"Black Women's Health Across the Life Course"
Health disparities research confirms relatively poor physical health of Black women vis-á-vis other race-gender groups. Though some research has sought to identify the extent to which social factors explain disparities between Black women and other race-gender groups, the possibility of race-gender specific social mechanisms undergirding these disparities remain underexplored. In this talk, I will describe how recently developed gendered-racialized stress measures influence Black women's health.
"Imagining an Equitable and Inclusive Online Learning Experience"
Distance learning is not a new phenomenon; it can be traced back to the 18th century when instructors mailed learning materials to students. Now, online learning provides many opportunities for people to obtain education and training. While online learning offers a more flexible and convenient mode of education, not everyone may be able to take advantage of its benefits. As the world switched to online learning in response to the pandemic, some did not feel confident in their ability or had the necessary resources to take classes online. Additionally, some online learning platforms and resources were not accessible for persons with disabilities. This talk provides an overview some of the research into the human and technical barriers that impact learners’ ability to utilize online learning resources and technology, how human-centered design can address some of these barriers, and additional areas to consider to make online education more inclusive and accessible.
"Accessibility for Disabled Scholars"
Disabled people are drastically underrepresented in the academic community. Why? In a series of four papers, we have interviewed blind and low vision, as well as deaf and hard of hearing graduate students, their advisors, the disability services staff who try to help them, and have explored the advanced tools they use in computationally intensive disciplines. We have found that many of the usual suspects, such as inaccessible pdfs, stand in their way, but have also encountered a few surprises!
"Choanoflagellates and the evolution of animal immunity"
All animals rely on innate immune responses to protect them from invading pathogens. But how did immunity in animals first evolve? By studying the closest living relatives of animals, the choanoflagellates, we can gain insight into the evolution of animal immune pathways, while uncovering novel mechanisms of immunity.
