so I’d like to tell you a story today during my second year in college I took
during my second year in college I took
during my second year in college I took a spring break trip to a beautiful
a spring break trip to a beautiful
a spring break trip to a beautiful country where I was recommended against
country where I was recommended against
country where I was recommended against drinking the water and this was my first
drinking the water and this was my first
drinking the water and this was my first international travel without adult
international travel without adult
international travel without adult supervision and so I really wanted to
supervision and so I really wanted to
supervision and so I really wanted to embrace the identity of world traveler
embrace the identity of world traveler
embrace the identity of world traveler and I didn’t want to be that pretentious
and I didn’t want to be that pretentious
and I didn’t want to be that pretentious American who used bottled water to brush
American who used bottled water to brush
American who used bottled water to brush my teeth so I drink the water inevitably
my teeth so I drink the water inevitably
my teeth so I drink the water inevitably it became pretty ill and I went to my
it became pretty ill and I went to my
it became pretty ill and I went to my university health center and I told them
university health center and I told them
university health center and I told them I had just been in this beautiful
I had just been in this beautiful
I had just been in this beautiful country I drank the water now I’m sick
country I drank the water now I’m sick
country I drank the water now I’m sick and they said well what’s most likely
and they said well what’s most likely
and they said well what’s most likely happening is you have a stomach flu you
happening is you have a stomach flu you
happening is you have a stomach flu you have a bug just go on a liquid diet
have a bug just go on a liquid diet
have a bug just go on a liquid diet you’ll be fine and I said no no you
you’ll be fine and I said no no you
you’ll be fine and I said no no you don’t understand I was just in this
don’t understand I was just in this
don’t understand I was just in this country I drink the water I’m feeling
country I drink the water I’m feeling
country I drink the water I’m feeling really ill they said no going to liquid
really ill they said no going to liquid
really ill they said no going to liquid diet
diet
diet so I did and after losing about 15
so I did and after losing about 15
so I did and after losing about 15 pounds I realized that that chicken soup
pounds I realized that that chicken soup
pounds I realized that that chicken soup wasn’t really soothing my stomach or my
wasn’t really soothing my stomach or my
wasn’t really soothing my stomach or my soul and so I went back to that health
soul and so I went back to that health
soul and so I went back to that health center and I asked them to do some more
center and I asked them to do some more
center and I asked them to do some more tests and I’ll not share the details of
tests and I’ll not share the details of
tests and I’ll not share the details of those tests with you right now but once
those tests with you right now but once
those tests with you right now but once I did those tests they gave me the
I did those tests they gave me the
I did those tests they gave me the diagnosis that I knew was there although
diagnosis that I knew was there although
diagnosis that I knew was there although I didn’t know the word for it at the
I didn’t know the word for it at the
I didn’t know the word for it at the time when I heard that word what it did
time when I heard that word what it did
time when I heard that word what it did for me was gave me a confirmation that
for me was gave me a confirmation that
for me was gave me a confirmation that what I was feeling that wasn’t addressed
what I was feeling that wasn’t addressed
what I was feeling that wasn’t addressed with the word stomach flu or stomach bug
with the word stomach flu or stomach bug
with the word stomach flu or stomach bug something else was there so that word
something else was there so that word
something else was there so that word was Giardia I won’t go into details of
was Giardia I won’t go into details of
was Giardia I won’t go into details of what that is um but with that word it
what that is um but with that word it
what that is um but with that word it let me feel like there was a word for
let me feel like there was a word for
let me feel like there was a word for this there was a diagnosis and I could
this there was a diagnosis and I could
this there was a diagnosis and I could move forward to a solution and so I’m
move forward to a solution and so I’m
move forward to a solution and so I’m sharing this talk with you because even
sharing this talk with you because even
sharing this talk with you because even though I’m there not the medical kind of
though I’m there not the medical kind of
though I’m there not the medical kind of doctor Ellis I did have the opportunity
doctor Ellis I did have the opportunity
doctor Ellis I did have the opportunity this past summer to give a kind of
this past summer to give a kind of
this past summer to give a kind of diagnosis or put words to an experience
diagnosis or put words to an experience
