In this seminar, the presenter will share findings from an in-progress work and facilitate a conversation anchored in the experiences of Black graduate students in engineering (BGSE) at the intersections of two pandemics. This engaging conversation will support our awareness of how the experiences of BGSE as a marginalized group in engineering have been compounded by the simultaneous realities of COVID-19 and Racism-20 (systemic racism). Specifically, the duality of BGSE as Black people in America and Black graduate students in U.S. engineering programs creates a unique set of experiences about which little is known. This seminar will amplify the experiences of BGSE in this moment and their explicit needs with the goal of increasing institutional awareness, and thus accountability, for best supporting their persistence and success.

Brooke C. Coley, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Engineering at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. She is also Principal Investigator of the Shifting Perceptions, Attitudes and Cultures in Engineering (SPACE) Lab, which aspires to elevate the experiences of marginalized populations, dismantle systemic injustices, and transform the way inclusion is cultivated in engineering through the implementation of novel technologies and methodologies in engineering education. Her active NSF-supported research focuses on three specific areas: the role of identity-related professional organizations in engineering student success, factors impacting trajectory decisions of engineering students from underrepresented groups at community colleges and creating pathways to engineering education research. Dr. Coley recently received the 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering for her commitment to creating and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. She holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.