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Abstract Detail



Broadening Participation - Recruiting and Retaining Outstanding Scientists in the Botanical Science

Bart, Hank [1].

Increasing the participation of African Americans in ecology and evolutionary biology: experts, attitudes and interventions.

The underrepresentation of African Americans in ecology and evolutionary Biology, especially field-oriented and museum-based professions such as taxonomy, is striking. What is particularly troubling about this is that decades of investment in programs designed to broaden the participation of African Americans and other underrepresented groups in STEM is having measureable impact on numbers and the representation of African Americans in biomedical fields is robust. Why are so few African Americans pursuing advanced study and careers in ecology and evolutionary biology? The fact of the matter is, no one really knows. A team of highly accomplished, African American ecologists and evolutionary biologists has recently assembled to study this issue and find solutions. The plan is to survey the attitudes of African Americans toward careers in ecology and evolutionary biology and develop interventions to designed remove the roadblocks. In this presentation, I will review the scant literature on this subject, describe our thinking in developing the attitudes survey, and provide very preliminary details on potential interventions.

Broader Impacts:


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1 - Tulane University, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, New Orleans , LA, 70118, USA

Keywords:
African Americans
Natural History
Organismal Biology
Taxonomy
Attitudes Survey.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY03
Location: Versailles Ballroom/Riverside Hilton
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: SY03003
Abstract ID:496
Candidate for Awards:None


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