diagnosis or put words to an experience that like Giardia is not a good
that like Giardia is not a good
that like Giardia is not a good experience but an experience that many
experience but an experience that many
experience but an experience that many people across this country have felt so
people across this country have felt so
people across this country have felt so along with a team of researchers this
along with a team of researchers this
along with a team of researchers this past summer we identified that women are
past summer we identified that women are
past summer we identified that women are 50% more likely to switch out of the
50% more likely to switch out of the
50% more likely to switch out of the stem pathway
stem pathway
stem pathway after taking calculus one when
after taking calculus one when
after taking calculus one when controlling for intended major reports
controlling for intended major reports
controlling for intended major reports of instruction previous calculus
of instruction previous calculus
of instruction previous calculus experience SAT or a CT scores
experience SAT or a CT scores
experience SAT or a CT scores school and professor so that means that
school and professor so that means that
school and professor so that means that 50% more of the women who are taking
50% more of the women who are taking
50% more of the women who are taking calc one planning to take calc 2 because
calc one planning to take calc 2 because
calc one planning to take calc 2 because they want to be an engineer they want to
they want to be an engineer they want to
they want to be an engineer they want to be a chemist or whatever are leaving
be a chemist or whatever are leaving
be a chemist or whatever are leaving that after the experience of calc 1
that after the experience of calc 1
that after the experience of calc 1 compared to the men um no this isn’t a
compared to the men um no this isn’t a
compared to the men um no this isn’t a groundbreaking finding much like it
groundbreaking finding much like it
groundbreaking finding much like it wasn’t so groundbreaking that I
wasn’t so groundbreaking that I
wasn’t so groundbreaking that I contracted Giardia after drinking water
contracted Giardia after drinking water
contracted Giardia after drinking water in a country for which I hadn’t
in a country for which I hadn’t
in a country for which I hadn’t developed the proper immunity is in my
developed the proper immunity is in my
developed the proper immunity is in my stomach but like Giardia just by giving
stomach but like Giardia just by giving
stomach but like Giardia just by giving the words to this experience I got to
the words to this experience I got to
the words to this experience I got to help diagnose something that many people
help diagnose something that many people
help diagnose something that many people were feeling now when I give this talk
were feeling now when I give this talk
were feeling now when I give this talk or when I talk about these research
or when I talk about these research
or when I talk about these research findings across the country inevitably
findings across the country inevitably
findings across the country inevitably there will be some in the audience that
there will be some in the audience that
there will be some in the audience that says well what about race and ethnicity
says well what about race and ethnicity
says well what about race and ethnicity have you done similar analyses trying to
have you done similar analyses trying to
have you done similar analyses trying to understand the experience of race and
understand the experience of race and
understand the experience of race and ethnicity with or without gender so
ethnicity with or without gender so
ethnicity with or without gender so maybe looking at the intersectional
maybe looking at the intersectional
maybe looking at the intersectional perspective – and I say well that is a
perspective – and I say well that is a
perspective – and I say well that is a wonderful question
wonderful question
wonderful question unfortunately there is such a low
unfortunately there is such a low
unfortunately there is such a low percentage of non-white students in our
percentage of non-white students in our
percentage of non-white students in our sample that we can’t run the same
sample that we can’t run the same
sample that we can’t run the same statistical analyses to give the same
statistical analyses to give the same
statistical analyses to give the same strong quantifiable results and then the
strong quantifiable results and then the
strong quantifiable results and then the person in the audience like some of you
person in the audience like some of you
person in the audience like some of you I’m seeing right now nod your head and
I’m seeing right now nod your head and
I’m seeing right now nod your head and understand MIT um the person feels good
understand MIT um the person feels good
understand MIT um the person feels good because they ask the right question I
because they ask the right question I
because they ask the right question I feel good because I gave the right
feel good because I gave the right
feel good because I gave the right answer and then we move on so this has
answer and then we move on so this has
answer and then we move on so this has happened for years I’ve been presenting
