Season 1, Episode 13: How Do We Bring Equity and Culture Into The Research Space with Dr. Janet Branchaw
Welcome to Episode 13 of Season 1 of the Emerging Scholar Podcast!
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Janet Branchaw, an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education. Dr. Branchaw is also the faculty director of the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WI Science), where her work focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative approaches in science education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Dr. Branchaw is nationally recognized for her role in the NIH-funded research mentoring network, which has developed a training platform aimed at enhancing mentoring practices for both undergraduate students and lab leaders. Our conversation centres on an exciting randomized controlled trial she recently was involved with colleague Dr. Angela Bryars-Winston that was published in Science Advances, which investigates an intervention designed to increase cultural diversity awareness among research mentors of undergraduate students. This study is part of an ongoing effort to bring equity, culture, and inclusion into the research environment.
We dive into the implications of this groundbreaking work, exploring how to foster an environment that not only promotes high-quality research but also ensures cultural safety, sensitivity, and inclusivity for trainees. Dr. Branchaw shares insights into the importance of mentorship in creating supportive, equitable research spaces, making this a must-listen for anyone involved in training or mentoring the next generation of researchers.
Tune in to learn more about how to integrate cultural safety and equity into your own research environment and mentorship practices.
Guests
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Dr. Janet Branchaw
Janet L. Branchaw is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology in the School of Education and the Faculty Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison). Her research and programming focus on the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative approaches to science education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with special emphasis on research training and mentoring, assessment of student learning, and broadening
participation in science. She teaches courses in physiology and college science teaching methods.