VOLUME 4
Ideas Magazine
A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD: REFLECTING AND PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
SPRING 2022
CONTENTS
page iii THE TEAM
page iv ABOUT THE VISITING SCHOLARS PROGRAM
page 02 ISSUE 1 : WILLIAM SPRIGGS 05-07 The Effect of COVID-19 on the Black Workforce in the US / Catherine Bradley 08-10 The Impact of Unions on Workers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic / Madison Charnigo 11-14 A Racial and Gender Equity Argument for a $15 Minimum Wage / Corrin Davis 15-17 The Reformation of Unemployment Insurance / Hannah Whitlock
page 18 ISSUE 2 : ANN FEUERBACH 21-23 COVID-19: The Financial Implication on Museums / Grace Beehler 24-27 How the Pandemic Affects Museums and Heritage / Grace Bowling 28-30 Museums and Morality: An Ethical Analysis of Replacing Jobs with Technology / Trevor Ladner 31-33 The Future of Museum Architecture / Adam Sands 34-36 Small Museums in a Global Pandemic: Diversifying Marketing and Outreach Strategies / Jadon Yeager
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page 37 ISSUE 3 : ALISON POWER 40-42 Biodiversity Loss in Our Ecosystems Results in Increased Food Insecurity / Kyler Bartol 43-45 Promoting Ecosystem Services by Implementing Agroforestry / Martin Emerson 46-48 Food Deserts: Can We Close the Gap? / Chinonso Emenim 49-52 The Impact of Soil on Climate Change and Human Health / Alec Patterson 53-55 Digging into Sustainable Agriculture / Gabrielle (Ellie) Tanner
page 56 ISSUE 4 : SHARITA WARE 59-61 The Pandemic's Impact on the Future Classroom/ Samuel Bauer 62-64 Online Learning and Changing Lesson Plans / Devin Capece 65-67 COVID-19: Impact on STEM Students and Educators / Eanna Nicole Espejo DeGuzman 68-70 Creativity and STEM Engagment During the COVID-19 Pandemic / Saaniya Rupani 71-73 Barriers in STEM during the Pandemic / Vanessa Lucia Sida
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TEAM
FACULTY INSTRUCTOR
DR. ASHIMA KRISHNA
STUDENT EDITOR
STUDENT AUTHORS
KYLER BARTOL
ALEC PATTERSON
SAM BAUER
SAANIYA RUPANI
GRACE BEEHLER
ADAM SANDS
GRACE BOWLING
VANESSA SIDA
CATHERINE BRADLEY
ELLIE TANNER
DEVIN CAPECE
HANNAH WHITLOCK
MADISON CHARNIGO
JADON YEAGER
FAYTH SCHUTTER Fayth
CORRIN DAVIS
EANNA DEGUZMAN
Schutter
is
a
senior
at
Purdue
University, double majoring in Professional Writing and Mass Communication with a minor in Psychology. She has been working at Purdue’s Writing Lab since January 2020, and has had multiple experiences in content
CHINONSO EMENIM
MARTIN EMERSON
TREVOR LADNER
writing. She is currently interning at BHC Press, based out of Livonia, Michigan. Fayth is student editor for the Spring 2022 issue of Ideas Magazine and was also co-editor for the Fall 2021 edition. page iii
About the Visiting Scholars Program Ideas Magazine is an exhibition catalog meant to contextualize and illuminate the work of the researchers, leaders, and creators who visit Purdue’s Honors College as part of the annual “Visiting Scholars” series. Content of the magazine is created by students of the Visiting Scholars seminar class and the magazine’s student editorial staff. The Visiting Scholars Program features an international group of scholars and creators from varied disciplines, representing various methodologies, viewpoints, and experiences, and it is open to all members of the Purdue community. Students who enrolled in the course attached to the speaker series were tasked with bringing the experience to an even broader audience. We asked them to seek a deeper understanding of our visitors and their work, and then to create online ‘artifacts’ inspired by that understanding that would help others to a more ready engagement with the contributions that our visitors bring to their fields of study and creativity. We called for pieces that were brief, informative, and accessible to a general audience. Ideas Magazine is also an experiment in pandemic-era pedagogy and outreach. It was imagined and developed in Fall 2020 (Volume 1) by Dr. Kristina Bross, Associate Dean for Research and Creative Endeavor in the Honors College, and her team of student editors, Katelyn Dehn, Daphne Fauber, Catie Gilhooly, and Jannine Huby. Volume 2 in Spring 2021 semester was developed by Dr. Emily Allen, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and student editor Jannine Huby. Volume 3 in Fall 2021 was developed by Dr. Ashima Krishna in collaboration with student editors Fayth Schutter and Jada Johnson. Everything about the magazine is a collaborative effort, and we hope that the collaboration will extend outward, to other people and conversations. Volume 1 : A History of Ideas Volume 2 : Ideas in a Time of Crisis Volume 3: A Post-Pandemic World, Reflecting and Preparing for the Future page iv
