2020 Completed Sessions
The following Sessions have been completed thus far, as a part of the 2020 Global Conference on Diversity in Aviation, Aerospace and STEM
"Partners in the Workplace: An Active Ally Workshop"
October 12, 2020 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Storm Woods and Zoe Allerding
In this collaborative workshop, participants will explore the role of allyship and learn behaviors to leverage difference, promote equity, and foster greater inclusion in the workplace.
"Gen Z – Ensuring Success by Using the 4 A’s of Learning"
October 16, 2020 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mary Niemczyk
Members of the newest generation, Gen Z, defined as those born after 1997, are true ‘digital natives’. A majority of current work within education describes how to teach these individuals but equally important to impart on them is the knowledge and skills necessary for them to learn in various instructional environments. With the rapid expansion of knowledge and the expectation to continuously learn throughout their aviation careers, it is critical Gen Z members understand and have the appropriate tools to learn in any situation.
The information in this session will focus on the explanation of the 4 A’s of Learning Model – Active, Associate, Anticipate and Awareness. This model is based on neuroscience and educational psychology research describing how the human brain receives, retains and remembers information. The awareness of this model by instructors will enable them to develop instruction and assist Gen Z individuals learn. For Gen Z members, knowing how to evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies for different learning situations is essential to success in learning. With the explosion of knowledge and information and the demands for lifelong learning, this information is critical to the success of aviation students, employees and the aviation industry.
"The Little Site That Could"
October 23, 2020 2:00p - 3:00p
Panelists: Mike Murasky, Gretchen Dildine, Mark Dunaway, Jennifer Hogan, Vonetta Walsh and Chris Duckworth
Moderator: Rae Stuart
Boeing Guidance Repair Center (BGRC) established in 1999 after Newark Airforce Base closed, is a small, rural, Boeing plant handling military electronic, navigation and guidance system repairs along with electronic production for weaponry, aviation, and naval components. In 2017, the site made a conscious effort to acknowledge the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. What once was an unknown location, with a little over 500 people, is now front and center for their D&I work across the Boeing Enterprise and has been recognized for their efforts.
"Aviation, Aerospace, and STEM Outreach: The Missing Links"
October 26, 2020 9am-10:30am
Melanie Dickman and Loren Herren
We are all familiar with the statistics: The STEM workforce is predominately made up of white males, and has been for quite some time. Yet, despite various initiatives, the needle hasn’t moved much in creating a diverse workforce within Aviation, Aerospace, and STEM. Why is this the case?
Join Melanie and Loren as they explore the missing links regarding outreach initiatives and possible long-term solutions & strategies for reaching today’s youth, from kindergarten through high school. Is there such a thing as too early? Too late? What are we, as an industry, missing in our outreach efforts?
"Redefining Diversity."
October 30, 2020 9:00am - 10:30am
Daniel Juday
There’s a lot of noise in our world today - a lot of voices from a lot of directions, telling us who to listen to, what to think, and how to act. We’re going to try to cut through some of that noise. In this session, we’ll work to disrupt any misinformation about diversity, inclusion, and privilege. We’ll talk about what these words actually mean, and what they don’t, and will work together to find out what they mean to us. You can expect to have an opportunity to align your thinking around these terms in productive ways, and to connect these ideas to how you do your job every day, and who you do it with.
"Practical Inclusive Strategies to Implement in the Classroom and the Flight Deck"
November 3, 2020 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Amanda Aschaber
We live in a society that nurtures and maintains stereotypes, we all carry worlds in our heads, and those worlds are decidedly different. As leaders and teachers, we set out to teach, but how can we reach others' worlds when we do not even know they exist? Power plays a critical role in our society and our educational system. Privileged positions are taken as the only reality, while the worldviews of those less powerful are dismissed as inconsequential. How do we step outside of ourselves to allow the perspectives of others to filter in?
This session will include strategies to motivate others to create plans and implement new strategies at their institutions, whether they be Aviation educational institutions or industry that foster an inclusive mindset to encourage an equitable culture.
"Improving Retention of Minority Women in Aviation Higher Education: Exploring Students’ Needs and Wants to Succeed & The Role of Faculty in Providing Academic Support"
November 9, 2020 10:30am - 12:00pm
Eugene Kim & Jorge Albelo
Despite the increased awareness of gender and race equality movements, today's minority women in aviation are still underrepresented. This training session is a two-part presentation. Two qualitative research findings will be discussed, followed by a practical application discussion on possible strategies to improve minority women's retention in aviation degrees. The objectives are: (1) to raise awareness for equality of race and gender in aviation higher education institutions; (2) explore the needs and wants that could lead to academic success for minority women; (3) reaffirm the importance of faculty's academic support to first-year female students.