Equity as an Early Career Academic
0 likes3,459 views
This document summarizes Flip Tanedo's presentation on equity as an early career academic. Tanedo discusses their experience on the tenure track and lessons learned. As a student, the focus is individual survival and support, but as a faculty member the goals shift to lifting others, changing institutions, and stewarding disciplines through mentoring and persistence. Achieving equity requires understanding incentives and compensating equity work. Building trust in institutions is important but fragile, so efforts should reaffirm shared values.
![@ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28
Impetus and Mechanism for Change
Cover designer Peter Mendelsund, Schocken edition; Wikipedia 4/8/22
6
Hard: how to evolve a community (sense-making)
The Castle is about alienation, unresponsive bureaucracy, […] non-
transparent, seemingly arbitrary controlling systems, and the futile
pursuit of an unobtainable goal.
It is challenging to tackle abstract obstacles,
or even to identify them.
It is dangerous to con
fl
ate abstract obstacles
with individual villains.
“More is Different” applied to institutions
c.f.. P. Anderson “More is Different,” Science 1972](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/apstanedoequityminorcorrections-220410124759/85/Equity-as-an-Early-Career-Academic-6-320.jpg)
![@ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28
A common response
8
Where do Maxwell’s equations depend on the color of your skin?
Why should growing up poor affect your ability to calculate an amplitude?
“
… but physics doesn’t care about
your race, gender, sexual
orientation, socioeconomic status,
politics …
Example, part 2:
[ Comment: Maybe we spend too much time arguing whether social science is ‘science'
instead of recognizing that science is social. ]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/apstanedoequityminorcorrections-220410124759/85/Equity-as-an-Early-Career-Academic-8-320.jpg)
![@ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28
“Anti-Town Hall” events
Small, personal, off-the-record discussions in good faith
23
Large meetings are useful for sharing information, but are not conducive
for fully engaged discussion and good-faith debate. [e.g. Zoom faculty meetings]
Sponsor informal (but targeted) chats at the campus pub between
department stakeholders to have those discussions.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/apstanedoequityminorcorrections-220410124759/85/Equity-as-an-Early-Career-Academic-23-320.jpg)
More Related Content
Similar to Equity as an Early Career Academic (20)
Equity as an Early Career Academic
- 1. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 Equity as an Early Career Academic Flip Tanedo April 9, 2022 APS April Meeting Personal lessons from the tenure track
- 2. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Lessons on the Tenure Track Based on my personal experience: your mileage may vary Many thanks to APS IDEA network, patient colleagues, and most importantly: amazing mentors and role models. 2 Student Tenure track
- 3. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 How equity intersects with profession Transition from individual marginalization to institutional responsibility 3 Student Tenure track Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution
- 4. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 How equity intersects with profession Transition from individual marginalization to institutional responsibility 4 Student Tenure track Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Stewardship of discipline as “insider” persistence tenure mentoring
- 5. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Impetus and Mechanism for Change Images from deviantart.com/hansungkee and ipmgroupuk.com 5 Easy: stop individual bad people, stop bad actions
- 6. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Impetus and Mechanism for Change Cover designer Peter Mendelsund, Schocken edition; Wikipedia 4/8/22 6 Hard: how to evolve a community (sense-making) The Castle is about alienation, unresponsive bureaucracy, […] non- transparent, seemingly arbitrary controlling systems, and the futile pursuit of an unobtainable goal. It is challenging to tackle abstract obstacles, or even to identify them. It is dangerous to con fl ate abstract obstacles with individual villains. “More is Different” applied to institutions c.f.. P. Anderson “More is Different,” Science 1972
- 7. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 Helen Quinn (paraphrased) Physics is hard. It is harder if you are a woman, if your skin is brown, if you are gay, if you do not identify with the other physicists around you. Example, Part 1
- 8. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 A common response 8 Where do Maxwell’s equations depend on the color of your skin? Why should growing up poor affect your ability to calculate an amplitude? “ … but physics doesn’t care about your race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, politics … Example, part 2: [ Comment: Maybe we spend too much time arguing whether social science is ‘science' instead of recognizing that science is social. ]
- 9. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 What is your job? Are you being paid for it? 9 Student Tenure track Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Do research, maybe teach Is this credited as service? “research / service / teaching”
- 10. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 What is your job? Are you being paid for it? See Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, “(Academic) Housework: The Engine of Science (& Society),” medium.com 2016 or The Disordered Cosmos, chapter 10: “Wages for Scienti fi c Housework” 10 “With great power, comes great responsibility” Often repeated in Spider-Man movies Image: Spider-Man (2002) Belief: as a faculty member, you have more power to make things better. … “wait until you’re faculty” … “now that you’re faculty, fi x all this” Better: get paid (quanti fi ed credit), make sure others get paid, and understand institutional incentives. Equity work is work, normalize that it is rewarded and valued.
