Title: “I am working 24/7, but I can’t translate that to you”: The barriers, strategies, and needed supports reported by chemistry trainees from English-as-an-additional language backgrounds
Authors: Jacky M. Deng, Alison B. Flynn
Abstract:
Having a shared language such as English facilitates globalization of science but it may also limit science by posing challenges for scientists who have learned English-as-an-additional language (Eng+).1,2 As we strive towards building a more equitable and inclusive scientific community, research is needed on the experiences of Eng+ scientific research trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral researchers) to ensure that we do not lose out on expertise and perspectives that might otherwise strengthen scientific progress.3 We conducted focus groups and interviews with 18 Eng+ trainees conducting research in the chemical sciences, providing insights into (1) their experiences learning, communicating, and doing chemistry research in English and (2) strategies and supports they have found helpful and/or needed from supervisors and institutions.4 I will present key findings from our work, with implications for supervisors and departments. I will also describe our subsequent and ongoing efforts to develop local resources and supports for Eng+ trainees based on our findings.
(1) National Science Foundation. 2019 Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities; 2020; Vol. NSF 21-308.
(2) Deng, J. M.; Rahmani, M.; Flynn, A. B. The Role of Language in Students’ Justifications of Scientific Phenomena. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 2022, 44 (13), 2131–2151. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2022.2114299.
(3) Wilson-Kennedy, Z. S.; Payton-Stewart, F.; Winfield, L. L. Toward Intentional Diversity, Equity, and Respect in Chemistry Research and Practice. J. Chem. Educ. 2020, 97 (8), 2041–2044. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00963.
(4) Deng, J. M.; Flynn, A. B. “I Am Working 24/7, but I Can’t Translate That to You”: The Barriers, Strategies, and Needed Supports Reported by Chemistry Trainees from English-as-an-Additional Language Backgrounds. ChemRxIV 2022, 1–15.
Bio:
Jacky Deng (he/him) is a PhD Candidate working with Prof. Alison Flynn at the University of Ottawa (uOttawa). His research focuses on the experiences of learners who speak English-as-an-additional language in chemistry, with implications for how individuals and institutions can better support learners from diverse backgrounds in science. As a graduate student, Jacky has published 10 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on chemistry and science education (e.g., Journal of Chemical Education, International Journal of Science Education), and has presented at various local, national, and international conferences and seminars (e.g., national meetings of the Canadian Society of Chemistry and American Chemical Society). Jacky is a 2021 SSHRC Vanier Scholar, 2022 CAS Future Leader, and was selected as the inaugural J.C. Tito Scaiano Graduate Student of the Year at uOttawa in 2021. Outside of his research, Jacky has been engaged in various national initiatives and committees to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in Canadian chemistry and higher education, including the Canadian Society of Chemistry’s Working for Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity (WIDE) Committee and the Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education’s (STLHE) EDI Task Force. He loves teaching and was selected as the 2020 Teaching Assistant of the Year by uOttawa’s Science Students’ Association.