Was held on-line August 1-4, 2024.
Over 30 presentations, 3 Keynotes, workshops and panel discussion addressed this year’s theme:
Humanizing STEM: Higher Education’s Role in Realizing the Social Contract for Science
In 1997 Jane Lubchenco, the incoming President of the American Association for Science, issued a call for “a new social contract for science.” She believed scientists should re-examine their obligations to society in order to serve society better, engage with society, and craft solutions to problems, not just diagnose them. 23 years later, reflecting on her call, Lubchenco believes the scientific community has made much progress in meeting those goals for greater engagement and responsibility in addressing our great civic and social challenges. However, she warns ” the culture of academia continues to impede progress….It is time for strategic, collective action to change the culture of academia and create the enabling conditions for science to serve society better.”
Since 2001 the thousands of science educators who have adopted SENCER strategies have worked tirelessly to change academic culture and play their part in delivering on the social contract between science and a truly inclusive democratic society. However, higher education institutions, as well as external economic and political forces, have made this work more difficult than ever through policies and practices that contradict academic values and principles. But while our individual efforts seems like a drop in the ocean, they prove that the world we are working towards is possible, and these efforts have inestimable value to our students, our colleagues, and communities. This meeting’s goal is to recognize, celebrate, and expand the community committed to a more humane, socially responsible educational practice that will make a better future for us all and point the way to “strategic, collective action.” Each of our Keynote speakers, sessions, and presentations embody this commitment and contribute to this goal.
MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Keynote: Re-Humanizing STEM Education Mays Imad, Associate Professor at Connecticut College mimad@conncoll.edu Link to recording
Keynote: Inequality in Science: Case for a New Agenda. Joseph L Graves Jr, MacKenzie Scott Endowed Professor of Biology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University Link to Recording
Wm. E. Bennett Award Address: David Asai, Former Senior Director for Science Education at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Link to Recording –
For a report of community accomplishments see Slides from Davida Smyth
For the full program, with links to recorded sessions, presenter slides, and resources click HERE