Highlighting Diversity in Neuroscience through Course Content.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience Education
• Inclusion in STEM
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• Large lecture courses in neuroscience can be impersonal.
• Neuroscience majors require foundational knowledge and a sense of community.
• Underrepresented students may face unique challenges in feeling a sense of belonging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of showcasing diverse neuroscientists on student sense of belonging.
• To evaluate a novel pedagogical approach in a large undergraduate neuroscience course.
• To determine if inclusivity interventions benefit all student demographics.

Main Methods:

• Integrated weekly slides featuring diverse neuroscientists into learning assistant-led sections.
• Course size: approximately 80 students, primarily neuroscience majors.
• Collected survey data on student perceptions and sense of belonging.

Main Results:

• Students expressed appreciation for the research presentations.
• Survey data indicated an increased sense of belonging for all students.
• The intervention positively impacted both underrepresented and not underrepresented students.

Conclusions:

• Showcasing diverse scientists in educational materials can enhance student belonging.
• This strategy is effective in large, required undergraduate courses.
• Promoting diversity and inclusion is crucial for a supportive learning environment in neuroscience.