New ASU research center promotes inclusive STEM education

September 28, 2020

The Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center, a newly launched Arizona State University initiative, is striving to make higher education more inclusive through innovative research, ongoing events and campuswide interventions.

The center was founded by Sara Brownell, associate professor in the School of Life Sciences and director of the center, and Kristen Parrish, associate professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and associate director of the center. Sara Brownell, associate professor in the School of Life Sciences and director of the Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center. Download Full Image

The two first met through a peer leadership program and quickly realized they were both interested in diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. As women in male-dominated fields, Brownell and Parrish said they have both experienced what it’s like to be a minority but feel their experiences are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inclusion in higher education.

“In my case as a straight, white woman, being female is about the only identity where I'm a nonmajority within engineering,” Parrish said. “My own experience feeling like an ‘other’ or an ‘only’ would be amplified if I also had some intersectional identities that made it even harder. It’s my job and my duty to try to amplify other voices and recognize that we need to be more inclusive. I think it’s important to recognize the role that we as faculty, or more broadly speaking as institutions, have to meet students wherever they're at. We are the ones that need to take on responsibility for changing.”

After a year of planning and discussion, Brownell and Parrish launched the center as a way to extend the reach of the work they were already doing and become a national research hub. Initially the center was going to focus primarily on science, but after further conversation they realized the project could have a greater impact if it included disciplines within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Kristen Parrish, associate professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and associate director of the Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center.

“We all know it's often easy to get in our own little silos in our departments or units. We forget that there's this broader university and a bunch of folks doing similar and interesting things that could inform our own work,” Brownell said. “I think that is a great reason to have the Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center be across the university, rather than just science-focused. By bringing folks together we hope to foster dialogue and discussions that will elevate the quality of our undergraduate STEM education.”

The center has several goals including identifying inequities that are currently in classrooms across the university and implementing solutions, conducting and producing innovative research on ways to make undergraduate STEM classrooms more inclusive, and educating and informing STEM faculty about this research and how they can better serve all students. Their work is meant to not only improve inclusivity within the ASU community, but also inspire change at institutions nationwide.

“So many of our faculty have been working to achieve greater access and inclusion through their research, outreach and creative efforts,” said Nancy Gonzeles, dean of natural sciences in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “The Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center will give this work a home and allow for increased cross-discipline collaboration that will put ASU at the forefront of inclusive STEM education research. But ultimately the work of the center is to benefit our students and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.”

One of the center's early initiatives has been the development of a series of virtual events focusing on anti-racism and racial justice. Created in response to the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, protests against the killing of George Floyd and other national issues, the “A call to action: RISE Up for racial justice,” events range from discussions and workshops to student listening sessions and seminars. The events have been well-received, with the first seminar in August having an attendance of more than 850 people. Brownell and Parrish said they feel these events are a step in the right direction toward creating a more inclusive campus.

“We decided to develop this series to help promote awareness and provide information around what it means to be anti-racist,” Brownell said. “We don't think that these events are going to solve the problems, but we do think that it's an important first step in a much longer series of conversations and concrete actions to help our university, specifically STEM environments, become anti-racist.”

Moving forward Brownell and Parrish plan on continuing to host these kinds of events while also focusing their efforts on research. They are currently working on a National Science Foundation grant-funded project that addresses how students with disabilities at ASU and across the nation interact with active learning environments. The team of researchers who are core members of the center is also expanding, with the recent addition of Katelyn Cooper, a newly appointed assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences.

Upcoming “RISE Up for racial justice” events:

Language matters: Considering racial microaggressions in science
Discussion
When: Thursday, Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m. (CT)
Speakers: Colin Harrison, Georgia Tech; and Kimberly Tanner, San Francisco State University
Zoom: asu.zoom.us/j/97235381892

But is it really “just” science? Engaging critical race theory to unpack racial oppression with implications for Black student science engagement
Seminar
When: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. (CT)
Speaker: Terrell Morton, University of Missouri
Zoom: asu.zoom.us/j/92158713296

Black women and belongingness: An interrogation of STEM education as a white, patriarchal space
Seminar
When: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. (CT)
Speakers: Luis Leyva, Vanderbilt University; and Nicole Joseph, Vanderbilt University
Zoom: asu.zoom.us/j/94696434185

An exploratory investigation of the experiences of Black immigrant women in undergraduate STEM
Seminar
When: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m. (CT)
Speakers: Meseret Hailu, Arizona State University; and Brooke Coley, Arizona State University
Zoom: asu.zoom.us/j/98196412224

Emily Balli

Manager of marketing and communications, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

eballi@asu.edu

ASU student wins national award for support of women in engineering

Elizabeth Jones assists an elementary school student at GEAR Day 2018.

