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Diversity in STEM

Links to databases and resources for diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Resources related to race, ethnicity, geography, culture, gender, sexual orientation, ability/disability, and other differences.

Welcome

Welcome to the Diversity in STEM LibGuide. This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive list of diverse materials related to all STEM disciplines. Instead, it is a starting point in learning more about diversity in STEM. Included in this guide is information on finding articles, journals, books, and more that relate to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in STEM disciplines. If you have a suggestion on new resources to add to this guide, please contact Harrisburg's STEM Librarian, Andrea Pritt, at alp5088@psu.edu.

What's the problem? How did we get here?

As STEM librarians and professionals who are interested in diversifying STEM fields, we often ask ourselves, "How do I find resources authored by trans scientists?" or perhaps, "How do I find more information on what it is like to be a Black engineer?". Though there is an increasing interest in these types of resources, it is still difficult to find, recommend, and purchase materials related to diversity in STEM. This is frustrating for educators and readers alike. The unfortunate truth is that diverse perspectives and experiences are often missing from the scholarly literature. Historically, experiences and research authored by marginalized populations have faced significant barriers in all aspects of STEM, including in education, in careers, and in publishing. To increase diversity in STEM fields, librarians and educators must work to amplify diverse voices.

What can you do?

The current situation is not great and there is still a lot of work to be done to increase and recognize diverse voices in STEM. Here are a few suggestions on what you can do to support diverse voices:

  • Seek out and amplify Black, Indigenous, People of Color, queer, and female voices in STEM when you can,
  • Learn about ways to decolonize and diversify your curriculum and reading lists without resorting to virtue-signaling,and
  • Consider forming a reading group to learn from and engage with diverse materials.

And of course, if you know of diverse STEM resources that are currently not in the University Libraries collections, please contact Andrea Pritt at alp5088@psu.edu to request a purchase.