Teaching Leadership in STEM with Dr. Crystal Dilworth
Dr. Crystal Dilworth is a science communicator, TV host and one of the Founding Board Members of the nonprofit behind “I am a Scientist”, The Plenary, Co.
As part of her If/Then Ambassadorship, Crystal is working in collaboration with I Am A Scientist to roll out educator toolkits to teach leadership skills in STEM. The curriculum kits introduce real-world, necessary skills like collaboration, leadership styles, and self-awareness. In our follow-up discussion with fellow educators, we brainstormed some ways these kits would serve both teacher and student needs.
INSIGHTS FOR ENGAGING STEM STUDENTS
Crystal is a neuroscientist by training, so she knows firsthand just how much our brains like to make connections between and meaning of the information we take in. Her eureka moment in science communication was realizing the power of telling stories and linking scientific information directly to the people she’s sharing it with.
“It’s not enough to talk about why science is cool, but you have to talk about who was impacted and how it relates to us.”
She was recently approached by a father who was concerned that his daughter was not interested in science. When Crystal asked him what she was interested in, he replied ‘baking’. This was a lightbulb teaching moment, as baking is basically just applied chemistry. She and the father brainstormed ways to build a bridge from his daughters’ existing passions to the science that it’s connected to.
This insight is backed up by the research. Many studies have found that building connections from real world contexts and interests is a powerful tool for engaging students in STEM, particularly girls.
HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN STEM
For Crystal, it’s not just about encouraging the next generation to be part of STEM. It’s about supporting the next generation to lead in STEM. As a scientist herself, she saw how rarely scientists-in-training are explicitly taught the skills that they need to thrive. Many students leave graduate school or the STEM sector entirely because of challenging, often inequitable, work cultures and feeling ill-equipped to navigate all of the expectations of the job. STEM institutions need to undergo major changes in order to address these issues, but STEM classrooms can play a small but important role in preparing students to manage their stress, expectations, and leadership abilities too.
The best way that we can improve STEM education and also the experience of being a scientist is to incorporate those human skills into the way that we think about the responsibilities that scientists have, from the very beginning. By shedding a light on the ways that successful scientists lead, we can highlight some of the skills that many students may not associate with STEM success. Scientists are collaborative, they are creative, and they necessarily have to manage data, people and money to accomplish their goals.
Crystal absolutely disagrees with the notion that leaders are simply born. She believes leadership skills can and should be built. Leadership training is often based on principles informed by neuroscience and behavioral science and there are ways that we can all learn to be inspiring leaders. By presenting STEM through these lenses, her curriculum aims to create a completely new — and practical — approach to engaging students with STEM careers.
Stay tuned with I Am A Scientist to see the program develop! The first batch of multimedia lesson plans will focus on:
Building Collaboration skill while Learning about Ecosystems
Exploring Leadership Styles through diverse Marine Science researchers, artists, and advocates
Practicing Self-Regulation through a deep dive into Regenerative Biology
At the end of our interview, we asked Crystal for practical tips and suggestions for educators who want to dive deeper. Here’s what she recommends!
WHAT’S ONE MEDIA RESOURCE THAT YOU RECOMMEND EDUCATORS READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO?
For adults, the Ologies podcast by Alie Ward. “Asking smart people [silly*] questions.”
WHAT’S ONE THING THAT EDUCATORS CAN START DOING IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE STE(A)M MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THEIR STUDENTS?
Tell the story behind the facts you are sharing. There is always someone or people involved in the lesson you are teaching, make that connection. Girls especially are more interested in learning about stories that connect to or help others.
WHAT’S ONE IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON?
Given the new position of science in the US, how are you presenting the role of science in society? When you’re using language to describe science, are you keeping science in the ivory tower, or are you allowing it out into the world to have an impact? We need to stop isolating scientists in their laboratories in the way that we discuss how their work impacts real people. Monitor your language and make sure that you’re not keeping science in a box. Don’t put Baby in a corner!
*Original wording from the Podcast modified to eliminate ableist language. Learn more about the importance of interrupting historically oppressive language here.