happened for years I’ve been presenting
happened for years I’ve been presenting on this data for years and been giving
on this data for years and been giving
on this data for years and been giving these answers for years and it’s been
these answers for years and it’s been
these answers for years and it’s been fine and it struck me that it was
fine and it struck me that it was
fine and it struck me that it was similar to when I went to the health
similar to when I went to the health
similar to when I went to the health center and said I’m having these
center and said I’m having these
center and said I’m having these symptoms and they said most likely you
symptoms and they said most likely you
symptoms and they said most likely you just have a stomach flu here’s a remedy
just have a stomach flu here’s a remedy
just have a stomach flu here’s a remedy and that remedy had no bearing it didn’t
and that remedy had no bearing it didn’t
and that remedy had no bearing it didn’t help me at all because it wasn’t what I
help me at all because it wasn’t what I
help me at all because it wasn’t what I was experiencing that by not actually
was experiencing that by not actually
was experiencing that by not actually looking at the experiences of these
looking at the experiences of these
looking at the experiences of these students of color in our calculus
students of color in our calculus
students of color in our calculus classes even though they’re a smaller
classes even though they’re a smaller
classes even though they’re a smaller percentage that were making their
percentage that were making their
percentage that were making their experiences invisible much like the
experiences invisible much like the
experiences invisible much like the doctors made my journey invisible by not
doctors made my journey invisible by not
doctors made my journey invisible by not testing for it and so what we’re doing
testing for it and so what we’re doing
testing for it and so what we’re doing is not understanding the actual
is not understanding the actual
is not understanding the actual experiences of these students in the
experiences of these students in the
experiences of these students in the same way that we can in order to provide
same way that we can in order to provide
same way that we can in order to provide a solution so we have two problems here
a solution so we have two problems here
a solution so we have two problems here we have the problem of diversity and
we have the problem of diversity and
we have the problem of diversity and stem that we’re all well aware of it’s
stem that we’re all well aware of it’s
stem that we’re all well aware of it’s being published all over and talked
being published all over and talked
being published all over and talked about in the news but we also have the
about in the news but we also have the
about in the news but we also have the problem among researchers that when we
problem among researchers that when we
problem among researchers that when we write these findings when we talk about
write these findings when we talk about
write these findings when we talk about them when we answer these questions
them when we answer these questions
them when we answer these questions we’re not really looking deeper into
we’re not really looking deeper into
we’re not really looking deeper into what’s happening with our answers so
what’s happening with our answers so
what’s happening with our answers so although my answer has been accepted as
although my answer has been accepted as
although my answer has been accepted as correct it is correct it’s expect or
correct it is correct it’s expect or
correct it is correct it’s expect or accepted by the research community it
accepted by the research community it
accepted by the research community it doesn’t tell the full story and so I was
doesn’t tell the full story and so I was
doesn’t tell the full story and so I was recommended to not just come up here and
recommended to not just come up here and
recommended to not just come up here and tell you some problems but also try to
tell you some problems but also try to
tell you some problems but also try to understand some solutions now certainly
understand some solutions now certainly
understand some solutions now certainly the problem of diversity and stem and
the problem of diversity and stem and
the problem of diversity and stem and representation of women and students of
representation of women and students of
representation of women and students of color and persistence is not so easy to
color and persistence is not so easy to
color and persistence is not so easy to solve as the pill that they gave me to
solve as the pill that they gave me to
solve as the pill that they gave me to solve merger Ardea but we can think
solve merger Ardea but we can think
solve merger Ardea but we can think about ways to go about it by just trying
about ways to go about it by just trying
about ways to go about it by just trying to actually understand what’s happening
to actually understand what’s happening
to actually understand what’s happening so here we are we’re at Colorado School
so here we are we’re at Colorado School
so here we are we’re at Colorado School of Mines many of you are students and
of Mines many of you are students and
