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Morton TR, Agee W, Ashad-Bishop KC, Banks LD, Barnett ZC, Bramlett ID, Brown B, Gassmann W, Grayson K, Hollowell GP, Kaggwa R, Kandlikar GS, Love M, McCoy WN, Melton MA, Miles ML, Quinlan CL, Roby RS, Rorie CJ, Russo-Tait T, Wardin AM, Williams MR, Woodson AN. Re-Envisioning the Culture of Undergraduate Biology Education to Foster Black Student Success: A Clarion Call. CBE Life Sci Educ 2023; 22:es5. [PMID: 37906691 PMCID: PMC10756029 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.22-09-0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for why there is a need to re-envision the underlying culture of undergraduate biology education to ensure the success, retention, and matriculation of Black students. The basis of this argument is the continued noted challenges with retaining Black students in the biological sciences coupled with existing research that implicates science contexts (i.e., the cultural norms, values, and beliefs manifesting through policies and practices) as being the primary source of the challenges experienced by Black students that lead to their attrition. In presenting this argument, we introduce the Re-Envisioning Culture Network, a multigenerational, interdisciplinary network comprised of higher education administrators, faculty, staff, Black undergraduate students majoring in biology, Black cultural artists, community leaders, and STEM professionals to work together to curate and generate resources and tools that will facilitate change. In introducing the REC Network and disseminating its mission and ongoing endeavors, we generate a clarion call for educators, researchers, STEM professionals, students, and the broader community to join us in this endeavor in fostering transformative change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terrell R. Morton
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Wesley Agee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Kilan C. Ashad-Bishop
- Miller School of Medicine & Slyvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Lori D. Banks
- Department of Biology, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446
| | | | - Imari D. Bramlett
- Division of Plant Sciences and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Briana Brown
- Re-Envisioning Culture Network, Atlanta, GA 30331
| | - Walter Gassmann
- Division of Plant Sciences and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Korie Grayson
- **Re-Envisioning Culture Network, Washington, DC 20059
| | - Gail P. Hollowell
- Deparmtent of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707
| | - Ruth Kaggwa
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132
| | - Gaurav S. Kandlikar
- Division of Plant Sciences and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Marshaun Love
- Institute for Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Whitney N. McCoy
- Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Mark A. Melton
- Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, Saint Augustine’s University, Raleigh, NC 27610
| | - Monica L. Miles
- Department of Engineering Education, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | | | - ReAnna S. Roby
- Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
| | - Checo J. Rorie
- *** Department of Biology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411
| | | | - Ashlyn M. Wardin
- Division of Plant Sciences and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Michele R. Williams
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
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