Doctoral Student Chelsea Smith ‘22PHD Selected to Participate in Asa G. Hilliard III and Barbara A. Sizemore Research Course on African Americans and Education

NC State College of Education doctoral student Chelsea Smith ‘22PHD, who serves as a graduate assistant for the higher education program, was selected to participate in the Asa G. Hilliard III and Barbara A. Sizemore Research Course on African Americans and Education, Friday, April 17, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif.

“I feel honored to work along so many other brilliant and respected black scholars and learn from them,” Smith said. “I hope to learn more about theories related to studying African Americans and their experience and how to write concisely for publication.”

As a participant, Smith will work directly with established researchers on questions and methods that inform studies on African American populations in education. She will be exposed to the fundamentals of developing a research agenda and career focused on conducting research on African Americans in education. She will also be presented with an opportunity to publish original research in an edited volume developed specifically for research course participants.

Smith, who is pursuing her doctorate in higher education, is interested in the development of equity and diversity in STEM undergraduate majors. She researches the experiences of black collegiate women in STEM as well as black women staff in STEM support roles.

“I was inspired to investigate their experiences because they are underserved within the discipline and their experience matters,” she said. “As a scholar-practitioner, I want to use my work to inform practice and make meaningful changes to policy and practice.”

Smith will also have the opportunity to learn more about manuscript development through the course. She will work with a senior scholar who will provide supportive and critical feedback.

“As I hope to continue on the path of being a scholar and researcher, I believe this course will assist me in continuing to develop my research skills,” she said. “Additionally, the opportunity to participate in this course will allow me to increase my network of academic and professional connections.”

The Sizemore Research Course, which is being held in conjunction with the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, is co-sponsored by Wisconsin’s Equity & Inclusion Laboratory, Urban Education Collaborative, Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male, and Senior Scholars on Advancing Research and Professional Development Related to Black Education.