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  • The Unseen Impact of Inclusive Professional Development and Pedagogic Training on Underestimated Minority Graduate Students
Title: The Unseen Impact of Inclusive Professional Development and Pedagogic Training on Underestimated Minority Graduate Students
Ostensibly, the main goal of the ISEE Professional Development Program (PDP) is to teach scientists and engineers how to be intentional, inclusive educators by experiencing and designing inquiry-based learning activities. However, the PDP program has many indirect, positive effects on its participants as well, including building community and a sense of STEM identity, fluency to understand and discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, and recognizing the importance of psychological safety in learning, academia, and industry. We present four narratives from past participants with underestimated minority identities, who discuss how the PDP program had a positive impact on their growth as scientists and engineers. In each case, the PDP provided critical tools, knowledge or support that enabled their success as graduate students and into their respective career and life journeys.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1743117
PAR ID:
10387826
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Editor(s):
Seagroves, Scott; Barnes, Austin; Metevier, Anne; Porter, Jason; Hunter, Lisa
Publisher / Repository:
Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators (ISEE)
Date Published:
Page Range / eLocation ID:
417-428
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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    The Professional Development Program (PDP) was a highly impactful and innovative program that was run by the Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators for twenty years, from 2001–2020. The program trained early-career scientists and engineers to teach effectively and inclusively, while also developing participants’ skills in leadership, collaboration, and teamwork. In this paper, we summarize important aspects of the PDP and some of the program’s major outcomes, describe legacies of the program, and share recommendations based on two decades of experience. A large section of this paper details aspects of the PDP that we consider essential to the program but that might not be apparent from other documentation of the program. Recommendations for others interested in professional development of STEM graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are: 1) invest in establishing program culture; 2) prepare participants pursuing all STEM career paths for inclusive teaching; 3) focus on teaching and learning authentic STEM practices of participants’ fields; 4) provide authentic and challenging contexts for practicing professional skills; 5) model all aspects of what participants are expected to do; and 6) provide opportunities for growth and becoming a collaborator within the community. 
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