Bergstrom Rachel A
Department of Biology, Beloit College , Beloit, Wisconsin.
Adv Physiol Educ. 2019 Mar 1;43(1):1-6. doi: 10.1152/advan.00185.2018.
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) continue to work to increase the diversity of the fields, yet there are still significant historical and societal hurdles to be overcome before we reach full representation throughout STEM. The concept of science identity has become a point of interest in this process; it has been suggested that development of one's identity as a scientist is critical to persistence in the field. Metaphors that are rooted in bodily experience can provide a starting point to understand abstract concepts, including science identity and how we as STEM educators respond to increasing diversity within our fields. Given the history of STEM being predominantly populated by people who are white and male, disorientation or discomfort with increasing diversity is not unexpected, and many women and people of color report discrimination and marginalization as a part of their experience in STEM. Here I present a neuroscience-based metaphor that can serve as a starting point for understanding some of the potential disorientation or discomfort that we may experience as we engage with the increasing diversity of STEM and acknowledge this experience as a normal but temporary part of the process of growth and development as a field. I encourage the development and use of further discipline-based metaphors to enhance our discussion and understanding of this important work.
科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域仍在不断努力增加其多样性，但在STEM各领域实现全面代表性之前，仍有重大的历史和社会障碍需要克服。科学身份的概念已成为这一过程中的一个关注点；有人提出，培养个人作为科学家的身份对于在该领域坚持下去至关重要。植根于身体体验的隐喻可以为理解抽象概念提供一个起点，包括科学身份以及我们作为STEM教育工作者如何应对本领域日益增加的多样性。鉴于STEM领域的历史上主要是白人男性，面对日益增加的多样性感到迷失方向或不适并不意外，许多女性和有色人种报告称，歧视和边缘化是他们在STEM领域经历的一部分。在此，我提出一个基于神经科学的隐喻，它可以作为一个起点，帮助我们理解在面对STEM领域日益增加的多样性时可能经历的一些潜在的迷失方向或不适，并将这种经历视为该领域成长和发展过程中正常但暂时的一部分。我鼓励开发和使用更多基于学科的隐喻，以加强我们对这项重要工作的讨论和理解。
