AM & PM Session — Although STEM education is an important part of school curricula, more than 50% of Canadian students drop math and science in senior high school. This is exacerbated for Black, Indigenous, Queer, low SES, and English-language learning students who are disproportionately “counselled” into applied courses that limit their post-secondary education opportunities. Moreover, stereotypes about scientists and the lack of scientists from marginalized backgrounds have negatively impacted the degree of diversity in STEM classes.
Our program, “Linking Laboratories to Curriculum in STEM” (LinC STEM), focuses on increasing access to and engagement with STEM among high school students and teachers from underserved communities in Scarborough. In partnership with Grade 9 STEM teachers and scientist from UTSC (undergraduate & graduate students, researchers, technicians and faculty), we co-developed a curriculum-linked science enrichment program and connected students with diverse scientist-mentors. Through bi-weekly workshops and scientific experience, we seek to combat stereotypes regarding who “belongs” in science and demystify research, while supporting the development of scientific investigation skills.
Over more than a year, scientist-mentors facilitated experiential learning opportunities through interactive workshops and hands on laboratory activities. High school students and their teachers learned about and applied the scientific method by conducting experiments in university teaching labs, analyzing, interpreting and visualizing their own data through coding, as well as designing scientific posters and presenting them to peers from other schools.
In today’s session, you will have the chance to learn more about our program and engage with the material that was developed (presentations, videos, protocols), as well as participate in a “virtual lab” simulating what the high school students do at UTSC.
Room J130
AM Breakout Session: 10:40 – 11:50am
PM Breakout Session: 12:45 – 1:55 pm
Presenter:
Luciana Baruffaldi is a biologist, science communicator, and activist for equitable access to STEM. Originally from South America, she holds a BSc and a MSc from the Universidad de la Republica (Montevideo, Uruguay), and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Toronto. With over 10 years of experience working in academic settings at UTSC, she has successfully developed and delivered innovative teaching curricula that encourage reflection, critical thinking, and scientific skills among high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Her strong background in research, teaching, and community engagement suits her with the skills to design and implement innovative programs and to build and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Dr. Baruffaldi currently works as a Laboratory Coordinator for the teaching laboratories in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough. She is also the founder, lead, and director of a new science outreach program, “Linking Laboratories to Curriculum in STEM” (LinC STEM), designed to integrate hands-on laboratory activities conducted at the teaching labs at UTSC with the STEM curriculum of grade 9 classes from underserved schools in Scarborough. This program involved the cocreation of bi-weekly workshops and hands-on activities in partnership with grade 9 STEM high school teachers, UTSC students, staff, and faculty. The goal of the program is to deliver equitable access to STEM experiences and encourage students to pursue and stay in careers related to STEM while disrupting stereotypes about science and scientists.