The week began with project meetings for the SEISMIC STEM Equity Learning Communities (SELC) project. More information about this NSF-funded project can be found here. A big task for this team was to sketch out plans for the launch event taking place back in Davis in May. The multitude of white boards and big sticky notepads in the room did not disappoint. The team wrapped up the day with solid plans for the upcoming May Institute. Look for details on this project in an upcoming SEISMIC newsletter.

On Tuesday, Heather Rypkema launched us into a deep dive on “Course Equity Reports: Using Institutional Data to Inform Course Design and Promote Awareness of Outcome Disparities.” Participants learned about the importance for equity reporting, equity measures used in the University of Michigan Course Equity Reports, and other related initiatives. Meaghan Pearson presented next on the Student Perspectives project in the Constructs Working Group. Through this project, researchers interviewed students to understand how they describe inclusive and equitable classrooms. Common themes for inclusive classrooms included, “everyone participates” and “open to other perspectives.” For equitable classrooms, common themes included, “has support structures” and “instruction approachable.” Jonathan Bragg, our new UC Davis SEISMIC PI, took the stage next for an overview of the First-Year Experience Program: BioLaunch at UC Davis. Four undergraduate students – Freddy Camacho Oviedo, Anahí Mora, Gustavo Landeros Mireles, and Julia Estrada – joined us next for a panel on student experiences in STEM. One recommendation that came out of this panel for introductory STEM professors was – “forgiveness through the learning process.” We closed out the day with delicious guacamole and more tasty treats at happy hour, an energizing game of SEISMIC bingo with swag prizes, and dinner at My Burma. What a day!