The Next Steps in Developing Inclusive Physics Departments

Juan R. BurciagaDepartment of PhysicsMount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA 01075jburciag@mtholyoke.edu

Questions Under Consideration

• Why work toward inclusive physics departments?

• What were the first steps?

• What are the next seps for physics departments working toward an inclusive physics community?

Why work toward inclusive physics departments?*

* Disclaimer & multiple caveats

Why work toward inclusive physics departments?*

AAPT Diversity Statement

http://www.aapt.org/Resources/policy/diversity.cfm

The American Association of Physics Teachers is committed to making physics more accessible to everyone.  We support efforts to encourage greater participation from members of all under-represented groups in every part of the physics community.  We strive to provide open access and employment opportunities to all without discrimination…

Why work toward inclusive physics departments?*

APS Joint Diversity Statement

http://www.aps.org/policy/statements/08_2.cfm

To ensure a productive future for science and technology in the United States, we must make physics more inclusive. The health of physics requires talent from the broadest demographic pool. Underrepresented groups constitute a largely untapped intellectual resource and a growing segment of the U.S. population.

Therefore, we charge our membership with increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities in physics …

Why work toward inclusive physics departments?

NSHP Diversity Statement

http://www.hispanicphysicists.org/diversity.html

The National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) believes that all individuals, regardless of gender, age, race, ethnic background, disability, sexual preference, or national origin, must be provided with equality of opportunity to pursue and advance in physics careers. In order to meet that goal the physics community within the United States must better engage the knowledge and talents of our diverse population, increase the viability of physics as a career option for all individuals, and promote the pursuit of physics careers by historically under-represented groups…

Why work toward inclusive physics departments?*

Axiom – A diverse, inclusive community is a property and an indicator of a healthy physics department.

What were the first steps?

Actively recruit students from under-represented groups

Incorporate pedagogies that encourage reflection, exploration, peer involvement

Support multiple student communities

Introduce students to the working physics environment

Hire faculty from under-represented groups

What were the first steps?

Actively recruit students from under-represented groups

Faculty involvement is important

Show the value you place on students … to the

student and to their family.

Begin the process of mentoring

What were the first steps?

Incorporate pedagogies that encourage reflection, exploration, peer involvement

Students must learn what they know and what they don’t. And that not knowing something at the outset is part of the learning process.

Students must learn that trying and failing is part of the learning process.

What were the first steps?

Incorporate pedagogies that encourage reflection, exploration, peer involvement

Students must learn how to work in groups. That is how to learn from and how to contribute to groups.

What were the first steps?

Support multiple student communities

Do not think in terms of a single student community but multiple ones. Even a strong and vibrant community can be a hostile one. Multiple communities allow diverse students an opportunity to each find a niche.

Remember that students are frequently in conflict … each wants to be valued for their uniqueness but also desire to be part of the group.

What were the first steps?

Support multiple student communities

Send the message that students are expected to challenge one another but they are also expected to support one another.

Provide places for students to study and work together. Places under their control if possible.

What were the first steps?

Introduce students to the working physics environment

Basically … undergraduate research.

Allow students to succeed outside the classroom … how to work in groups ... how to generate and modify an inquiry … how to think and talk through ideas …how to test themselves and vaidate their own understanding.

Give responsibility to the student.

What were the first steps?

Introduce students to the working physics environment

Provide multiple mentors to the students.

Allow students to be mentors in turn.

What were the first steps?

Hire faculty from under-represented groups

Despite the best will in the world many departments still lag in this area.

Study Best Practice search protocols

APS COM Tips for Hiring and Recruiting Minorities

and Women for Faculty Positions

Outside monitor; 2 or 3 minority advocates; use

the advocacy societies

What were the first steps?

Hire faculty from under-represented groups

JoAnn Moddy, Faculty Diversity: Removing the Barriers, 2011

Set up a criteria matrix, show evidence; take your time; avoid numerical rankings; prepare search committee

What were the first steps?

Hire faculty from under-represented groups

Commit to a two or three year search

Do not be in a hurry to fill tenure-track slots

What are the Next Steps?Have a conversation/take a workshop

Invest in the faculty

Support the students

Build vertical and horizontal bridges

Bring in outside evaluation

What are the Next Steps?Have a conversation/take a workshop

AAPT workshops; third-party workshops

An example of institutional change

Workshops freely available to all faculty; all staff required to take workshop; all search committee chairs required to take workshop

What are the Next Steps?Have a conversation/take a workshop

Two questions

What is the value of diversity?

How much does the department value diversity?

What are the Next Steps?Invest in the faculty

Actively help faculty, especially new faculty, become better teachers, researchers and mentors.

APS Physics Research Mentor

Teaching/Learning Center

New FacultyWorkshop

AAPT meetings

Grant workshops

Leadership workshops

What are the Next Steps?Invest in the faculty

Promote community among new faculty both within the department and across the disciplines

Reward mentoring and outreach appropriately.

Protect new faculty from excessive commitments to mentoring and outreach activities.

Continual, formative assessments of all faculty.

What are the Next Steps?Support the students

In addition to recruiting and retaining … think in terms of acclimation.

Provide multiple opportunities for students to assume leadership/responsibilty roles in the department.

Provide continual, formative assessment.

Provide multiple spaces

What are the Next Steps?Build vertical and horizontal bridges

Extend the community for the physics department to reach high school programs, two year colleges, graduate programs, and peer schools.

use faculty and students

What are the Next Steps?Bring in outside evaluation

Evaluate your efforts (continual, formative assessment).

APS, NSHP,NSBP, …

Other MaterialCIRTL Diversity Resources

http://www.cirtl.net/diversityresources

AAS CSWA

http://www.aas.org/cswa/diversity.html

AAS CSMA

http://csma.aas.org/issues.html

Other MaterialAAS

Increasing the Number of Underrepresented Minorities in Astronomy at the Undergraduate, Graduate, and Postdoctoral Levels (Paper I)

http://arxiv.org/pdf/0903.4506.pdf

AAS

Increasing the Number of Underrepresented Minorities in Astronomy Through K-12 Education and Public Outreach (Paper II)

http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.4507