Dr. Norda Stephenson Explores Identity and Recognition in Women of Color in Chemistry: An Intersectional Approach

Dr. Norda Stephenson, dually appointed to Chemistry and SMATE, has recently published a study in the journal Chemistry Education Research and Practice (CERP), Recognition experiences of women of color in chemistry: an intersectional study. Following the experiences of 4 women of color, this research addresses critical gaps in the understanding of how identity is shaped and negotiated within the discipline based on recognition (positive and negative), providing new insights that have the potential to inform educational practices and support systems at other similarly populated institutions.  

Abstract: Much research on women of color in STEM has treated women of color as a collective, giving little attention to the nuanced differences in the experiences of the women within this larger group. Research on women of color in STEM has also given insufficient attention to disciplinary differences, and has often applied unidimensional, rather than intersectional approaches, to examining the experiences of these women. This study takes a nuanced approach to examining the recognition experiences of four undergraduate women of color in chemistry, and how those experiences are shaped by the intersection of their multiple marginalized identities, using an intersectional lens. Interpretive phenomenological analysis is used to center the women's voices and focus on capturing both the convergences and divergences in their experiences. Our findings illustrate the value of using an intersectional approach, and provide explicit examples of how recognition, especially negative recognition, manifests itself in these women's experiences. The findings have implications for how institutions and disciplines can support women of color to persist in science disciplines, as well as implications for research. 

Full article: Recognition experiences of women of color in chemistry: an intersectional study