People told Elizabeth Jones for years that she couldn’t be an engineer. But she knew that not only could she become one, but so could many others who didn’t fit engineering stereotypes.Now, the fourth-year electrical engineering student in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University has been named one of the top contributors to the collegiate engineering community by t...

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ASU student wins national award for support of women in engineering

September 28, 2020

People told Elizabeth Jones for years that she couldn’t be an engineer. But she knew that not only could she become one, but so could many others who didn’t fit engineering stereotypes.

Now, the fourth-year electrical engineering student in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University has been named one of the top contributors to the collegiate engineering community by the Society of Women Engineers, a global advocacy, service and educational not-for-profit organization supporting women and diversity in engineering and technology. Electrical engineering major Elizabeth Jones assists an elementary school student at GEAR Day 2018, an Arizona State University section of the Society of Women Engineers outreach event. Jones was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Society of Women Engineers and the engineering community at ASU and beyond with a 2020 SWE Outstanding Collegiate Member award. Photo by Marco-Alexis Chaira/ASU Download Full Image

The SWE Outstanding Collegiate Member award is given to only 10 society members in the nation each year, celebrating those who demonstrate outstanding contributions to SWE, the engineering community and their university.

Jones has been recognized for “impressive academic drive, for tireless outreach and for mentoring and fostering a sense of empowerment and belonging among women engineers, well beyond the classroom.”

“When I was younger, I didn’t have people challenging the gender norm — I was told to teach, stay in the kitchen and be a housewife,” said Jones, now a high-achieving engineering student and president of ASU’s section of the SWE organization. “Those norms don’t need to stay around. My passion is to change that by advocating for my SWE section and myself.”

The award came as a surprise to Jones who was nominated by her roommate, Rachel Scheller, an electrical engineering senior and the ASU SWE section vice president of graduate affairs.

“After reading the description for the SWE Outstanding Collegiate Member award, I could not think of a more appropriate or deserving candidate for such an award,” Scheller said. “Liz being chosen for this award truly validates and puts a spotlight on everything we as a community — with Liz at the helm — have worked so hard to build over the last few years. I hope that through this award, Liz and SWE ASU can continue to expand our work for the betterment of the community around us.”

Alicia Baumann, a lecturer in the Fulton Schools and the SWE ASU section undergraduate adviser, says Jones embodies SWE’s mission to advance, aspire and achieve every day. Jones’ passionate leadership in partnership with the members’ support made the achievement possible.

“As Liz Jones empowers young women of all age levels, those women and experiences drive her to push boundaries and set new goals for how our ASU SWE students can impact our community,” Baumann said. “We all look forward to seeing what Liz will accomplish in the future. With her on our side, I know our future young women at ASU will have more opportunities than ever.”

Jones will be recognized at WE20, the national SWE conference held online Nov. 3–14.

Rachel Scheller and Elizabeth Jones at an E2 welcome event for incoming Fulton Schools students.

Electrical engineering major Rachel Scheller (left) and Elizabeth Jones participate as counselors in the E2 welcome event for incoming students. Jones fostered a sense of community among the new students and often talked about SWE at the event, some of whom have gone on to be leaders in the ASU section of SWE. Photo by Marco-Alexis Chaira/ASU

Joining and leading a supportive community of engineers at ASU

Jones’ SWE journey began in high school, where she learned about the organization through outreach events for incoming ASU students.

Finding a community of supportive engineers has been key to her many successes in a challenging field that has not always been welcoming to women.

By the end of her first year, Jones had started her journey into SWE leadership. She served as the ASU section’s outreach officer her sophomore year, where she expanded events like GEAR Day, in which young students are invited to explore engineering through interactive activities.

“As outreach director, Liz innumerably expanded our annual GEAR Day event for children to learn more about STEM,” Scheller said. “Her passion, dedication and true care for the children are what drove her day after day to make the event the best ASU had ever seen.”

By the time she became a junior, Jones had her sights set on SWE’s top leadership position.

Jones served as president her junior year and recently started her second term in that role as a senior. She decided to apply for the position of president to “contribute back to the community” and provide additional resources and opportunities for the organization’s growth.

“I saw the potential for growth as membership numbers were rapidly increasing just before my presidency, and to adjust our planning, opportunities and support for those in the engineering community who identify as women and bring in additional allies,” Jones said.

Under Jones’ leadership, the ASU section has helped many more Sun Devil engineers grow their identities, with the section’s membership continuing its dynamic increase by 86% in the last academic year. The organization now includes more than 300 dues-paying SWE members, with 50 highly active section members who attend meetings and workshops, and who are involved in various activities the organization runs.

Those members are the most rewarding part of the organization for Jones. She says it’s especially encouraging when she sees others in SWE succeed.

