Black Women In STEM: Reimagining the Role of Information Science as a Pathway to STEM Equity in the United States
Abstract
The persistent underrepresentation of Black women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields is largely attributed to their race and gender. With measures and interventions being continually undertaken to attain race and gender parity in STEM workforce, there is a lack of information science-based approaches in literature and practice. This might account for the less progress and increase recorded in the participation of Black women in the profession. This gap in STEM fields is an issue of national importance that seeks urgent solution. This paper aims to highlight the experiences of Black women in STEM, and implications for policy and practice.
Date
May 27, 2025 15:20 ADT — 15:45 ADT
Location
Rowe 1014 and Zoom
School of Information Science, University of Illinois
Joanna Adewunmi is a second year PhD student in the School of Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is interested in studying the underrepresentation and participation of Black women in STEM fields and careers. She is passionate about gender and racial equity, social justice, and digital equity, and loves to address these issues from an Information Science standpoint. Her other research interests are information behavior, community informatics, and women studies. She currently works as a Teaching Assistant at the School of Information Science. She is married with two energetic kids.