Crafting Narratives of
Scientist Failures
Our work with undergraduate students has demonstrated that there is a real NEED for scientists’ stories to be told - specifically, their stories about failure and the supports that have aided them in navigating failure experiences.
We’ve decided to tackle this by reaching out to scientists across the natural science disciplines (that’s physics, chemistry, biology, and all their sub-disciplines) and asking them to share their stories of failure!
As scientific study
explores the boundaries
of what is known, scientific failures offer
a bridge
to enter into the unknown.
Our Approach
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We are approaching the research related to this work with a strengths-based lens, trying to understand the supports that allowed scientists to navigate their failures and "make it" as successful science professionals.
So many stories of failures, particular for folks who don't have role models in science to whom they can relate, speak to the barriers that people face. Getting these perspectives is important at a macro/societal level, because it makes clear the changes that need to happen at an institutional level. Hearing how scientists navigated and overcame these barriers and other failures is equally important so that we know what support structures to create to help others facing similar challenges.
We want everyone to feel like they have the privilege to fail and learn from those failures!
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We want to hear the stories of scientists from all disciplines, and in all lines of work! Our pilot work includes reaching out to scientists through universities and through public platforms. Anyone who works as a scientist in the natural sciences (that's physics, chemistry, and biology, and all subdisciplines therein) is welcome to participate - whether they work as a field lab technician, research associate, professor, or as an industry lab professional.
Scientists will participate in surveys and can opt-in to participating in interviews! (Scroll to the end of this page if you want to participate!)
We want to hear your stories of academic and professional failures - however you define these!
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Our investigations will take a mixed methods approach and include quantitative and qualitative analyses of survey responses and specific qualitative analyses for the interview responses.
The research questions we will individually investigate fall under the broader question of what supports scientists identify and how these supports helped them to navigate educational and professional experiences of failure.
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Scientists who participate in the research will also have the option of sharing their stories on a public platform (like this website) - and will also be able to decide how these stories are shared. Our research team will partner with these scientists to co-create narratives of failure that students of all ages will be able to read and connect with!
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Our research team, in collaboration with the Academic Advising team at the University of Colorado Boulder, proposed to develop curriculum based on pilot research to support students struggling in college science programs by helping them develop coping skills, reflect on their challenges, and grow from their failures. Our collaborative team received funding from the Dean's Innovation Fund Award program to develop and evaluate this curriculum and we hope to implement it in January 2025!
Participate!
Want to share your failures?
Participate! Want to share your failures?
Take the STEM professionals failures survey
Or, if you’d like to share the survey with folks you think would want to participate, contact us and we’ll reach out with an email you can share with others!