2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Websites as Gateways to Inclusive Partnerships: Examining Diversity Representation for Environmental Nonprofits and Engineering Programs in Buffalo, New York

Presented at Redefining Inclusivity: Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering and Computing Education

This research paper and ECSJ-DEED joint session aim to explore the importance of diversity representation on environmental nonprofit websites, particularly in Buffalo, New York. Assessing these websites is crucial when seeking potential partners for engineering programs and community collaborations. By rigorously evaluating websites, we establish a foundation for informed partnerships that enhance engineering students' educational experiences. Websites serve as a vital medium for organizations to convey their values and goals. Meaningful collaboration between engineers and community partners can empower students, but superficial engagements may undermine their transformative potential. This research delves into reflecting local diversity on websites, emphasizing trust-building, engagement, environmental justice, creativity, inclusivity, and compliance with legal mandates. The methodology involves identifying and assessing environmental organizations in the Greater Buffalo Niagara region, utilizing the Fitzpatrick Skin Type Scale to identify people of color. This study underscores the importance of diversity representation for credibility and effectiveness in environmental advocacy, offering a valuable approach for educators seeking authentic community partnerships.

Authors

Dr. Monica Lynn Miles http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0006-1842 University at Buffalo, The State University of New York [biography]

Monica L. Miles, Ph.D. is an early career Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo in the School of Engineering and applied sciences. Dr. Miles considers herself a scholar-mother-activist-entrepreneur where all her identities work in harmony as she reshapes her community. She is a critical scholar who seeks transformative solutions to cultivate liberated and environmentally just environments for Black people, and other minoritized individuals. She believes in fostering racial solidarity and finding her own path in the movement.
Dr. Corey T Schimpf http://orcid.org/https://0000-0003-2706-3282 University at Buffalo, The State University of New York [biography]

Corey Schimpf is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Education at University at Buffalo. He is the Division Chair for the Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED) for the American Society of Engineering Education 2024 annual conference. His research interests include engineering and human-centered design, advancing research methods, and technology innovations to support learning in complex domains. He has a PhD from Purdue University in Engineering Education.
Dr. Nicole Lowman University at Buffalo, The State University of New York [biography]

Nicole Lowman is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo, where they primarily teach technical communication to engineering and computer science undergraduates. Their courses center community-engagement and local justice by grounding writing and communication projects in non-profit organizations in the city of Buffalo.

Their research is primarily concerned with rhetorics of race and critical race theory, and their scholarship has been published by Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric and The New Americanist.
Kate Haq University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

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