Special Physics Department MLK Colloquium | Equity in Science: Representation, Culture, and the Dynamics of Change in Graduate Education

STEM disciplines are believed to be founded on the idea of meritocracy; recognition earned by the value of the data, which is objective. Such disciplinary cultures resist concerns about implicit or structural biases, and yet, year after year, scientists observe persistent gender and racial inequalities in their labs, departments, and programs. In this colloquium, Julie Posselt makes the case that understanding field-specific cultures is a crucial step for bringing about real change and that we can learn as much from quantum as classical dynamics about the dynamics of scientific organizations. She will share research that compares equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts in astronomy and physics, and the subtle ways that exclusion and power operate in scientific organizations and, sometimes, within change efforts themselves.

Julie Posselt's bio:
Dr. Julie Posselt received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan School of Education and is currently an Associate Professor of higher education in the USC Rossier School of Education. Specializing in graduate education and STEM fields, and elite undergraduate institutions, her research examines institutionalized inequities in higher education and organizational efforts aimed at reducing inequalities and encouraging diversity. She has also written a book, Inside Graduate Admissions: Merit, Diversity, and Faculty Gatekeeping (2016, Harvard University Press), based on an award-winning study of faculty judgment in ten highly ranked doctoral programs in three universities. This work has led to a partnership with USC, APS, and the Council of Graduate Schools that focuses on re-examining how we evaluate students and scholars for key academic opportunities.