Holding Departments Accountable: Core Training in Developmental Sciences & Constructing Anti-Racist Curriculum

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Abstract

The call for serious reflection on racial prejudices within our science, institutions, and on an interpersonal level has recently been reignited during two public health crises, COVID-19 and the continued onslaught of Black and Brown lives. Decolonization and moving towards an anti-racist framework for developmental science quires critical consideration of the core academic training students receive and the support that faculty members have to address these issues. We propose a conversation roundtable with early- mid- and senior-level psychologists to elucidate the ways in which core course instruction, policies, and procedures may be creating or perpetuating racism in developmental science training. For instance, the theories, frameworks, and methods that shape trainees’ empirical thinking come from core course instruction as well as other campus-wide programming. We have invited 4 esteemed individuals who display excellence in their science and commitment to creating anti-racist training within the academy. Speakers will reflect upon scholar representation in core courses and ways instructional practices can be more anti-racist or anti-biased. Our goal is to further excite the possibilities for critically needed shifts in student training towards anti-racist programs and environments. Furthermore, we aim that attendees leave this discussion with strategies to implement interpersonal and structural changes around curricula, policies, processes, and procedure within their respective departments. Our proposed roundtable complements the recent series of critical conversations and publications highlighting systemic biases found within psychological research.

Organizers: Drs. Charisse B. Pickron, Ph.D., Josefina Bañales, Farzana Saleem; Participants: Drs. Steven Roberts, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Keisha Varma, Stephanie J. Rowey.

Sub Unit

• Solicited Content: Anti-Bias Research or Interventions

Moderator

• Charisse B. Pickron, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Panelists

• Steven Othello Roberts, Stanford University

• Elizabeth Gonzalez, San Jose City College

• Keisha Varma, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Stephanie Johnson Rowley, University of Virginia - Charlottesville