Scientific societies fostering inclusivity in the life sciences through engagement of undergraduate scientists

Scientific societies serve as communities of practice in which scientists develop many of the skills and connections required for the progression of their careers. For example, scientific societies offer a range of opportunities to attend career development programs, gain experience in communicating science, and receive recognition for achievements within their discipline. Programming for undergraduate student members has recently been increasing, both in prevalence and in its range of offerings. The Alliance to Catalyze Change for Equity in STEM Success, ACCESS, a meta-organization seeking equity and inclusivity in life sciences fields, has examined programs and opportunities focused on undergraduates across its member scientific societies to identify common themes, promising practices and challenges. In this article, we share and discuss our findings.

A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of the Effectiveness of Peer- versus Faculty-led Simulation for Clinical Skills Acquisition in Undergraduate Student Nurses. MSc Project Findings

Background: Clinical skills learning is an integral part of undergraduate nursing programmes in United Kingdom nurse education. Faculty staff teach some elements of clinical skills, and some are taught by clinicians in practice. International evidence indicates that some students feel overly anxious when taught by faculty members but less so with their peers, meaning that peer-led clinical skills teaching and learning might reduce anxiety and facilitate the acquisition and retention of skills education. Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to explore the research relating to undergraduate student nurses’ acquisition of skills within the simulation setting, particularly the associations between peer-led and lecturer-led learning. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was used to find all available evidence. A search of nine healthcare databases using Boolean and MeSH search terms including ‘Peer-to-peer’, ‘Clinical Skill*’, ‘Simulat*’, and ‘Student Nurs*’ was undertaken. Due to the heterogeneity of the research found, statistical meta-analysis was not possible, and so a narrative synthesis based on thematic analysis was conducted, which involved three-person research team critically appraising nine articles for inclusion in the review. Results: Articles were located from worldwide sources. Three main themes in the findings were: psychological factors, motor skills, and educational issues. The use of peers can help to increase students’ motor skills, improved the psychological impact of skills and learning, and offered students a chance to be active participants in their education. Conclusion: Having explored the literature, we conclude that peer-to-peer teaching and learning could have a place in undergraduate nursing education; however, it is not clear if student nurses’ skills acquisition is more effective if mediated by peer- or lecturer-led teaching. Further research is required in this area to quantify and compare outcomes.

How Do You Define Sexual Harassment?: Why Context Matters

Sexual violence affects one in four college-aged women. Multiple studies support the use of bystander prevention programs to help reduce the amount of sexual violence occurring; however, bystander action is dependent upon recognizing occurrences of sexual harassment. The present study investigated perceptions of sexually harassing behaviors in two contexts: at work and outside of work. A total of 302 undergraduate student participants rated their perceptions of sexually harassing behaviors and various attitudes related to sexual violence. The exact same behaviors were perceived as more likely to constitute sexual harassment if they occurred at work. Implications are discussed.

Does BDS Produce Antisemitic Disruption to Student Government and Jewish Student Life? An Analysis of Pro-BDS Resolutions at Ohio State University and the Exclusion of Jewish Students on Campus

The proliferation of debates and resolutions related to the “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions” movement at US colleges and universities raises questions about the relation­ship between the objectives of Israel- and Palestine-related student activism with that of student governments and their nature and purpose within campus life. This study makes use of direct observation by the first author of two debates held at Ohio State University (OSU) in January 2018 and December 2018 over resolutions proposed to the university’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) to adopt a pro-BDS platform. The authors examine the recognition and non-recognition of Jewish students’ right to perceive and identify racism and exclusion within these contexts. The authors further examine whether purported goals of inclusion, constructive dialogue and conflict resolution are benefited by contemporary BDS resolution debates, concluding that such goals-in addition to the formal purpose and function of student governments-are ill-served by the process, con­tent, and outcomes of debates in the form taken at OSU.