of Mines many of you are students and and so I understand that you probably
and so I understand that you probably
and so I understand that you probably get the situation that’s going on here
get the situation that’s going on here
get the situation that’s going on here but I’m just going to share some numbers
but I’m just going to share some numbers
but I’m just going to share some numbers really quick so Colorado School of Mines
really quick so Colorado School of Mines
really quick so Colorado School of Mines is almost entirely a stem school there’s
is almost entirely a stem school there’s
is almost entirely a stem school there’s some economics majors but we’ll just
some economics majors but we’ll just
some economics majors but we’ll just group them into stem for now in 2014
group them into stem for now in 2014
group them into stem for now in 2014 there were about 900 students graduated
there were about 900 students graduated
there were about 900 students graduated with stem degrees of those 900 students
with stem degrees of those 900 students
with stem degrees of those 900 students around 25 percent were earned by women
around 25 percent were earned by women
around 25 percent were earned by women on less than 10 percent were earned by
on less than 10 percent were earned by
on less than 10 percent were earned by Hispanic and Latino students and less
Hispanic and Latino students and less
Hispanic and Latino students and less than 1% were earned by black or
than 1% were earned by black or
than 1% were earned by black or african-american students so I imagined
african-american students so I imagined
african-american students so I imagined that the classes here at Colorado School
that the classes here at Colorado School
that the classes here at Colorado School of Mines the calculus classes which are
of Mines the calculus classes which are
of Mines the calculus classes which are feeding into these stem majors look
feeding into these stem majors look
feeding into these stem majors look fairly similar if not even more
fairly similar if not even more
fairly similar if not even more homogeneous than this sample that I
homogeneous than this sample that I
homogeneous than this sample that I looked at in my study and so what can
looked at in my study and so what can
looked at in my study and so what can you do as students as faculty as parents
you do as students as faculty as parents
you do as students as faculty as parents whatever your relationship is to this
whatever your relationship is to this
whatever your relationship is to this University as students I want you to be
University as students I want you to be
University as students I want you to be asking more questions I recommend that
asking more questions I recommend that
asking more questions I recommend that you think about why do your classes look
you think about why do your classes look
you think about why do your classes look the way that they do or if you read
the way that they do or if you read
the way that they do or if you read research try to understand why is there
research try to understand why is there
research try to understand why is there too few students to be able to do a
too few students to be able to do a
too few students to be able to do a similar analysis what’s put in the
similar analysis what’s put in the
similar analysis what’s put in the footnote of multiple of my studies right
footnote of multiple of my studies right
footnote of multiple of my studies right now
now
now and if you’re in the position
and if you’re in the position
and if you’re in the position be giving answers to people which is a
be giving answers to people which is a
be giving answers to people which is a wonderful place to be in I want you to
wonderful place to be in I want you to
wonderful place to be in I want you to question those answers that you’re
question those answers that you’re
question those answers that you’re really comfortable giving because
really comfortable giving because
really comfortable giving because although they might be right that night
although they might be right that night
although they might be right that night might not be the full story so we need
might not be the full story so we need
might not be the full story so we need to do better at looking into what’s
to do better at looking into what’s
to do better at looking into what’s actually going on so for me this talk is
actually going on so for me this talk is
actually going on so for me this talk is a public coming out and acknowledging
a public coming out and acknowledging
a public coming out and acknowledging that when I gave that answer so many
that when I gave that answer so many
that when I gave that answer so many times that I was missing the whole story
times that I was missing the whole story
times that I was missing the whole story and I’m asking of you today to be
and I’m asking of you today to be
and I’m asking of you today to be curious like we just heard in the past
curious like we just heard in the past
curious like we just heard in the past talk and ask more of those questions and
talk and ask more of those questions and
talk and ask more of those questions and question the answers that you’re
question the answers that you’re
question the answers that you’re speaking thank you
”
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