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Promoting PEERs: Creating an inclusive environment through tiered mentoring to promote diverse STEM communities

a man and a woman in lab coats looking at test tubes

Project Description 

The lack of racial and ethnic diversity within academia, across STEM, and within the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh can be an isolating factor for historically underrepresented students, or Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race (PEERs). Stereotype threat, structural exclusion, and a low sense of belonging can hinder performance in classes and decrease engagement in extracurricular activities, including research. We propose to develop a tiered mentoring and professional career development program for graduate and undergraduate students who are historically excluded from STEM with the goals of 1) Building a community with increased belonging, 2) Increasing exposure to high-impact research experience, 3) Increasing recruitment and retention of diverse student populations, 4) preparing students for positions within STEM, both within and outside of academia.

Co-Project Leads 

Sarah Hainer
Department of Biological Sciences

Jessica Wandelt
Department of Biological Sciences

Select Collaborators 

Hisham Alrubaye
Department of Biological Sciences

Jon Boyle
Department of Biological Sciences

Laty Cahoon
Department of Biological Sciences

Alex Francette
Department of Biological Sciences

Jada George
Department of Biological Sciences

Miler Lee
Department of Biological Sciences

Erica McGreevy
Department of Biological Sciences

Donya Shodja
Department of Biological Sciences

Dan Wetzel
Department of Biological Sciences

 

Goal Area

Promote Diversity and Inclusion