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Persistence in Science by All Students

Persistence in Science by All Students. David Asai asaid@hhmi.org. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PuZoLkvmBbc/SdUaLNywcBI/AAAAAAAADMM/zUMDJeuLi0M/s320/The+Little+Red+Hen.png. 4 P’s. Perspective Persistence Privilege Potential. 1) Perspective. Diversity benefits science. Diversity….

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Persistence in Science by All Students

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  1. Persistence in Science by All Students David Asai asaid@hhmi.org

  2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PuZoLkvmBbc/SdUaLNywcBI/AAAAAAAADMM/zUMDJeuLi0M/s320/The+Little+Red+Hen.pnghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PuZoLkvmBbc/SdUaLNywcBI/AAAAAAAADMM/zUMDJeuLi0M/s320/The+Little+Red+Hen.png

  3. 4 P’s • Perspective • Persistence • Privilege • Potential

  4. 1) Perspective

  5. Diversity benefits science.

  6. Diversity…. 1. …..is a property of a group. Science depends on groups. 2. …..adds: (i) perspective, (ii) interpretation, (iii) tools. Scientific breakthrough often results from a different approach, a different interpretation, and/or a different set of tools. • ….trumps homogeneity and ability when: • (i) hard problem, (ii) multiple ways to look at the problem; (iii) large set of problem-solvers - Scott Page, The Difference, 2007, Princeton University Press

  7. Opportunity: increasingly diverse talent pool • “Majority Minority”: • All U.S. by 2042 • 18 yrs and younger by 2018 Persons, in millions 2010 2050

  8. Challenge: we fail to take advantage of the diverse talent pool Scientific workforce U.S. talent pool 9.1% URM 28.5% URM NSF data for 2006, from Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation, National Academies, 2011.

  9. dx/dt: achieving parity? 50% 40% 30% U.S. population 2100 20% 10% Science Ph.D.s 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 2070 2090 2110

  10. 2) Persistence

  11. Undergraduate years are critical Fraction who are Underrepresented Minorities (%) US population undergrads science science baccalaureates PhDs NSF WEBCASPAR (2000-05)

  12. Percentage of 2004 STEM aspirants who completed STEM degrees 5-year completion Data from Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA

  13. G. Huang et al., 2000. Entry and persistence of women and minorities in college science and engineering education. U.S. Dept. Education, National Center for Education Statistics • Predictors of success in college • 5-year outcomes of students entering STEM programs: • Complete STEM baccalaureate in 5 years • Persist in STEM discipline • Switch to a non-STEM discipline • Drop out of school

  14. Persistence of undergrad STEM aspirants Complete Persist Switch Drop out G. Huang et al., 2000, Entry and persistence of women and minorities in college science and engineering education, US. Dept. Education, National Center for Education Statistics

  15. 3) Privilege

  16. http://www.warhw.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PrivilegeMeans2.bmphttp://www.warhw.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PrivilegeMeans2.bmp

  17. Faculty privilege Our course is a rigorous attempt to link molecular structure with biological function. All exams are answered with short essays or calculations (no calculators permitted!). The emphasis is on precise problem solving. For many, BIOL 231 proves to be the “weed-out” course. Biology 231 is the third course in our four-semester core curriculum for Biology majors. In addition, many pre-professional students from other majors, like XXXX, also take BIOL 231. Our course is a rigorous attempt to link molecular structure with biological function. We first focus on the macromolecules of the cell, including proteins, membranes, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates; in each case the message is that structure leads to function. We then discuss in quantitative detail the energetics of cell biology, including membrane potentials, the use of ATP in coupled reactions, the metabolism of glucose and oxidative phosphorylation to produce ATP, and photosynthesis. Then we put some of these pieces together, discussing in detail selected aspects of cell biology, including signal transduction, cotranslational insertion of membrane/secreted proteins, intracellular trafficking of membrane bounded organelles, and cell motility. All exams are answered with short essays or calculations (no calculators permitted!). The emphasis is on precise problem solving. For many, BIOL 231 proves to be the “weed-out” course.

  18. “Majority rules” http://d1jrw5jterzxwu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/article_header_image/public/article_media/changethemascotsign.jpg

  19. http://www.nikkeiview.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PEKIN-CHINKS.jpghttp://www.nikkeiview.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PEKIN-CHINKS.jpg

  20. …is deciding what’s best for others.

