Charting New Paths: Integrating Du Bois' Legacy into STEM Education

• In Event: Innovations in Black Education and Cultural Expression

Abstract

Background: W.E.B. Du Bois, renowned for his multifaceted contributions as a writer, scholar, and activist, also pioneered in the realms of social sciences and data visualization. At Atlanta University, a historically Black institution, he led the utilization of interviews, surveys, and statistical methods to interrogate and visualize the experiences of Americans racialized as Black at the turn of the twentieth century. Despite the groundbreaking nature of Du Bois’ work he was often overlooked or dismissed by peers within academia and is now missing from contemporary STEM curriculum.

Objective: We propose strategies for incorporating Du Bois' contributions into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, to enhance the students racialized as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) sense of efficacy, inclusion, and persistence in pursuing majors within STEM disciplines.

Data: To answer these questions, we conducted focus groups with approximately 35 undergraduate students at a large Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) on the West Coast across multiple STEM disciplines, including but not limited to cognitive science, human biology, social statistics, and psychology. Additionally, we utilized a sample of visualization plates from the “L’Exposition Universelle de Paris 1900 Exposition.

Preliminary Findings: Our findings achieved three significant outcomes. Firstly, they revealed matriculation patterns, sense of inclusion and efficacy, as well as apprehensions among STEM students. Secondly, we identified effective strategies for incorporating Du Bois’ contributions into STEM education. Lastly, our analysis showed a nuanced axis of intersecting challenges for students pursuing STEM majors in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, emphasizing the critical importance of institutional resources, representation, and inclusive educational curriculum to enhance participation.

Authors

• Leia Danae Belt, University of California, Merced

• Jullanar Zakiyyah Williams, University of California, Merced