Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

I have been among the underprivileged groups throughout my life: I am the only person in my family who can speak English, a first-generation college student, and one of the very few female math major undergraduate students in college. Thanks to the diverse communities at Duke and UCLA, I feel warmly supported as an international student. Ultimately, my underprivileged identities nudge me to think more deeply and thoroughly on the role that similar identities play regarding academic engagement. In my research on education, I consistently explore the intricate dynamics of the student body, taking into account factors such as gender, race, and cultural background as potential mediators influencing overall learning outcomes. My experience granted me a front-row seat to witness and understand this research domain, and it equips me with valuable insights into how identities affect children’s behavior and development, in addition to awareness of their cognitive, social, and emotional challenges. I am bringing these perspectives with me to my research, and furthermore, utilizing research findings to create targeted teaching interventions that promote educational equity.

Navigating my academic journey was challenging, but I persevered to reach this point where you now read my story. As the saying goes, having been caught in the rain myself, I want to hold an umbrella for others. My research seeks to recognize the academic engagement challenges tied to identities like gender and ethnicity. Previous studies I have conducted reveal that even with comparable math performance, female students experience higher levels of math anxiety, which negatively impacts their academic behaviors, leading to procrastination and diminished long-term performance. My ongoing research indicates that academic engagement for students from marginalized ethnic groups is more heavily affected by their instructors’ mindsets, which highlights the need for improved communication between students and instructors.

Meanwhile, I also recognize student dynamics in my practice. In my roles as an elementary school math teacher at a North Carolina public school and as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in a Psychology course at Duke, I placed particular emphasis on understanding and enhancing the learning experiences of minority groups. One example is my revision of the psychology class materials. The instructor I TA-ed for often used Netflix characters and episodes as examples. While many classmates resonated by laughing, numerous international students, like me, sometimes struggled to understand the references, thereby failing to engage with the content. As a TA, I assisted in modifying the examples in class to be less reliant on specific knowledge and cultural background. This teaching intervention drew on my insights regarding the impact of cultural backgrounds on students’ engagement.

Life and research complement each other, forming a cycle. I believe that only through continuous iteration can we achieve ongoing progress. I would like to bring my life experiences and insights as both a student and a teacher to the education community, in order to inspire research initiatives, forming a bridge from life to scholarly exploration. Simultaneously, I am committed to leveraging research findings to enhance school teaching practices, effectively bringing knowledge back to life’s practical application. By effecting this cycle of continuous improvement, I am eager to contribute to a community of diversity, inclusion, belonging, and respect.