Dr. Remy Dou

Dr. Remy Dou is an Assistant Professor and NSF CAREER awardee with dual appointments in the Department of Teaching and Learning and the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University in Miami, Fl. Previously, he served at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and at the National Science Foundation as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow.

HIS RESEARCH

My research focuses on family STEM learning in the home and other non-school settings, like zoos and parks. Currently, I lead a research team investigating aspects of family science conversations that support children’s development of STEM interests and identity. My studies highlight the diverse voices of Latine children and families, and represent members from those communities as researchers, advisors, and participants.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Talking Science*

Little is known about how everyday family conversations shape youths' STEM identity development. Less is known about how informal education programs can align with family culture to support the long-term STEM engagement of Latine youth and families. The Talking Science project addresses this need by supporting holistic and socially just approaches to family STEM engagement through training for program developers and research that challenges stereotypical conceptions of STEM, STEM capital, and STEM identity.

Talking Science with Media*

Data collected by the Talking Science research team suggests media can support positive identification with STEM, particularly within the contexts of families from underrepresented communities even when the media lacks adequate representation of diverse ethnic and cultural identities. Talking Science with Media aims to identify, understand, and disseminate strategies that draw young people toward STEM fields through family engagement that leverages their existing media-related habits.

Talking Science in the Kitchen

Talking Science in the Kitchen is the latest project to come out of the Talking Science research lab. Working with community-based organizations this work aims to create opportunities for families to engage in science talk while cooking together in culturally-situated contexts.

STEM Identity at MSIs*

The primary objectives of this multi-methods research study is to understand how academically proficient students at Minority Serving Institutions draw on their racial and ethnic identities to navigate STEM courses and careers. This work is led by Dr. Sylvia M. Butterfield in collaboration with a team of students, faculty, and administrators from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) across the country. Intersectionality and social identity theory are used as lenses to understand the intersection between students' social identities and STEM related academic achievement.

*Undergraduate and graduate research opportunities are available.