Engaged Undergraduate Research Grants
STEM Programs in Underserved Communities
Examining the factors that influence projects to improve cultural diversity in STEM programs
Implementing effective STEM programs in underserved communities is fraught with challenges – projects tend to be top-down and lack relevance, continuity and genuine community engagement. The result is that communities see informal science institutions – science centers, museums, universities – as elite programs that benefit only a few.
To understand how these institutions can foster equity, diversity and inclusion, undergraduate researchers are joining an existing team of fifteen community researchers – supported by Lab of O staff – that represent underserved communities across the U.S. The students engage in community-based participatory research, supporting and learning from the community researchers as they contribute to a literature review, co-analyze data and test theories with participating communities. Students also collaborate with researchers to create dissemination deliverables for partner organizations.
Topics: Access, Equity and Justice
The Team
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Rick Bonney, Lab of Ornithology
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Karen Purcell, Lab of Ornithology
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Community partner: Camp Compass
- Community Partner: La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino
- Community Partner: Worldbeat Center
- Community partner: Metro Atlanta Urban Farm