Exploring your Identity and Belonging in Academia

Workshop Presentation
Suzanne Zurn Birkhimer,  Felica Ahasteen Bryant,  Chris Sahley  

The academic culture in the United State was established by those identifying as white and male. Over the past 50 years, diligent efforts have been underway to diversify institutions specifically with respect to race and gender. Currently, STEM and health doctorate holders employed full-time in the teaching and research professoriate have self-identified as 72% white and 64% male (U.S. National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics). Trying to ‘break into’ this exclusive group has been challenging and progress toward equality has been abysmally slow. Hence the need for role models for both women and underrepresented students (African American, Latinx, and Indigenous) continues to grow. Research on understanding the career paths of successful Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native women in the STEM professoriate has shed insight into factors that may influence persistence throughout college and into the professoriate. Four distinct themes emerged when examining the intersectionality of education and career path with cultural identity: Identity, Relationships, Cultural Connections, and Resources. Based on this past work, the research team will present a workshop that leads participants through exercises around one's feeling of self-identity and belonging in academia, and how those features are viewed in terms of personal and professional relationships, cultural connections, and necessary resources to be successful. Understanding ones own identity and barriers to belonging can help them be more understanding/respectful/enlighten to others differences. We invite participants from all races and genders to participate in this workshop to explore their identity and belonging in academic culture.