School of Education professor named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
For a young person, it’s hard to imagine growing up to be a scientist or an engineer if you don’t see scientists or engineers that look like you. Dr. Edna Tan is changing that, one young person and community at a time.
“Professionals in STEM are often white males. There’s a lack of representation of people of color, and women,” she says. “How children are introduced to STEM and how they engage with it influences whether they regard STEM as something they can or want to do.”
Last year, Tan was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS. She is the first woman at UNCG to receive this coveted honor from the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society.
AAAS fellows are selected by their peers for efforts that advance science, that are scientifically or socially distinguished. Dr. Tan’s research explores how we design STEM teaching and learning that is both impactful and equitable, with a focus on underrepresented populations.
Her approach calls for deep embedment within communities over long periods of time. Building trust and personal relationships are key, she says, because successful learning environments are developed in collaboration with the youth and teachers they engage.
Tan’s co-authored paper “Rethinking High-Leverage Practices in Justice-Oriented Ways” recently won the Journal of Teacher Education’s Outstanding Article Award.
Her goal for STEM learning, she says, is “learning where youth can be rightfully present, where they can be themselves, and where they can become who they want to be.”