Exploring the Trajectory of Underrepresented Groups in STEM
Yakut Gazi hosts panel discussion as part of Georgia Tech's Career, Research, and Innovation Development Conference
Lien Diaz (College of Computing), Sonia Garcia (Texas A&M), Clara Piloto (MIT Professional Education), and Yakut Gazi (GTPE) led a panel discussion around the long-term impact of higher education initiatives to broaden STEM participation at the Career, Research, Innovation, and Development Conference (CRIDC).
The Career, Research, and Innovation Conference (CRIDC) is Georgia Tech's signature professional development event for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Held annually, the conference is designed to connect grad students of all degree types with tools and knowledge to thrive in an ever-changing job market.
During the 2020 conference, Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) organized the featured panel discussion entitled, "Underrepresented Populations in STEM Careers: Why Is Progress So Slow?" Panelists included Lien Diaz, director of Educational Innovation and Leadership, at the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Tech’s College of Computing; Sonia Garcia, senior director of Access and Inclusion at Texas A&M’s College of Engineering; and Clara Piloto, director of Global Programs and Digital Plus Programs with MIT Professional Education.
Streamed online and moderated by Yakut Gazi, associate dean of Learning Systems, the panelists began a conversation around the long-term impact of higher education initiatives to broaden STEM participation.
“When you look at the career progression of underrepresented groups in STEM, the perception is that the progress is still too slow,” Gazi said. “The panelists discussed what their respective institutions are doing, and what are some steps that could be taken to address the slow pace.”
