Workshops

Tuesday Workshops

Workshop 1.1: Closing the Gap: Addressing Social Determinant of Health to Reduce Health Disparities

Organizer: Robyn Gobin
Panelists: Karen Tabb-Dina, Jeff Woods, Craig Gundersen, Reginald Alston
Abstract: In today's society marginalized groups live in poorer conditions, have worse health status and treatment outcomes, and experience more difficulty accessing health care services than their peers. Social, economic, systemic, and environmental factors contribute to the maintenance of health disparities experienced by diverse groups. The panel "Closing the Gap: Addressing Social Determinants of Health to Reduce Health Disparities" will provide a glimpse into how UIUC researchers are using innovative research methods to improve health among culturally diverse groups. Panelists will examine how addressing social and behavioral determinants of health can improve health across the lifespan. Speakers will discuss the role of environmental factors, technology, and culturally sensitive intervention development and healthcare service delivery in shaping population health.


Workshop 1.2: Racial Microaggressions and Doing the Difficult Work of Diversity

Presenter: Ruby Mendenhall
Abstract: Campus diversity can enrich higher education by developing critical thinking, increasing intellectual engagement, broadening cultural awareness, expanding democratic sensibilities, and practicing perspective taking. At the same time, however, students of color who contribute to diversity often perceive their campus climate as unwelcoming and unsupportive. This workshop will discuss research findings about racial microaggressions in learning environments and other contexts. We will discuss how to identify racial microaggressions and how they negatively affect students’ sense of belonging on campus. We will also discuss strategies that students, staff, faculty and administrators can use to improve campus climate.


Workshop 1.3: Testing Equity/Fairness

Presenter: Michael Walker
Abstract: How do we ensure test fairness? When we write our classroom assessments, we have some notion of what fairness means and we try to adhere to it. But with national standardized tests, concepts of fairness cover much more ground. The processes implemented to ensure fairness take months, even years. In this session, we will explore fairness concepts and associated methods employed by testing organizations to produce the best possible assessments. We will also explore fair test use—making sure that scores are used for their intended purposes, being careful not to interpret scores beyond their actual meaning, and guarding against disparate impact.


Wednesday Workshops

Workshop 2.1: Developing Intercultural Clinical Competence: A Cross-Discipline Discussion of Pedagogies and Teaching Philosophies

Presenter: Anita Hund
Abstract: In this workshop, the importance of multicultural and social justice education for trainees and researchers in the helping fields as well as common educational gaps in training programs will be outlined. Further, pedagogical processes and teaching philosophy underlying cultural competency training will be reviewed. A cross-discipline panel of professionals and researchers engaged in clinical training will discuss their efforts to encourage integration of diversity work with clinical discourse and practice with their trainees.


Workshop 2.2: Rising to the Challenges of Interdisciplinary Teams

Presenter: William C. Barley
Abstract: Interdisciplinary teams are increasingly lauded for their potential to produce novel solutions to science's most important puzzles. Yet, research on teams shows that the same diversity affording these benefits can produce significant communication challenges that hinder success. This workshop will help participants identify challenges they may face on interdisciplinary teams and produce strategies to effectively manage them.


Workshop 2.3: Navigating Controversy and Backlash in Social Science Research

Organizers: Ross Wantland & Ruby Mendenhall
Panelists: Rochelle Gutierrez, Ruby Mendenhall, Helen Neville, Ramona Faith Oswald & Kate Clancy
Abstract: Join a panel of faculty engaging in research on racism, White supremacy, sexism, sexual harassment, and homophobia as they discuss their strategies for navigating politics and producing critical work. Panelists include Kate Clancy (Anthropology), Rochelle Gutierrez (Curriculum & Instruction and Latina/Latino Studies), Ruby Mendenhall (Sociology, African American Studies, and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine), Helen Neville (Counseling Psychology and African American Studies), and Ramona Faith Oswald (Human Development & Family Studies).


Workshop 2.4: An Honest Conversation about Diversity In Higher Education

Presenter: Kelly Cross
Abstract: Diversity in higher education is a complex and multifaceted issue that is often misunderstood. It is often incorrectly assumed that faculty have sufficient information to critically think about and address diversity issues, despite their limited awareness or understanding of the systemic inequality. The lack of awareness and understanding of the intricacies of diversity limits the ability of most faculty to meaningfully engage in addressing diversity issues. As a result, despite years of effort and considerable research focusing on attracting and retaining a diverse students, domestic diversity remains limited throughout STEM fields and the “chilly” climate endures. Retention rates for African-American students (42.1%), Native Americans (52.9%) and Hispanics (62.5%) all still persist below those of non-Hispanic whites (73.7%). A diverse student population has been shown to positively impact several student outcomes such as critical thinking, creativity, and teaming skills. Also, diversity has been shown to be a driving force in business to optimize innovation, economic growth, and market share. Yet most faculty, who care about diversity, are rarely provided supporting resources. As a result, this talk is designed to initiate an honest conversation and present a proposed conceptual model to engage faculty in the national conversation about diversity in higher education broadly but more specifically in STEM.