- Year 2018
- NSF Award #1660776
- Registration Current Noyce Scholar
- First Name Camila
- Last Name Basterrechea
- Discipline Biology
- Institution Florida International University
Abstract
A biology Noyce Scholar will present how her experience in the FIUteach Noyce Program helped her develop self-awareness, find her voice and identify her educational philosophy. The introspection she engaged in through various activities, including life maps, visits to different neighborhoods, and weekly seminars with other Noyce Scholars exposed her to different social, economic, and cultural issues prevalent in today’s society ultimately fostering a sense of social consciousness. The safe atmosphere in the seminars was pivotal in the scholar identifying and challenging her implicit and explicit personal biases helping her find her voice within the social justice community. As an underrepresented student, she will share how her identity has evolved to become a more conscious and receptive educator. The scholar will share how the introspection she experience inspired her to take action. Similarly, she aims to engage her students in multicultural biology curriculum that encourages self-awareness, address the equity issues in society and ultimately empowers her students to take action. The Noyce Scholar will present a sample multicultural Biology lesson that includes multiple perspectives and ensures the representation of different cultures and experiences as well as how she will create a safe space within her classroom. This education stance has been developed through experiences at Florida International University (FIU) and their Noyce Seminar. FIU is an urban, public research university in Miami that serves over 57,000 students, over 80% of which are from historically underrepresented groups.
