sharing and discussing everyone’s struggles and achievements.
- Regular team building events, e.g., monthly breakfasts, pre - field season barbecues, holiday dinners, or camping events.