Laquesha Barnes graduated from UDC with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the lead author on a poster presentation accepted at the 2023 American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference.

Barnes is a post-baccalaureate researcher in UDC’s Implicit Beliefs and Unlimited Potential (IB-UP) lab, building invaluable research skills and expertise as she prepares to attend graduate school in fall 2024.

Other co-presenters from the IB-UP Lab include Tamisha Charles, a senior Psychology major; Yanique Mckenzie, a sophomore Psychology major, and Dr. Patrice Greene, a UDC Postdoctoral Scholar.

“Participating in the STEM Conference not only provided a tremendous opportunity, but the journey of preparation surpassed all expectations. Evolving an initial idea into a tangible reality through dedicated research and the responsibility of guiding others was an exhilarating and truly fulfilling experience. I am honored to continue learning and contribute to research through my lab at UDC,” Barnes said.

The conference provides a seven-star professional development experience that advances undergraduate STEM education reform by providing a national platform for the diverse perspectives and experiences of STEM faculty, especially marginalized groups and institutions, to be inserted into the national STEM reform discourse.

It also offers attendees the opportunity to build community, disseminate curricular innovations, co-learn and gain capacity for manipulating the many levers of change that can positively influence institutional and individual transformation.

Barnes’ presentation, titled “Black Is Not a Monolith: Exploring Differences in Identity and Perceptions of Stereotypes Among Black HBCU STEM Students,” took place on November 3 at the conference in Alexandria, Va.

It highlighted preliminary findings from Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Afiya Fredericks’ CAREER Award.

The study aims to investigate quantitative differences in the racial experiences and perceptions of stereotypes among Black students attending HBCUs. It involved a sample of 355 self-identified Black students from 18 HBCUs who are enrolled in introductory STEM courses.