COMBATING STEREOTYPE THREAT AND INTERNALIZED SCIENTIFIC PHOBIAS IN UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENT POPULATIONS USING GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION AND CITIZEN SCIENCE

Within STEM fields there is an ever increasing diversity in subject matter, yet racial and gender diversity is still seriously lacking. Stereotype threat and scientific phobias are two of the underlying reasons for this lack of diversity. In an attempt to combat these issues, we initiated a project in which North Carolina State University undergraduate science majors from underrepresented populations use the Shark Tooth Forensics citizen science project to teach low-income underrepresented high school students. At the beginning of each class the question, “What does a scientist look like?” was asked. Consistently the majority of students replied with descriptions of a middle-aged, white male, which did not match the demographics of the room. In order to change this internalized inadequacy, this project was used to engage students and help them envision themselves as scientists. The project involved the hands-on sorting of sediment from nearby stream beds, to find and identify fossilized shark teeth. Upon finding the teeth, students recorded data, including tooth size, shape, and specimen number, into a spreadsheet. Very little information was provided before the actual activity of searching for the teeth. This helped facilitate an appreciable amount of scientific curiosity and allowed students to naturally follow the scientific method. The students wanted to get their hands in the buckets of sediment, because it was something they had never done before and finding the shark teeth was novel and exciting. This, coupled with the knowledge that their findings were contributing to future research, seemed to lead to students exhibiting uncharacteristic interest and almost one-hundred percent participation rates. In discussions after the activity, students expressed a stronger interest in attending university, especially in STEM-related subjects. The similarities between the student teachers and the student populations, which were largely African American and Hispanic, was a driving factor in demonstrating that anyone can be a scientist, regardless of social status, gender identity, or race. We plan to continue this project and expect similar results going forward. We hope this project will be a leading example of what can be done to increase diversity throughout STEM fields.