With funding from the Nancy’s Chair in Women’s studies at Mount St. Vincent University, and in partnership with the Canadian Black Scientists Network, the BE-STEMM Mentorship Symposium will feature free events for pre-service and  in-service teachers, professors, other professionals and community members interesting in developing inclusive practices to support and ensure the flourishing of Black students in STEMM.

Everyone whose work aligns with this goal is welcome to attend this in-person symposium.

Watch this space for Registration links and additional information .

Thursday March 20th (5pm – 9pm)

5pm – 6pm. KEYNOTE. Professor Erica N. Walker, Dean, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Title: TBA. Dr. Erica Walker is an award-winning researcher, educator and professor, and the Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. A former public high school mathematics teacher from Atlanta, Georgia, with a PhD in mathematics education from Harvard, Dr. Walker’s extensive publication list includes two books: Building Mathematics Learning Communities: Improving Outcomes in Urban High Schools and Beyond Banneker: Black Mathematicians and the Paths to Excellence. Her current research explores the role of storytelling in math education.

6:10pm – 6:40pm. PANEL DISCUSSION. Implementing Programs for Black Flourishing in STEM: Successes and Opportunities
This panel will share frank insights from administrators and educators in Nova Scotia who are involved in ongoing efforts to ensure positive experiences in STEMM for Black students, including Africentric programming and cohort-building.
Panelists: Mr. Randy Headley, Black Student Advisor, Mt St Vincent University; Professor Eddia Solas, Director of Teacher Education, Mt. St. Vincent University; **one in-service teacher (TBA)**.
Moderator: Prof. Tamara Franz Odendaal, Mt St Vincent University, Lead Ally and Co-founder, Canadian Black Scientists Network

6:40 – 9:00pm. Dinner & Networking

Friday March 21. (9:30am – 1:30pm)

9:30am – 10:30 am. Breakfast & Networking

10:30am – 11:10am. KEYNOTE: Opening the Eyes of Science Students to the Impacts of Bias in STEMM.  Professor Maydianne Andrade, University of Toronto Scarborough. Dr. Maydianne Andrade is an award-winning researcher in ecology and evolution and an equity activist from the University of Toronto Scarborough. Dr. Andrade has taught and mentored thousands of university students at all levels, from introductory level Biology to capstone courses. She is Co-founder and Past-President of the Canadian Black Scientists Network. In this talk, she discusses a course in biological sciences that dispels the flawed science and misinformation that is used to justify discriminatory ideologies, and advocates for integrating this knowledge as a core part of science curricula.

11:20am – 12:20pm. Workshop. Beyond ‘Heroes & Holidays’: Building Equity into STEMM Curriculum
Share your thoughts with colleagues regarding the current state of representation in STEMM curricula and teaching.
What approaches might better serve Black students and other students from marginalized groups? How can you implement these approaches in your teaching practice?

12:20pm – 1:30pm. Lunch & Closing Remarks