PSB 68 (1) 2022
The Future of Botany: Educating for a Diverse and Inclusive 21st-Century Workforce The National Science Foundation–funded conference grant “The Future of Botany: Educating for a Diverse and Inclusive 21st Century Workforce” (NSF DBI-1929435, $64K, Adams & Krakos, 2019–2021) has ended after supporting three years of Botany conference activities related to strategic efforts to broaden participation and teach inclusively. Originally a single-year award, BSA received a no-cost extension to continue to provide support for activities and participation by community college/tribal college and university (CC/ TCU) faculty and undergraduates at the 2020 and 2021 virtual Botany conferences. The project had three main goals:
The grant supported a coordinated Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiative starting at Botany 2019 by integrating several new sponsored activities with ongoing DEI and Education activities (including the NSFsupported PLANTS Botany conference mentoring program and programming developed by the BSA’s DEI committee, Education Committee and Teaching Section). The co-PIs, Catrina Adams and Kyra Krakos, worked with an advisory board including Ann Sakai, Muriel Poston, Mike Barker, Jim Cohen, Chris Martine, and Anna Monfils to create a set of activities centered around D&I needs of Botany, and to recruit participating speakers, students, and faculty.
1. To support CC/TCU faculty to attend and participate in the Botany conference to help more effectively recruit, retain, and support a diverse and inclusive next generation of plant scientists
This article is a summary of the activities and impact of the grant, enhanced with personal experiences and insights shared by five coauthors: Matt Haberkorn (Phoenix College, AZ); Adolfina Koroch (Borough of Manhattan 2. To support additional undergraduate Community College, NY); Sonali Saha (Miami students primarily from CC/TCU institutions Dade College, FL); Karen Wellner (Chandlerto attend and participate in the Botany Gilbert Community College, AZ); and Daniel conference as part of the existing PLANTS Wright (Pima Community College, AZ), who mentoring program for students from were faculty participants in the initiative over underrepresented minority groups. several years. 3. To develop, deliver, and promote diversity and inclusion programming at the Botany conference for all attendees. By Kyra N. Krakos, Catrina Adams, Matt Haberkorn, Adolfina Koroch, Sonali Saha, Karen Wellner, and Daniel Wright 32