- 11. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Incentives Carrots for individuals and institutions nsf.gov/od/oia/special/broaderimpacts 11 As you make sure you are compensated for your equity labor, consider: What motivates others and your institution to contribute? (usually money) What prevents them from contributing? (usually time) NSF values the advancement of scienti fi c knowledge and activities that contribute to the achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in STEM; …
- 12. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Time scales Just as physics is different at different scales… 12 Student Faculty Roughly proportional scaling for the timescale over which change e ff orts are (1) relevant and (2) achievable. Permanent positions give the opportunity for long-term change. Do not stop short-term efforts, but be aware how they intersect. ~5yrs ~40 yrs
- 13. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 First and Second Order Change Values at the core of institutional change See, e.g. Adrianna Kezar, How Colleges Change 13 Where we’re going Where we are now Our efforts Our values “sense making”
- 14. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 First and Second Order Change Values at the core of institutional change 14 Making the right decision Trust that communal decision-making structures will make the right decision See, e.g. Adrianna Kezar, How Colleges Change
- 15. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 First and Second Order Change Values at the core of institutional change See, e.g. Adrianna Kezar, How Colleges Change 15 Assumptions If faculty ‘have power,’ why aren’t things better? … Willful neglect? Resignation to status quo? Or: institution ∋ decent people who are overwhelmed
- 16. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Institutional trust as an unstable fixed point 16 > >> >>> < << <<< 0 trust Polarization Distrust leads to negative experiences, which creates further distrust progress trust leads to positive experiences, which cultivates further trust Perceived responses affect future dynamics
- 17. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Watching Things Fail Painful, but important lessons (growth mindset) 17 Student Tenure track Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution Survival Lift While You Climb Change the Institution
- 18. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 An ongoing case study based on personal experiences Goal: focus on lessons from a narrative, not the speci fi c narrative • Graduate students • Department faculty • College-level equity o ffi cers This explicit narrative and understanding of recent history are my own and re fl ect my own blind spots. 18 Partialcast Groups are not homogeneous in belief, though easy to talk about other groups as if they are. Perception of bad faith can create distrust, making it more likely to perceive bad faith in the future…
- 19. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Attempt at a “second order” intervention Inspired by our participation in the APS IDEA network APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance: aps.org/programs/innovation/fund/idea.cfm 19 • Small group of faculty, postdocs, grad student + DEI administrator Missing: undergraduates, department sta f • Goal: fortify communication between faculty/students to build trust • Codify existing shared values Communication for trust-building
- 20. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Attempt at a “second order” intervention Inspired by our participation in the APS IDEA network APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance: aps.org/programs/innovation/fund/idea.cfm 20 • Recent e ff orts from department for better communication (e.g. communication platforms, new town hall events) • COVID19, nothing is normal (Is it “just the pandemic”? Is there anything that can be done?) Communication for trust-building Initialcondition
- 21. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Attempt at a “second order” intervention Inspired by our participation in the APS IDEA network APS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance: aps.org/programs/innovation/fund/idea.cfm 21 • Who has time for this? (Incentive structure?) • Distrust of outsider/insider intent • Skepticism of creating lasting change (Fall back to ground state?) Communication for trust-building challenges
- 22. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Our Driver Diagram Our approach to sense-making and aligning efforts with values Presented to our APS IDEA Online Learning Community 22 Develop Community “Inclusive Excellence” Build Trust More effective Communication Shared Information Informal communications Shared Values Code of Conduct Anti-Town Halls Broader Impacts Package Evolve Norms Align inclusive & physics objectives AIM PRIMARYDRIVERS SECONDARYDRIVERS PROJECTS
- 23. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 “Anti-Town Hall” events Small, personal, off-the-record discussions in good faith 23 Large meetings are useful for sharing information, but are not conducive for fully engaged discussion and good-faith debate. [e.g. Zoom faculty meetings] Sponsor informal (but targeted) chats at the campus pub between department stakeholders to have those discussions.
- 24. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 “Anti-Town Hall” events Small, personal, off-the-record discussions in good faith • Incentive: chance to be heard, hear “other side,” and have frank debate. • Secondary incentive: free food, socialize • Everything said is understood to be private, but group approves a list of general value-based statements that we publicize. • We end meetings with a pledge for future steps, however modest. • Hope: informal dissemination of information can also heal cultural rifts between groups. (e.g. squash rumors about perceived intent) 24
- 25. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Our APS IDEA team sites.google.com/ucr.edu/aps-idea/ 25 Public-facing website, why? Record of our e ff orts, credit for our team members. Codify the values and goals within our group. Control narrative of what we are doing.
- 26. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Our APS IDEA team sites.google.com/ucr.edu/aps-idea/ 26 Led by an executive board (faculty + 2 grad students). Not quite shared governance, more like a republic than democracy… for now. Internal website to organize and save notes of all meetings, links to resources. Goal: preserve what we have learned Internal organization
- 27. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Some take-away lessons Early lessons from our IDEA group and sense-making • Clearly articulated motivation matters more than “theory” • Multiple motivations for a plurality of skeptics • Needs to be based on your values right now • Useful way to frame motivation: When does it end? 27
- 28. @ f l i p . t a n e d o APS APRIL MEETING 2022 28 Summary What changes in equity work as you progress along the tenure track? • No longer just individual(s) support, but curating a community • Lasting changes target values, but timescales are long • Need to work within incentive structures, get paid for your labor • Institutional trust can be fragile, work to fortify it • E ff ective solutions re fl ect the community’s existing values 28 Thank you to the APS IDEA leadership, the UCR IDEA team (esp. Bryan Scott and Liz Finney), grad diversity and climate committees, POWUR, and all of my mentors and allies