Equity Across the ABE Program
Systemic bias and discrimination affect educational practices around the world. Race, ethnicity, and gender disparities persist in STEM education and STEM careers. In response, ABE employs strategies and promotes practices to advance opportunities for underrepresented populations to access, engage, and succeed in bioscience.
ABE’s commitment to equity is currently embodied in our efforts to:
- Prioritize and value equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) across the ABE program
- Include diverse perspectives and people as program designers, implementers, and participants
- Develop resources and supports to increase ABE’s relevance and accessibility to diverse students and communities
- Expand program implementation models to increase access and opportunities for diverse populations
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that students from all backgrounds can access and engage in the ABE experience. We work with each global site to identify and address equity needs for their community. We continue to develop resources to support teachers in making ABE an equity and inclusive experience for students. Our portfolio of teaching and learning materials grows to reflect the role and impact of science and biotechnology on people of different backgrounds. We share stories about diverse scientists and their contributions so that any student can see themselves as potential members of the field.
For an example of ABE site efforts to address equity, read this blog post about our work in Australia.
Additional resources and initiatives that specifically address equity are included below.
- The ABE Master Teacher Fellowship program prioritizes teachers who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color for opportunities to develop leadership skills.
- Resources for teachers on unpacking race, genetics, and ancestry (Part 1 and Part 2)
- Establishment of professional mentorships for ABE teachers who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color through the ABE Volunteer Program
- Classroom resources integrating strategies for culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) (coming soon)
- Ongoing newsletter updates with resources and topics focused on equity and broadening participation in STEM