In the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), racial diversity remains an elusive goal despite decades of efforts aimed at increasing representation. Dr. Ebony O. McGee, a leading expert on race and structural racism within the traditional STEM ecosystem, is on a mission to change this narrative. Supported by significant federal funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), her work seeks not only to highlight the barriers that Black and other minoritized students and professionals face but also to propose a transformative approach to STEM education and entrepreneurship.
The Journey of a Trailblazer
Dr. McGee's path to becoming a scholar and advocate for racial equity in STEM was shaped by her personal experiences. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, she excelled in math and science from a young age. This early success led her to pursue engineering, a field where she stood out as a rare talent among her peers. However, it was during her time working in the engineering industry that Dr. McGee became acutely aware of the racialized stereotypes and systemic racism that permeated the field. Feeling like an imposter in an environment that was not designed for her or others like her, Dr. McGee decided to pivot her career towards understanding and addressing these issues.
"I wanted to study people like me, high-achieving Black people in STEM who were successful on paper but struggled in a culture that was not made for them," Dr. McGee reflects. This desire led her to pursue a Ph.D., where she focused on problematizing the concept of success in STEM. Her research revealed that for many Black and minoritized students, academic and professional achievements came at a significant personal cost, often leading to feelings of isolation and impostor syndrome—a condition she argues is a misdiagnosis of structural racism.
Equity Ethics: Intersecting STEM Skills with Racial Justice
One of the most profound insights from Dr. McGee's research is the concept of "equity ethics." This idea emerged as she listened to minoritized STEM students express their desire to use their skills to address issues of racial justice. "They don't see their STEM skills and their commitment to racial justice as separate," Dr. McGee explains. "They want to integrate the two, using their expertise to solve problems that directly affect their communities."
Equity ethics challenges the traditional notion of social entrepreneurship, which often focuses on doing good for good's sake without acknowledging the specific historical and ongoing injustices faced by marginalized communities. For Dr. McGee, equity ethics is about leveraging STEM to right the wrongs experienced by these communities, creating innovations that are not only technically advanced but also socially transformative.
Addressing the Challenges of STEM Entrepreneurship for Minoritized Groups
One of the key challenges Dr. McGee identifies in promoting STEM entrepreneurship among Black and other minoritized groups is the unequal playing field in risk-taking. "Taking risks is not an equal opportunity employer," she notes. For individuals from these communities, the consequences of failure in entrepreneurship can be much more severe, leading to difficulties in raising capital and gaining the trust of investors. Dr. McGee's approach to addressing this issue includes fostering trust and collaboration among entrepreneurs, building cluster businesses around shared interests, and emphasizing the importance of intellectual property and patents.
The Current Project: Advancing STEM Innovation Among Minoritized Students
Dr. McGee is leading an ambitious project titled "Racial Equity in STEM: Longitudinal Study of Minoritized Undergraduate Students During Research Alliance Toward STEM Entrepreneurship," which runs from September 2023 to August 2028. This initiative, funded by a $2.5 million grant from the NSF's Racial Equity in STEM Education program (Award #2315148), is designed to support minoritized students interested in STEM entrepreneurship. Dr. McGee serves as the Lead Principal Investigator (PI), with Co-PI's S. Toney from Hampton University and D. Young from Tennessee State University.
Developed in collaboration with these institutions and the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Design Strategy practice areas, the project aims to create a robust support system for these students. The program will provide comprehensive entrepreneurial training, focusing on the specific challenges faced by minoritized groups. It will also emphasize retaining Black students in STEM fields, tackling the high dropout rates by redefining failure as a necessary step toward success.
This five-year program will involve in-person training sessions hosted at the Wond'ry, hybrid learning opportunities, and collaboration among students with shared interests, fostering trust and encouraging the formation of entrepreneurial teams. By targeting areas such as patent filing and intellectual property, Dr. McGee hopes to empower these students to secure their innovations and contribute to wealth generation within their communities.
A Call to Action: Reimagining the Future of STEM
Dr. McGee dreams of a future where innovation in STEM is driven by a diverse array of voices, leading to advancements that benefit all of society, not just a privileged few.
"The loss of racial diversity in STEM is a loss to innovation," Dr. McGee asserts. "Innovation is stifled when we exclude over 50% of our talent from the process."
As Dr. McGee's project gains momentum, there is a clear opportunity for others in the STEM field to join her in this transformative work. For those interested in supporting or participating in this initiative, Dr. McGee and her team will be conducting recruitment efforts and are open to collaborations with like-minded institutions and individuals. Together, they aim to build a future where racial equity is not an afterthought but a fundamental component of STEM innovation.