There are many advocates for improved science education for underrepresented minorities. Below are links to social media of teachers, activists, professors, scientists, entrepreneurs, counselors, and musicians who are passionate about science education. They all work to increase the amount of opportunities for minority students in STEM fields. Many of these individuals focus on the positive impact of culturally relevant curriculum, specifically hip hop, in science classrooms.
Dr. Christopher Emdin
Twitter: @chrisemdin 20
Blog: http://chrisemdin.com/blog/ 21
Instagram: http://instagram.com/p/utCu9jvjhc/?modal=true 22
Video of rap battle organized by Dr. Emdin 23
Christopher Emdin on Hip-hop, Obama Effect & Urban Science Education 24
TEDTalk by Christopher Emdin 25
Dr. Christopher Emdin is a major advocate for science education in urban public schools. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology and the Director of Science Education at the Center for Health Equity and Urban Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Emdin is a co creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement which seeks to excite urban public school students about science through integrating hip hop into the curriculum and wrote Urban Science Education for the Hip-hop Generation about his work.25
Dr. Reagan Flowers
Twitter: @DrReaganFlowers 26
Dr. Reagan Flowers, a high school science teacher, has dedicated her career to close the academic achievement gap specifically in the sciences. She founded C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc which provides curricula and support for teachers and students in areas of communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and created the nation’s first integrated STEM enrichment program for Pre K through 12th grade. Dr. Flowers has been named in 100 Women Leaders in STEM, was nominated for WISE Award and writes books and a blog about educational disparities specifically related to science.26
Dr. Danielle N. Lee
Twitter: @DNLee5 27
Blog: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/urban-scientist/ 28
Danielle N. Lee is a biologist focusing on animal behavior and behavioral ecology. She concentrates on sharing science with general audiences, particularly minority groups through outdoor programming and social media. She writes about science, breakthrough research, and access of underserved populations to science, technology, engineering, and math education and jobs.28
Felecia Hatcher
Twitter: @FeleciaHatcher 29
Website: http://www.feleciahatcher.com 30
Felecia Hatcher, a product of the urban public school system, is an entrepreneur (founder of Feverish Ice Cream) and proponent for science education in urban public schools. She established an initiative called Code Fever that was created to educate and train African American youth in the areas of technology and entrepreneurship.30
Ian Levy
Twitter: @Ianplevy 31
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ianphiliplevy 32
Ian Levy is a high school counselor and rapper who is a proponent of using hip hop to successfully work with urban adolescents. He works to use hip hop as a educational and therapy tool.31
Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III
TEDTALK by Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III 33
How to Get More Black Men Into Science-Article by Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III 34
Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, is the president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and an advocate for better math and science education for minority students. He also co-founded (with philanthropist Robert Meyerhoff) the Meyerhoff Scholars Program to increase minority representation in STEM fields.33
Laura Weidman Powers
Twitter: @laurawp35
Laura Weidman Powers has a background in entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, youth development, and technology. She co-founded CODE2040, a nonprofit which works to increase minority representation in technological occupations. She also established a nonprofit arts education organization in West Philadelphia.35
S E Anderson
Twitter: @blackeducator36
S E Anderson is a mathematics professor, Senior Editor of NOBO: the Journal of African Dialogue, an advocate for African Americans and access to science education. He helped found the Black Panther Party in Harlem and 1966 and was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He was one of the first Black Studies Chairs at Sarah Lawrence College where he created a department that included math and the natural sciences as part of a Black Studies Curriculum.36
Emery Petchauer
Twitter: @EmeryPetchauer37
Emery Petchauer is an Assistant Professor of Urban Education at Oakland University. He wrote Hip-Hop Culture in College Students’ Lives: Elements, Embodiment, and Higher Edutainment, the first scholarly of hip-hop culture in colleges and universities. He has worked with Dr. Christopher Emdin on incorporating hip hop into science education in urban public schools.37