2020 Events
All social gatherings at the Nicholas School have been cancelled for the rest of the spring semester.
2019 Events
Building Cultural Competency – Monday, March 25th, 3-5pm, FFSC 4233
Culture is very closely tied to our sense of self, yet we don’t often consider how our cultural backgrounds affect our everyday decisions or how they are different from those of others around us. In this workshop, led by Dr. Seun Osamu of International House, we will examine cultural lenses—our own and those of others—as a first step in learning cultural competency and working towards being more welcoming towards people with different worldviews. Please register through the following form if you plan to attend! If you are unsure, fill the form out anyway, as it will help us plan activities (https://goo.gl/forms/vTSbldpSs2olupYU2). Sponsored by the Biology Diversity Committee. In collaboration with the International House, we will offer a condensed version of the Intercultural Skills Development Program (ISDP) to help improve intercultural communication.
Reducing Bias in Evaluation Methods – Monday, April 1, 3-5pm, FFSC 4233
Our personal identities, perspectives, and past experiences can influence us in many ways, including how we decide which benchmarks to set when evaluating others. These individual tendencies can have downstream effects on larger-scale patterns and processes; to name a few: how hiring decisions are made; how effectively we recruit, admit, and retain students; and how we write letters of recommendation. In this workshop, through discussion and interactive exercises, we will unpack how our individual lens influences how we define success, and discuss strategies to make evaluation more equitable. RCR credit available. Sponsored by the Biology Diversity Committee.
Bryan Dewsbury guest seminar – Monday, April 15, 3-5pm, FFSC 4233
Dr. Dewsbury will give a research seminar related to how identity and diversity influences learning in STEM. His research “focuses on questions relating to identity constructs, bias, relationships, and the effects of those variables on learning in students (K-PhD). More specifically [he is] interested in how students (especially those in underrepresented groups) develop perceptions of the world and others, and how these perceptions might in turn affect their engagement with science content, career choices, and ultimately their academic performance. Central to the formation of these constructs are the presence of hidden biases, stereotype threat, and mindset.” (Source: https://web.uri.edu/bio/bryan-dewsbury/) Sponsored by the Biology Diversity Committee.
Designing Lessons for Diverse Audiences – April (date TBD)
Teaching plays a major role in most academic fields. However, there are few opportunities for students and postdocs during their early career to learn how to design and implement lesson plans for the classroom. Our workshop will consist of a one-hour presentation where Dr. Tammy Lee, assistant professor in the science education department at East Carolina University, will teach participants how to design and teach lesson plans for diverse classrooms. This will be followed by a 30-minute panel discussion, where participants will have the opportunity to ask local K-12 educators about their experiences working with students and how to design lesson plans for a broad and diverse audience.
Sponsored by the Biology Diversity Committee.
In collaboration with SciREN (Scientific Research and Education Network)