Enhancing Education and Opportunities in STEM for Girls and Women of Color with Dr. Kimberly Scott - Ep #64

Enhancing Education and Opportunities in STEM for Girls and Women of Color with Dr. Kimberly Scott – Ep #64

Dr. Kimberly Scott is a professor of women and gender studies in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University (ASU) and the founding executive director of Arizona State University’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST). She’s a visionary leader and a business-savvy education administrator who is recognized as an international subject matter expert in STEM-related topics and advocacy that aims to enhance education opportunities for women and girls of color. Kimberly has published pieces in outlets such as the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology, Feminism and Psychology, Huffington Post and Slate, among others.

Prior to her academic career, Dr. Scott worked as an urban educator with international and national institutions including a center for girls in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the Education Loss Center in Newark, New Jersey, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African art. A highly successful grant writer in support of programs and research for girls of color and digital media use, Kimberly was named in 2014 as a White House Champion of Change for STEM Access. That same year, the publication Diverse Issues in Higher Education, identified Dr. Kimberly Scott as one of the top 30 women in higher education.

Kimberly earned her PhD in Educational Theory, Policy, and Administration from Rutgers University. Prior to that, Kimberly received her MS in Curriculum and Instruction/Elementary Education from Long Island University. She also earned her BA in Art History and French Literature from Smith College.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of When Science Speaks

[01:03] Mark introduces his guest, Dr. Kimberly Scott

[02:47] Why Kimberly founded the Arizona State’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST) and what programs they offer

[07:17] Common misconceptions about women of color in the STEM workforce

[10:39] Effective responses to address the misconceptions about women of color in the STEM field

[12:51] Why diversity is a need-to-have in any organization

[17:42] How CGEST shares their information and arguments in favor of diversity in STEM-related fields to policy makers

[20:28] Why women of color are less likely to get approval from venture capital and angel investors

[23:30] What to expect at the 4th National Annual STEM Collaborative Women of Color in STEM Entrepreneurship Conference 2020

[28:25] Kimberly speaks about the 2020 priorities of CGEST

Connect with Kimberly Scott

Kimberly Scott on LinkedIn

Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology

Women of Color STEM Entrepreneurship Conference

The challenges in STEM for girls and women of color

Minority women face many challenges in life because of society’s preconceived misconceptions about them, boxing them in and limiting what they can do. In STEM-related fields, girls and women of color are often tagged as uninterested and lacking motivation, often times being questioned about how they are to avoid failure in their projects versus how they are planning to succeed. The difference in the language used when talking to and about girls and women of color in STEM can be discouraging but according to Dr. Kimberly Scott, that shouldn’t be the case at all.

Trained as a sociologist of education and childhood, Dr. Kimberly Scott’s interdisciplinary work examines the social and academic development and achievement of girls of color in informal spaces and their technosocial innovations. She is an authority when it comes to topics that discuss the limitations and boxed-in-misconceptions often imposed on girls and women of color, and how these misconceptions hinder them from pursuing careers in STEM and also, why pushing the envelope can be gratifying once they succeed and prove to the world how wrong it was.

The case for diversity in business and organizational success

Dr. Scott believes that despite the slow emergence of diversity, there is evidence that shows that when a business embraces diversity, they are likely to get a greater return on investment. She goes on to explain that diversity brings with it diverse ideas that lead to more innovative and creative products. Therefore it is no surprise that companies with greater gender and racial diversity are correlated with greater profitability.

Beyond the business sector, Kimberly Scott also talks about how her work over at the CGEST is helping to make the case for diversity in the public sector through policy advocacy more favorable. She shares how their studies and arguments in favor of diversity can make it easier for policymakers to know exactly what needs to be done through policy workshops and collaborations with people who have worked with policymakers to support their work.

Contribute to the solution at the 4th National Annual STEM Collaborative

Taking her work further, Kimberly Scott and the CGEST are organizing the 4th National Annual STEM Collaborative entitled Women of Color in STEM Entrepreneurship Conference 2020. The conference will be held from March 18th to 20th in the beautiful Monica Beach Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii. At the conference, participants will contribute to the discussion by joining transdisciplinary teams and coming to a possible solution that will create sustainable 10-year plans that can transform STEM pathways for girls and women of color. The aim is to have a series of innovative workshops using system mapping, a novel technique that can empower them to achieve greater heights in the field.

Learn more about Kimberly Scott and how she drives research, advocacy, and policy implementation initiatives that enhance education and opportunities for girls and women of color in STEM on this week’s episode of When Science Speaks.