| Speaker: Rachel Weir Affiliation: Allegheny College, USA Time: 2-3pm Friday, 3 November, 2017 Location: 303-310 |
| A common theme in the United States in recent years has been a call to increase the number of graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and to enhance the scientific literacy of students in other disciplines. For example, in the 2012 report Engage to Excel, the Obama administration announced a goal of "producing, over the next decade, 1 million more college graduates in STEM fields than expected under current assumptions." Achieving these types of goals will require us to harness the potential of all students, forcing us to identify and acknowledge the barriers encountered by students from traditionally underrepresented groups. Over the past few years, I have been working to understand these barriers to success, particularly in mathematics. In this talk, I will share what I have learned so far and how it has influenced my teaching. |