Science as a Thousand Stories: Informal Science Educators' Activist Positions and Stances

• In Event: Examining Informal Practice: Pedagogical Innovations Toward Equity in Informal Education

Abstract

This study examines how the lived experiences of informal science educators, shaped by race, gender, class, immigration, and family history, inform their activist identities and teaching practices. Drawing on critical positional praxis and storied identity frameworks, we analyze life-history interviews and ethnographic observations from a justice-focused nonprofit. Findings reveal that these educators challenge the notion of neutrality in science through politicized care, dissent, and mentorship rooted in personal and collective struggle. We argue that science educators’ experiences are crucial to their teaching methods, shaping their identities and practices. These evolving commitments redefine science as a transformative force, expanding its intended audience and potential. Informal science environments promote ethical, community-focused teaching that challenges exclusion and redefines who science serves.

Authors

• Shaghig Chaparian, New York University

• Olivia Ortiz, New York University

• Wendy Barrales, New York University

• Luz Velasco Vela, BioBus

• Jasmine Y. Ma, New York University

• Latasha Wright, BioBus

• Maia Yoshida, New York University

• Ronni Hayden, University of Colorado - Boulder