Assistant Professor Rutgers the State University of New Jersey New Brunswick Campus somerset, New Jersey, United States
Program Abstract: This session addresses the underrepresentation of women in STEM by focusing on the "expert-to-novice perception gap" in introductory mathematics courses, which disproportionately impact historically marginalized students, including women. The work is grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) research and informed by an all-women student panel. A key contribution of this session is the proposal of an asset-based, reflective teaching pedagogy model where instructors reflect on their own novice-to-expert journeys, aligned with Polya’s four-step problem-solving framework. This inquiry-as-stance approach encourages instructors to understand and address students’ struggles more effectively. The session presents evidence-based, scalable strategies to foster empathy, improve instructional practices, and create more inclusive classroom environments. The proposed model is transferable to institutions beyond the context of the study, offering a replicable solution to improve retention and success for women in STEM while addressing broader DEI challenges at the systemic level.
