Ruth Manzanares details the experience of attending the 43rd Annual Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) Northeast Conference at Dartmouth, where the challenges and triumphs of Latinx individuals in the medical field were discussed. The conference highlighted topics such as healthcare access for undocumented Latinx individuals, the struggles of Latinx women in a predominantly white male field, and the importance of passion and perseverance in overcoming barriers to medical school. The author reflects on how the event fostered a sense of pride and solidarity among Latinx students pursuing medicine….
Orientation Workshop
Learn about an orientation program designed to help first-year students at Amherst College navigate STEM education, particularly in light of its historical challenges related to race and socio-economic status. The workshop encourages self-reflection and peer conversations about the role of academic interests, such as STEM, in shaping personal identities and experiences, with a focus on fostering inclusivity, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting retention in STEM fields. It also includes interactive activities to facilitate these discussions, with the ultimate goal of creating a supportive, inclusive academic environment at Amherst….
DEI Outline For Athletic Teams
A reader of this project will learn about the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) outline for varsity athletic teams at Amherst College, aiming to foster inclusivity and collaboration. The project emphasizes the importance of DEI education in athletic settings to improve performance and team cohesion, highlighting the role of recognition and belonging in preventing exclusion and enhancing athletes’ success. The outline encourages team-building, DEI-focused discussions on race, gender, and economics, and engagement with campus and community events….
Supporting New Students in a New Way
This project proposes revamping the FYS curriculum and course material to focus on providing students with necessary skills, opportunities, and resources to succeed in STEM and other subjects. Students will be able to choose a FYS that caters most to their needs, whether that be more STEM or humanity-oriented or a combination of both…
Philosophy of Science
This document outlines a workshop proposal focused on exploring the philosophy of science through feminist and indigenous perspectives. It emphasizes the importance of valuing diverse ways of thinking and creating knowledge in STEM, challenging the dominance of Western scientific methods. The workshop aims to encourage participants to reflect on their own contributions and the value of inclusivity in shaping more equitable and innovative scientific communities….
HSTEM Condensed Curriculum
This two week long (10 days) condensed version of the HSTEM course will focus on collaborative research to improve the STEM undergraduate research environment and will be conducted by SURF (Summer Science Undergraduate Research Fellowship) students….
Best Practices: Sample Workshop
A workshop with case studies created by the HSTEM 2016 student cohort to help participants understand that diversity in STEM is essential; that aspects of our identity whether race, gender, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, and previous academic background make each student unique. We need to recognize that we all come into learning space with biases and assumptions that affect the way we teach and learn. …
Seeing the Forest for the Trees
This HSTEM student essay challenges the traditional perspective of prioritizing the “forest” over the “trees,” advocating instead for recognizing and valuing individual contributions within a collective, analogous to the relationship between individuals and society. It explores how scientific objectivity, often thought to be impartial, is inherently social and strengthened by incorporating diverse perspectives, drawing on insights from Helene Longino and Sandra Harding to argue for a more inclusive and human-centered approach to STEM….
Workshop Proposal: Reenvisioning TA Training
This HSTEM student created workshop aims to equip teaching assistants (TAs) in quantitative disciplines with tools to create more welcoming and supportive help sessions, especially for students hesitant to approach professors directly. Led primarily by veteran TAs with input from teaching experts, it also provides strategies for navigating challenging situations, benefiting both TAs and the students they support….
An Anthology of Advice for First Years
This HSTEM student compilation of words of wisdom from Amherst Seniors to Amherst Freshman to help them find internships, stay healthy, and make friends during their first year at Amherst….