Assistant Professor, Biology Education University of Georgia, Athens Athens, Georgia, United States
Program Abstract: This study examined how a sample of college science faculty members used color-blind or systemic racism frames to make sense of the underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx students in STEM. Interviews were conducted with forty-two professors in a college of sciences at a Historically White Institution in the United States. Thematic analysis showed that the majority of participants used color-blind frames. Faculty who relied on these frames positioned students of color and/or their communities as deficient. Consistent with extant research on color-blind racial ideology, participants were able to explain racial phenomena without implicating racism—which allowed them to absolve themselves from responsibility in addressing racial inequality. Participants who used systemic racism frames tended to recognize they had a role to play in ameliorating these issues. These findings indicate the need for efforts that support STEM faculty in developing a critical consciousness to engage in actions that advance racial justice in STEM education.
