STEM and Social Justice: Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

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2. Introduction and Overview: STEM and Social Justice: Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings

   • Cheryl B. Leggon, Michael S. Gaines

   Pages 1-7

3. Teaching and Learning STEM in Formal Settings

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9

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   2. Science Made Sensible

      • Tiffany B. Plantan, Jane Indorf, Rian de Villiers, Michael S. Gaines

      Pages 11-28

   3. Te Rōpū Āwhina: A Model for Building Post-Secondary Māori and Pacific STEM Capability in Aotearoa/New Zealand

      • Liz Richardson, Zaramasina Clark, Sonja Miller, Hazel Phillips, Ken Richardson, Andrew Tarr et al.

      Pages 29-52

   4. Enhancing Global Research and Education (G-STEM) at Spelman College

      • Kai McCormack, Dimeji Togunde, Cheryl B. Leggon, Cássia de Brito Galvão, Karen E. Clay, Myra Burnett

      Pages 53-74

4. Teaching and Learning STEM in Informal Settings

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 75-75

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   2. Recent Research on Science Communication and Engagement in Informal Settings in South Africa

      • Anthony Lelliott

      Pages 77-94

   3. Zoo Programs in South Africa

      • Elize Venter, Ulrich Oberprieler

      Pages 95-110

   4. Science Museums as Critical Partners

      • Judy Brown, Amy Rubinson

      Pages 111-120

5. The Role of Professional Societies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 121-121

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   2. Critical Contemporary Questions for Engineering Education in an Unequal Society: Deliberations for the South African Society for Engineering Education (SASEE)

      • Brandon I. Collier-Reed, Jennifer M. Case

      Pages 123-132

6. Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 133-133

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   2. Lessons Learned Across Settings, and the Way Forward

      • Cheryl B. Leggon, Michael S. Gaines

      Pages 135-139

7. Back Matter

   Pages 141-145

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This volume focuses on selected innovative programs designed to augment the science, engineering, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce through increasing and enhancing the participation of under-represented groups. The programs span the STEM career pathway—primary, secondary, and tertiary education—and professional development and socialization—in the United States, South Africa, and New Zealand.  Similarities as well as differences between and among programs across nations will be systematically analyzed for lessons learned. The conceptualization for this volume developed over the past several years during various international conferences—starting in Havana, Cuba in 2006, and continuing at meetings in Japan (2014), South Africa (2013 and 2015), and New Zealand (2015).

• STEM and social justice
• Social justice
• STEM workforce development
• Science technology policy
• Science education and social justice
• Mathematics education and social justice
• learning and instruction

• School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA

  Cheryl B. Leggon

• Department of Biology, University of Miami, Miami, USA

  Michael S. Gaines

Cheryl B. Leggon is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Dr. Leggon’s research underscores the criticality of disaggregating data by race/ethnicity and gender to develop policy, programs, and practices that enhance the quality of the United States’ science and engineering labor forces.  She was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her work on women of color—African American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Native American—in science and engineering in the United States.  In 2006, she was elected to membership in Sigma Xi. In 2013, Dr. Leggon was appointed to the Human Resources Expert Panel (HREP), National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) of the National Science Foundation. Before coming to Georgia Tech in 2002, she was Director of Women’s Studies and Associate Professor of Sociology at Wake Forest University and prior to that a Staff Officer in the Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel, National Research Council, National Academies. Dr. Leggon earned the PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, and the BA in Sociology from Barnard College, Columbia University.


Michael Gaines is Professor of Biology, Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Research and Director of Pre-health Advising and Mentoring at the University of Miami (UM). Gaines earned a B.S. degree at Tulane University and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees at Indiana University. His research is on the effects of grazing and burning on microbial diversity in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Gaines is director of UM’s HHMI Undergraduate Education Program. The major goal of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented students in research careers. He also directs a NIGMS Bridge Program between UM and Miami Dade College (MDC) and an NSF S-STEM Program.  Both of these programs aim to increase the number of MDC students who are underrepresented in the sciences transferring to research universities and completing baccalaureate degrees. In addition, Gaines serves as campus coordinator for the NSF Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and the Leadership Alliance Programs.  These programs provide research experiences for underrepresented students in STEM. He also directs an NIGMS Initiative for Maximizing Student Development which is a research training program that supports graduate students from underrepresented groups pursuing Ph.D.s. Gaines directs the Science Made Sensible Program which partners UM pre-service teachers with Miami-Dade County in-service middle school teachers to develop science curricula in their classrooms. Gaines teaches undergraduate courses in general biology and bioethics.

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