  21. “mismatch hypothesis” “…as a result of the mismatching, many blacks and Hispanics who likely would have excelled at less elite schools are placed in a position where underperformance is all but inevitable because they are less academically prepared than the white and Asian students with whom they must compete.” Justice Clarence Thomas, 2013 concurring opinion, Fisher v. U Texas

  22. Testing the “mismatch hypothesis”M. Kurlaender and E. Grodsky. 2013. “Mismatch and the paternalistic justification for selective college admissions.” Sociology and Education. • University of California • Elite: Berkeley, San Diego, UCLA (30% acceptance) • Not-quite-elite: Davis, Irvine, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz (59% acceptance) • 2004, “Guaranteed Transfer Option” (GTO) (2,300 students) • Several hundred chose to attend elite campus

  23. Findings…. • GPAs of GTO students statistically same as elite students. • GTO students no more or less likely to drop out of elite schools. • GTO students less likely to drop out than peers who chose non-elite schools. • Mismatch effects no greater for minorities than for whites and Asians.

  24. What can we do? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PuZoLkvmBbc/SdUaLNywcBI/AAAAAAAADMM/zUMDJeuLi0M/s320/The+Little+Red+Hen.png

  25. 1. Learn to talk about difference. http://img2-2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2012/10/17/debate.jpg

  26. What’s important in mentoring? Byars-Winston, Benbow, leverett, Pfund, Branchaw, Owen, 2013.

  27. 2. Learn from other programs • Meyerhoff Scholars (UMBC) • Science Posse (Brandeis) • BSP (UC Berkeley) • BUSP (UC Davis) (1) Research experiences (2) Mentoring (3) Community-building (4) High expectations

  28. 3. Change the metaphor

  29. High school – 4 yrs Undergrad for B.S. – 4 yrs Graduate school for Ph.D. – 4 yrs Post-doc 1 – 1 yr Post-doc 2 – 2 yrs Tenure-track faculty position

  30. http://www.sadeem.ae/Pipeline_at_Kuparuk.jpg

  31. Watershed • Inputs from many different sources, different environments, different pathways. • Boundaries between stages are not always exact. • Outcome is huge (the ocean) and there are many different places for the water to eventually go.

  32. 4) Potential Course-based Research Experiences

  33. Undergraduate student research • Apprentice-based research experience • Late • Expensive • Relies on selection • Course-based research experience (CRE) • Early • Scalable and less expensive • Emphasizes development of potential

  34. SEA-PHAGES project • Created by Tuajuanda Jordan and her team at HHMI in 2007 • Adapt PHIRE course developed by Graham Hatfull (U Pittsburgh) • Deliver the course nationally (2008-present) • In AY 2012-13: • > 2,000 students (mostly first-year UGs) • 75 schools (31 states, PR, DC)

  35. Two semesters: Mycobacterium smegmatis GenBank

  36. Scientific accomplishments: • > 3,000 new phages • > 48,000 genes (865 novel genes) • 9 new clusters • 82% of mycobacteriophageGenBank sequences contributed by SEA-PHAGES students • 16 publications (10 with undergrad co-authors) • New insights from the aggregated data

  37. Learning (from Jordan et al., 2013) Grades in lecture course Retention

  38. Three S’s to a successful CRE • Science • (i) genuine scientific problem; (ii) lead scientist • Skills • (i) technical simplicity; (ii) minimal prerequisites • Structure • (i) flexible scheduling; (ii) parallel activities; (iii) clear milestones Hatfull et al., 2006. PLoS Genetics 2: e92

  39. 4th important element: $$ SEA-PHAGES: approx. $200 per student for supplies, EM, DNA sequencing (excludes salaries) Informal survey of 15 research universities: average $47 (<$10 - $150) per student in intro Bio lab (excludes salaries) Average $150 ($85 - $210) per student in advanced lab courses

  40. $47. Flip the equation. Introductory courses = opportunity to make a difference

  41. Perspective • Persistence • Privilege • Potential

  42. “A great scientist looks like me” (Mirror, mirror, on the wall…) http://disney-clipart.com/snow-white/jpg/Snow-White/Snow-White.jpg http://theuglytruth.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/snow-white-mirror.jpg

  43. Geoffrey Beene

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