Underrepresentation in the Academy
The presence of Blackness in Canadian academia exists on a continuum of underrepresented, significantly underrepresented, to negligible. In light of ‘race and ethnicity’ studies existing in Humanities and Social Sciences, Black academics from this field have been at the forefront of examining the reproduction of racism in academe and making anti-racism calls to action. Rarely present in these conversations are Black academics in other fields, especially the hard sciences and STEM, whose struggles are both unique and overlapping, and who have limited space for contributing to academic activism generally, and the literature on race and racism specifically.
The purpose of this speaker series is to foreground Black voices in fields where Blackness is particularly underrepresented, and provide actionable and measurable strategies to UBC to increase Black representation and Black excellence in these fields. Speakers from Canada and abroad will be highlighted.
Upcoming Events
Please check back for more events.
Event Archive
March 25: Black Underrepresentation in Leadership Administration
April 16: Black Women in STEM
April 26: Black Underrepresentation in Medicine and Community Health
May 19: Black Underrepresentation in Business
June 10: Black Underrepresentation in Art History
June 23: Black Women in the Academy
July 5: Black Futures
Sponsors
- Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, UBC Okanagan
- Office of the Vice-President, Students
- UBC Equity and Inclusion Office
- Michael Smith Laboratories
- Faculty of Science
- Centre for Culture, Identity & Education
Co-organizers
- Ismaël Traoré, Ph.D, Equity and Inclusion Office
- Paula Littlejohn, MHS, Microbiology and Immunology
- Handel Wright, MA, MEd, Ph.D, Centre for Culture, Identity and Education
- Ainsley Carry, Ed.D., MBA, MS, MSL, VP Students
- Minelle Mahtani, Ph.D Provost Office
- Ninan Abraham, Ph.D, Faculty of Science
- Joerg Bohlmann, Ph.D, Michael Smith Laboratories
- Lerato Chondoma, LL.B, MBA Indigenous Research Support Initiative
- Shirley Chau, Ph.D, MSW, School of Social Work
- Mikky Atser, B.S,c, Cell and Physiological Sciences
- Asmin Chen, MBA, PMP, Equity and Inclusion Office
- Paul Akintunde, BA, CSM, Equity and Inclusion Office
Illustration: From STAT News. © [2020] Boston Globe Media Partners. All rights reserved.