Rather than Petri boxes or microscopes in the BRIE Tripp laboratory, you will find various undergraduate students gathered around laptops, by carrying out the unique mandate of the laboratory to study how to promote social and racial justice in classes of science.
Social justice remains a rare subject in STEM – something that Tripp, assistant teacher of teaching in the department of neurobiology, physiology and behavior, or NPB, said that it hoped to change. “Science does not need to be taught in isolation,” she said. “Because these are humans. If you do not understand how your position can influence research decisions, it can be extremely biased. Science benefits from consciousness of how it has perpetuated disparities And How it can be used to mitigate them. »»
Tripp’s approach is multilayer and innovative. The members of his laboratory develop vast case studies on the physiology of health disparities in poorly served populations, such as higher maternal mortality in black women and diabetes in the Amerindian population. They then collect comments from affected communities and make recommendations for future advocacy.
The botter? These social case studies in science are part of the study program for students of the NPB 110C physiology course of tripp. Tripp, its undergraduate researchers and its community partners with the lived experience of injustice, thus co-create a collaborative learning model in which they shape the socially aware content that their first cycle peers are immediately committed, This stimulates greater awareness of equity in science education.
Bring social justice to STEM
Many students hear a discussion on how social injustice can affect the basic physiological processes for the first time in Tripp’s class. Alex Pulido, a first-year-old pre-Med student, was so struck by them in 110c that he joined the Tripp laboratory. “When we obtained the first assignment of case studies, I was, as it is so cool,” he said. “I have never met all this in other STEM courses.”
The passion for social justice has attracted Satu Ra enwezor, a second -year student, specializing in NPB art and the studio, in the Tripp laboratory after visiting office hours to get help in an NPB class Introduction. “(Dr. Tripp) said,” Hey, how would you feel social work and have an impact on health research specifically? “And I said:” It is essentially intrinsic to my being, “said Enwezor, who plans a career in medical illustration, in order to impregnate his future work as a scientific artist with accessibility, Inclusive and equity.
“As a black woman, my existence sometimes looks like a political statement,” said Enwezor. “Even after the point of politics, this is how I am treated in different health and research spaces. I want to work in my own community, especially in Davis, on disoriented conversations on the race and inequalities. He was a really strong driver for me to join the Dr. Tripp laboratory. »»
Health care for the education of future health care providers
Tripp brought the idea of case studies on social justice with her at UC Davis in 2021. “I proposed this in my work to speak at university,” she recalls. “Doing this was a great decision because social justice is political and often decoupled from science, but I was just thinking:” who I am. That’s what I want to do. “”
The idea and his university career have been long in development. “I actually witnessed social injustice for the first time in 2013 when I trained to enter the medical field and saw flagrant health disparities in the first -hand – poorly served populations under conditions of Disastrous health without insurance or financial support, “said tripp. “Attending these disparities and even death all around me has really wreaked havoc on my mental health, and I found myself in a rather dark space.” She changed career shortly after: “I realized that my gift was for the teaching of science,” she said. “When students come in class, they are here because they want to be, which is very different from hospital circles. Students embody hope.
Tripp continued his doctorate. In the Portland State University, with a clear vision of the integration of biological and educational research. “It’s during my post-doct And ways to change these conditions? And so I started to think about how I could do that.
From the start, Tripp was aimed at raising the voices and prospects of students. “When I started in UC Davis, I knew that I wanted to involve students from badly served backgrounds in this project. I identify with certain poorly served identities, but, of course, not with all, “said Tripp. “So I really wanted to have students like my authentic collaborators, because it is they who know what it is to have these health disparities affect.”
Collaboration to build a future empathy
The Tripp laboratory produced 13 case studies and works on several others. Case studies are often deeply significant for students, both those who produce them in the Tripp laboratory and those who study them in class. For example, a case study on black maternal mortality, led by a blackly black woman, centered on Shalon Irving, a doctorate. Epidemiologist for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who died of complications after childbirth and inadequate care.
“It’s a powerful story,” said Tripp. “This one really resonates with the students. They want to know how they can plead for change. »»
This potential influence also motivates the members of the laboratory, said Ethan Pang, a fourth year student who changed his major at NPB and joined the laboratory after having followed one of the classes of Tripp: “Which motivates me to Continuing this research is that I do not only help to help these communities affected, but also have an impact on my peers, which will make huge decisions affecting hundreds if not thousands of Patients. »»
Tripp has highlighted students’ voices from the start. “Their voices have been diverted, tokenized and devalued,” she said. “So, although I make comments on their cases, I really try to let them guide the process.”
Case studies begin with students reflecting on health disparities ideas that align with the NPB 110C program: the case study on diabetes in Amerindian populations, for example, is taught in the unit on the endocrine system; non -loous children and stress repercussions on the immune system; Intersex individuals and reproductive system. Working in small groups, students are looking for the subject and assemble cases using a model that Tripp has refined over time. “It is unusual because we are thinking about all ideas, do most research and organize information,” said Pulido, who worked on a case study on tuberculosis and the respiratory system in imprisoned populations.
Enwezor also worked on the case study of tuberculosis and said that she had great hopes for her effect on students. “I am really delighted that it is implemented in the program,” she said. “If NPB 110C students enter health care, they must build their empathy and understanding and accept people from all walks of life. This is what I want to go home with this case study. »»
A learning loop
Let the students pilot the process also gave Tripp new information. “I learned so much from my undergraduate students on so many disparities that we never talked about,” she said.
Tripp and his students have also learned how social conscience can be compatible with rigorous scientific education. “It is possible to have this intersection of social sciences and stem, and the students dig it overall,” said Tripp. “I cannot tell you how many students have said to me:” My entire first cycle career has been only science, science, science. It’s so refreshing to finally have an application. “”
His students express the appreciation. “Dr. Tripp is an excellent mentor,” said Pulido. “It’s so great to make our voices heard, and it’s always a little crazy for me that we can create equipment used in a university course program. “”