Speaker
Description
The underrepresentation of women and BIPOC individuals in STEM in the U.S. is a well-known and long-standing problem. Among the most robust explanations for this underrepresentation is social and structural bias against non-prototypical members of these fields (e.g., Moss-Racusin et al., 2012). In this talk, I extend what we know about unidimensional gender bias or racial bias in STEM and examine how race and gender intersect and interact to create unique barriers and opportunities for STEM scholars and professionals. I first review research on intersectional bias in STEM at the undergraduate (e.g., Milkman et al., 2015), post-doc (e.g., Eaton et al., 2019), and professorial level (e.g., Mitchneck, 2021), focusing heavily on research on physics and the natural sciences. Next, I discuss the consequences of these biases for the advancement of knowledge and practice, and future directions in intersectional research in STEM. On the basis of these findings and conclusions, I offer solutions to transform organizational climate and culture to create diverse, inclusive, and equitable STEM workforces.
