Universities rely heavily on summary statistics as proxies for student achievement (GPA, GRE, MCAT, etc.), but in many cases these measures fail to capture actual talent and capacity for success. Moreover, they are strongly biased by socioeconomic status and identity. The effect is a profound and systematic barrier to many underrepresented populations within the STEM disciplines. Universities need to re-evaluate the way that traditional undergraduate education determines who can and should do science.

We are actively working on changing the way undergraduate education is delivered at Dalhousie University in order to improve retention and success of historically underrepresented students in STEM.  Our efforts focus on recognizing UR students having a strong interest in science and math trajectories but who have only limited incoming cultural resources and support systems for science.  We are developing new academic programming and resources to diversify and expand success in STEM by identifying and supporting underrepresented talent.  These efforts include:

1. Dalhousie Science Scholars and Leaders Program (DSSLP)
2. Becoming a Scientist I and II (BIOL2111 and BIOL2112)
3. First year interest group (FIGS0004): A toolkit for diverse STEM students
4. Academic work and publications
5. Collaborators: Diversity of Nature


Dalhousie Science Scholars and Leaders Program:  DSSLP is a co-curricular academic program (launched in Fall 2022) housed within the Department of Biology, but open to all STEM majors.  The program is focused on UR students (UR = BIPOC, first generation, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2SIA+ etc.) having a strong interest in science but who face profound and systematic barriers within the STEM disciplines. These students join an academic program that will affirm and support the development of their individual science identities. This will be achieved by building a student community that promotes the active participation of its members in support of each other’s success in science. Community development is complemented by two terms of formal credit-based coursework that mentors them in the implicit “rules of the science game”, encourages their direct engagement with undergraduate research opportunities at Dalhousie, supports the early development of their professional science skills, and provides them with tools to increase their own happiness as a science student while building productive academic habits. Students are provided with the resources they need to translate their passion for science into a successful career within a science field.  The ethos of this program is to change the way that traditional undergraduate education determines who can and should do science.  Click this link to go to the DSSLP website.



BIOL2111/2112 (SCIE2111/1112) Becoming a Scientist I and II:   These courses examine the general culture of academia, and that of science majors at Dalhousie University. Students learn about the many facets of science as a process. Through scholarly studies & activities, and by interacting with people who put science into practice, the course will de-mystify the language and practice of science. Students develop science communication skills and learn practical information that will help them to plan and progress towards a science-related career. The course also explores the translation of science to society, and the importance of community outreach activities.  This course promotes the active participation of students in support of each other’s success.  Click this link for a copy of the syllabus.



FIGS(0021): A toolkit for diverse STEM students:  The objective if the FIG is to affirm and support historically excluded and underrepresented students in STEM.  If you are a student that has a passion for science but you are bewildered by the many unwritten rules of science, we can help!  Are you wondering how to plan your STEM degree? Are you interested in becoming part of a more inclusive science community? Are you uncertain about how to access all the tools you can use to succeed in STEM?  Do you want to know where to find support? We will help you with these and other challenges.  We will work as a group to address these topics and learn how to support each other’s success. There will be group work, hands-on activities, and guest speakers. This is a winter-term learning module offered as part of the Dalhousie Science Scholars and Leaders Program.  Click this link for a copy of the syllabus.

Co-requisites/Prerequisites: This is an interactive group open to all students with a passion for science and a desire to make a difference in the world through a STEM career.
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Academic work and publications

Massey D.B.M., Arif S., Embuldeniya S., Nanglu K., Bielawski J.P.  2022. Ten Simple Rules for Succeeding as an Underrepresented STEM Undergraduate.  PLoS Computational Biology. Jun 9;18(6):e1010101. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010101. [Click this link for the PDF.]

Massey D.B.M., Arif S., Bielawski J.P., Meynell L. 2022. Cultivating a Healthy Cognitive Ecology. In preparation.

Funding: NSERC New Frontiers in Research Fund (Exploration 2019): Testing “It’s the song, not the singer(s)”: microbiomes to Gaia.

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Our Collaborators