Jones has watched her mentees just starting out as engineering majors become leaders in SWE, nontraditional students return to school with a better support system, and her peers get internships and job offers through SWE-supported attendance at conferences to further their careers.

Scheller said, “Liz spends a lot of her time silently and invisibly helping those around her. I felt it was important that not only the ASU but the larger SWE community get a chance to learn about the ways that Liz has impacted those around her.”

Elizabeth Jones participates in an International Women’s Day event.

Jones participates in an International Women’s Day event. She combined her technical education with an honors thesis that explores how a diverse community can foster a sense of belonging in engineering.

Photo by Connor McKee/ASU

Elizabeth Jones poses outside the WE19 conference venue in Anaheim, California.

Jones attends WE19 in Anaheim, California. At this event, Jones gained confidence in her future as an engineering professional and found her passion for the aerospace and defense industry.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Jones

Elizabeth Jones holds a Grand Challenges Scholars Program poster that details her project about gender stereotypes affecting engineering competency in elementary school students.

Jones holds a poster for a project about gender stereotypes affecting engineering competency in elementary school students. She has her project in the National Academy of Engineering-endorsed Grand Challenges Scholars Program, studying bias in engineering.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Jones

Promoting diversity in engineering

Jones is passionate about advocating for diversity and inclusion — something she considers a cornerstone of her identity as an engineer and a key part of ASU’s mission.

“We’re making substantial changes in conversations about diversity and inclusion in engineering,” Jones said, adding that the ASU section of SWE not only focuses on female engineers, but non-female-identifying allies and resources for everyone to be part of the conversation.

Jones is a natural at leading this dialogue, with a long-standing passion for guiding youth to follow their STEM dreams.

“I love being able to help people explore what they want to be when they grow up, and that traditional gender roles are shifting and you're no longer constrained by them,” she said.

She also has held numerous positions outside of SWE that allow her to be a mentor and inspire other women to become engineers. These include roles as a mentor in the Engineering Futures program, as a Fulton Ambassador showing prospective students what it’s like to be a Sun Devil engineer and tutoring her peers to help them succeed in difficult engineering courses.

She has even turned this passion into her honors thesis as a student in Barrett, The Honors College. This project, which is the culmination of her undergraduate education, focuses on self-efficacy and a sense of belonging in engineering.

Jones says role models are one important aspect of developing her identity and confidence as an engineer.

“For me, role models have helped me get through those times when I had self doubt. Without people like Alicia Baumann, I would have dropped engineering. My mentors were always a voice of encouragement and said I was worth giving myself the chance to do what I wanted to do,” Jones said.

“Role models can help you see that people have gone through it, and by getting through it yourself, you’re setting an example for future generations.”

Elizabeth Jones (center) and members of the ASU SWE section leadership team the WE19 Society of Women Engineers conference.

Elizabeth Jones (center) poses with ASU SWE section leadership team members at the WE19 annual Society of Women Engineers conference. Her outstanding support of SWE and the engineering community at ASU are being recognized at WE20 in November. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Jones

Engineering a rewarding future

As an electrical engineering major focusing on communications and signal processing, Jones works in the Bliss Laboratory of Information, Signals and Systems, conducting research on small-scale radars and solutions for medical and defense applications.

She has been an electrical engineering major since day one, but it took a couple years to figure out which industry she wanted to go into after graduating.

A chance encounter with aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman put her on the path to an aerospace industry career and gave her confidence in her ability to be a successful engineering professional.

At SWE’s 2019 annual conference, WE19, a representative from Northrop Grumman interviewed her for an internship position. It turned out to be one of her proudest engineering moments.

“I wasn’t prepared at all, but it was reassuring that people saw I was capable in a way that I wasn’t yet seeing,” Jones said.

She has participated in two internships and worked part-time with the company during the past school year.

“My internships have validated that I can be a technical engineer and do any work that I want,” Jones said. “It’s reassuring that I can work in the big aerospace and defense industry — which is really male-dominated — and I can pave the way for other women to do the same.”

Jones has been able to “put a bow on the package” of being an engineer and advocate through the Grand Challenges Scholars Program. With a project that focuses on the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges of education, now encompassed by the theme of “joy of living,” Jones has been able to take advantage of interdisciplinary opportunities to promote diversity and inclusion in engineering outside of the classroom. She also will be recognized by ASU and NAE for her efforts as a Grand Challenges Scholar when she graduates in the spring.

But her journey won’t be complete. Jones is staying at ASU for a fifth year to finish her graduate degree in electrical engineering as part of the 4+1 accelerated master’s degree program. She plans to continue to support the ASU section members of SWE and the wider engineering community to achieve their own goals.

Monique Clement

Lead communications specialist, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

480-727-1958 monique.clement@asu.edu