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Issues for Underrepresented Groups

Issues for Underrepresented Groups. Iris Bahar Associate Professor, Brown University DAC Young Faculty Workshop --- July 27, 2009. Disclaimer. Many of the issues I mention are not necessarily specific to underrepresented groups

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Issues for Underrepresented Groups

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  1. Issues for Underrepresented Groups Iris Bahar Associate Professor, Brown University DAC Young Faculty Workshop --- July 27, 2009

  2. Disclaimer • Many of the issues I mention are not necessarily specific to underrepresented groups • These are somewhat universal issues, but may have special relevance to these groups • Also, my views are somewhat biased by my own experiences and “grouping” • Your mileage may vary…

  3. Evaluating Your Success • We are our harshest critics • To be good, we have to be better than others outside our group • Both men and women consistently overrate men and underrate women in job qualifications

  4. Isolation • It’s hard to be the only women/minority in your research group • Hard to relate to others • Hard for others to relate to you • Feelings that you may be judged differently than others • Implicit bias: People are most comfortable with people who think and look like themselves

  5. Other “Barriers” to Entering Academia • Women: • The biological clock vs. the tenure clock • Productivity may plummet when you can least afford it • Balancing work and family duties • Financial pressures • Do you have to do a postdoc before entering academia? • Industry usually pays more (at least initially) • Geographic constraints

  6. Improving Your Environment • Find a mentor • Your department head may help you find one • May be useful to have more than one • Be a mentor • Being a role model to others in your minority group can be personally very rewarding • Get involved in extracurricular hobbies/organizations

  7. Improving Your Environment (cont.) • Join a peer group • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers • Non-tenured women in physical science • Reduces isolation, increases networking

  8. Improving Your Environment (cont.) • Avoid “negative role models” • Not everyone needs to be singly obsessed about his/her work to be a successful academic • Seek out help at the University level • Is your university an NSF ADVANCE institution? • ADVANCE: develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

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