Milagros Sáinz, the director of GenTIC, has been invited to participate in a roundtable co-organized by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the US Consulate in Barcelona to address the promotion of diversity and inclusion in STEM. During the meeting, Milagros Sáinz will analyse the existing challenges and discuss how to achieve equal access and retention in STEM-related education and occupations from an intersectional perspective, in a colloquium with representatives from public institutions, universities, research centres, and foundations in Catalonia.

 

Following this meeting, on February 13, 2024, at 5:00 PM, the ‘Increasing Diversity in STEM Conference’ will take place online. A panel of experts from the United States will present different initiatives aimed at promoting diversity in schools and academia, as well as analysing the barriers that hinder inclusion in STEM disciplines. Additionally, the panel will provide insights on how to foster intersectionality in attracting and retaining minority groups in scientific and technological fields. On the panel, Margaret A. Eisenhart and Lois Weis from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University at Buffalo, respectively, will present the communication “STEM Education Reform in Urban High Schools (Diversity in schools)”. Paul Morgan from the University at Albany will explore the persistence of achievement gaps and how they are explained by modifiable factors, and Joanne Goodell from Cleveland State University will introduce the Uteach replication model for preparing STEM teachers. The final slot will address the topics of intersectionality, servingness, and resilience in STEM through presentations by Nancy Lopez from the University of New Mexico, Ann Marie Nunez from The University of Texas, and Elsa Gonzalez from Texas A&M University. You can join this online event via Zoom.

 

This event has been organized as part of the collaboration project between the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the United States Embassy, aimed to engage in reflection and networking regarding best practices that promote diversity and inclusion in research: from equal opportunities in accessing scientific education activities in the early school stages to attracting and retaining talent in research centres.

 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.