Biosciences Research Seminar (Decolonize STEMEXE Seminar and Discussion Series) - Weaving people and history into STEM education

Weaving people and history into STEM education

There is a kerfuffle in academia about decolonising the curriculum - what does it mean? What is to be included and how is it to be included? Who should make the decisions? Is there a hierarchy of ‘relevant’ knowledge? Is there enough knowledge? How does it affect STEM disciplines differently from social and humanities studies? I don’t have definite answers to these important questions and, increasingly, am becoming wary of some who position themselves as ‘decolonising’ experts. The issue of decolonising the curriculum is itself in danger of being colonised. The issues are complex and saturated with histories of prejudice, exclusion, exploitation, racism and patriarchy. For those who feel keenly, these are issues of lived experience, pain and struggle.

Information about Nazira

Nazira's interests are in promoting and educational research in learning and teaching, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) across the education spectrum and gender equality in science. Her undergraduate studies were at the University of Natal in South Africa, her PhD in Chemistry from the University of St Andrews and her post-doctoral fellowship experience was at the Centre for Heterocyclic Chemistry at the University of Florida and then at the University of St Andrews.
Nazira takes up the post of Vice Principal (Learning and Teaching) at Edinburgh Napier University in September this year. Currently she is the Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Wolverhampton; she was previously their Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Prior to this she was Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Bradford, Director of their STEM Programme and Associate Dean (Student Recruitment) for the Faculty of Life Sciences. During the life of the National HE STEM Programme, she was its Yorkshire, Humber and North East Regional Director.
Being passionate about student learning, Nazira’s work has focussed partly on recruiting hard-to-reach students, enriching student experience and engaging the academy in changing the environment not only for teaching and learning but for social equality.
Nazira is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and in 2014 she was nominated for '175 Faces of Chemistry'. She is also a participant in the Royal Society diversity programme ‘Parent Carer Scientist’, highlighting personal and professional lives.