How does racism exist within STEM?

For decades, STEM students who identify as Indigenous, Black or Students of Colour have experienced some form of overt or subtle racism, from peers, teachers or administrators. As a result of these microaggressions, non-white students are consistently experiencing negative impacts on their mental health, personal well-being, therefore making it difficult for programs and institutions to retain their academic enrollments and long-term interests in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors. 

Scientists must work towards recognizing the impacts of their traditional scientific practices on the broader science community, that includes and centers racialized individuals and communities. There are inequitable manifestations of discrimination deeply rooted in historical science, such as the hierarchy of ‘superior to inferior’, where whiteness is seen as superior to non-whiteness. The creation of racial division has been used to justify European colonialism, mass genocide and slavery of Indigenous and Black communities.

Types of Microaggressions

• Microassaults: overt forms of discrimination in which actors deliberately behave in discriminatory ways, but do not intend to offend someone or may think that their actions are not noticed or harmful
• Microinsults: statements or behaviors in which individuals unintentionally or unconsciously communicate discriminatory messages to members of target groups
• Microinvalidations: verbal statements that deny, negate, or undermine the realities of members of various target groups

An example of “Recognition of Intelligence”. Microaggressions often are formed by underlying assumptions about an individual’s ability or intelligence, based on their race and/or gender - they often come from peers, friends, neighbours and figures of authority. For example, Dr. Marshall Shepherd, weather and climate expert, has appeared on television, is an educator for students and has a graduate degree yet he is subjected to comments such as “You are so articulate.” or “You are a credit to your race”. These kinds of comments create harm in that they are “well-intentioned” without being aware of their impacts - they are made based on unconscious biases and stereotypes of racialized folks having less intelligence or are not up to a particular standard of knowledge, compared to non-racialized people.

“Racism is the use of institutional power to deny or grant people and groups of people rights, respect, representation and resources based on their skin colour. Racism in action makes Whiteness a preferred way of being human. By whiteness I am referring to the civilization, language, culture and the skin colour associated most often with European-ness. Racism is reflected in a hierarchy in which beauty, intelligence, worth and things associated with Whiteness are at the top.”

- Enid Lee, “Anti-Racism Education: Pulling Together to Close the Gaps”

How can you make a shift in your workplace?

Prioritizing the efforts of racialized folks. This can include (and is not limited to) proper citations of their research work, referring them to career or grant opportunities, nominating them for awards, and introducing and implementing their ideas within the classroom or learning spaces. Racialized individuals should be granted more leadership in decision making in group settings whether in STEM classrooms or learning spaces with their non-racialized peers.

A message from your facilitator!

Click here to watch a video by Mo Phùng who shares their personal experiences with microaggressions in a STEM program (Ocean Sciences) at a Nova Scotia-based university. They contextualize the topic of racism within the lived experiences of Indigenous, Black and people of colour to really hammer in the importance of recognizing and addressing racism in STEM.