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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has announced Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as a recipient of $531,600 as part of a multi-institutional $8 million grant through its Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) initiative. The initiative focuses on improving the student experience for introductory science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses.

SIUE and 14 institutional partners will specifically address an IE3 broad challenge of making the content of the introductory science experience more inclusive.

“Introductory level science courses are pivotal for many new university students,” said principal investigator (PI) Sharon Locke, PhD, professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and director of the SIUE Center for STEM Research, Education, and Outreach. “Success in first-year courses is crucial for continuing the pathway to a STEM career. Research consistently shows the importance of creating a positive learning experience, where students feel a sense that they belong in STEM.”

“SIUE is making a commitment to inclusive STEM education through its participation in this six-year multi-institutional project,” Locke added. “The HHMI award will provide resources for faculty to redesign aspects of their courses and teaching methods to align with principles of inclusion. A second core initiative in the project is the SIUE STEM Student Ambassadors program. Each year, a cohort of 10 SIUE students will work collaboratively to find practical solutions to STEM inclusion. The team has been energized by the students’ early ideas. We recognize that students bring an invaluable perspective to the project because they have had recent, personal experience with the courses.” 

Other SIUE team members include:

• Maurina Aranda, PhD (co-PI): assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences
• Lynn Bartels, PhD (co-PI): professor in the Department of Psychology and coordinator of Faculty Development
• Kathryn Bentley, MFA (co-PI): associate professor in the Department of Theater and Dance, director of the IMPACT Academy
• Rachel Bradley, PhD (co-PI): assistant professor in the Department of Psychology
• Cristina De Meo, PhD (co-PI): professor in the Department of Chemistry
• Brittany Peterson, PhD (co-PI): assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences
• Candice Johnson, MAT (key personnel): program coordinator of the STEM Center
• Andreia Figueiredo Dexheimer, PhD (key personnel): STEM Center Fellow

“SIUE’s team brings expertise from several different areas around the common goal of inclusion,” said Locke. “We expect that this diversity of perspectives will lead to innovative solutions to the problem. Through this team, the HHMI project will complement and coordinate with other important diversity and inclusion programs at SIUE.”

“Our SIUE commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is rooted in the conviction that we must act with purposeful intention to integrate diversity and equity into our institutional structures and cultivate a sense of belonging for all campus community members,” said Jessica C. Harris, PhD, vice chancellor for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “The HHMI IE3 team’s project is a great example of equity-focused accountability and especially highlights the critical role of faculty leadership and involvement in closing equity gaps and addressing disparities in student outcomes.” 

“Sustaining advances in diversity and inclusion requires a scientific culture that is centered on equity,” said Blanton Tolbert, HHMI’s vice president of science leadership and culture. “In science education, increasing the number of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds must go hand in hand with creating inclusive learning environments in which everyone can thrive.”

According to HHMI’s national announcement, the IE3 initiative includes multiple grants, totaling more than $60 million over the next six years to 104 schools that are involved in addressing the IE3 challenges. SIUE is part of one of seven Learning Community Clusters (LCC) that will be simultaneously pursuing three projects: faculty development, student engagement and agency, and curricular change. Through collaboration and accountability of the institutions, they will work to catalyze institutional change with respect to diversity and inclusion.

“IE3 places the responsibility of culture change on the community of experts – the students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the participating colleges and universities,” said David Asai, HHMI senior director for science education. “I believe this collective accountability will encourage the sustainable change we need in science."

Photo: SIUE research team members include, (L-R) Dr. Sharon Locke, Dr. Maurina Aranda, Dr. Lynn Bartels, Ms. Kathryn Bentley, Dr. Rachel Bradley, Dr. Cristina De Meo, Dr. Brittany Peterson, Ms. Candice Johnson, and Dr. Andreia Figueiredo Dexheimer.