Volume 4 of Ideas continues the work of past volumes, introducing a different cohort of students to a new line-up of visiting scholars, activists and artists. Student editor Fayth Schutter continued her exemplary work on editing the magazine to produce an engaging and interactive volume. The theme for this semester again challenged our visiting scholars and students to reflect on how to prepare for a future after the pandemic. Building off of the discussions from Fall 2021, conversations this semester examined the economic, cultural, agricultural, and educational impacts of the pandemic. Each visiting scholar challenged students to break down stereotypes and conventional societal ideas and norms. Throughout the early part of 2022, as we battled surging COVID-19 cases and variants, rising inequalities, reduced access to health care services, impacts of climate change, global conflicts, and others, the students had the opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives presented by the visiting scholars, both in-person and virtual formats. In addition to engaging with each visiting scholar, students also worked in small interdisciplinary teams to focus on one visitor and produce content for Ideas Magazine. This course and the magazine provided an ideal platform for students to explore crosscutting and interdisciplinary themes of social equity and justice, particularly through the lens of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Students drew on assigned readings, personal experiences, speaker perspectives, and in-class interactions; they also conducted additional research to supplement any knowledge gaps to produce thoughtful and introspective essays that grapple with, and also explore in novel ways the ideas presented by the visiting scholars. These ideas have culminated in the Ideas magazine, presented in two formats. The first is a consolidated magazine layout, and the second is our traditional epubs database with downloadable files. Dr. Ashima Krishna Associate Director, Purdue Policy Research Institute Assistant Professor of Practice, School of Interdisciplinary Studies
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William Spriggs Professor Department of Economics, Howard University
Website
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Dr. William Spriggs, professor in and former chair of the Department of Economics at Howard University, currently serves as chief economist at the AFL-CIO. He has previously served as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy at the Department of Labor, appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Dr. Spriggs has had many additional roles like Senior Executive Director for the Institute for Opportunity and Equality of the National Urban League, and former president of the National Economics Association, the organization of America’s professional black economists. Dr. Spriggs has a focus on policy, particularly increasing wages and benefits and addressing the economic and labor disparities among gender and race groups. In Dr. Spriggs’ keynote lecture at Purdue University in January 2022, he focused on labor force participation in the aftermath of COVID-19. Dr. Spriggs discussed if labor force participation will ever fully recover, and particularly, if women’s labor force participation will ever reach the levels of activity that were seen in 2000. Additionally, Dr. Spriggs discussed how economists viewed race and the issues with the models they use to relate it to economics, as well as the implications this modeling has on the future of economic policy. As the pandemic began, the labor market was hit with an enormous initial shock. Surprisingly, Dr. Spriggs discussed how Black unemployment had already been higher than other groups--thus making the size of the shock not as large. Historically, the Black to white male unemployment ratio has been double--by April 2020, however, it dropped to 1.3:1. Dr. Spriggs discussed how Congress stepped in to expand unemployment assistance specifically for the pandemic. This Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program had a large effect on stabilizing the dramatic loss of labor income, but delays in implementing it IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
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had a disparate effect on Black worker’s access to unemployment insurance. As Black workers are the least likely to receive unemployment insurance to begin with, they are less likely to apply. Additionally, there has been a dramatic decline in women’s payroll employment, disproportionally hurting Black women workers. This all leaves the question: have people abandoned the labor market? Dr. Spriggs offers two possible theories on what he calls “the Big Quit” and the idea that unemployment benefits are inducing workers to leave their jobs. First, Dr. Spriggs made it clear that not everyone is quitting, and second, with unemployment insurance being nowhere near universal, quit rates are lower for the states that offer higher weekly benefits. Overall, Dr. Spriggs wants our labor system to be more solidified to support shocks such as the pandemic and address the frictions in the labor market through programs like paid sick leave and parental leave.
Contemporary Matters Discussion Series
January 24, 2022
Social and Gender Equity in Workforce Development and Manufacturing Co-hosted by the Purdue Policy Research Institute and Purdue University Honors College
Visiting Scholars Series
January 24, 2022
Keynote Address by Dr. William Spriggs Hosted by Purdue University Honors College
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The Effect of COVID-19 on the Black Workforce in the US
Catherine Bradley
Ono Kosuki, Pensive black woman in mask standing on railway platform, November 9, 2020, photograph, Pexels.com, ,https://www.pexels.com/photo/pensive-black-woman-in-mask-standing-on-railway-platform-6000147/
Before COVID-19 brought the world into a pandemic, Black Americans [1] and other minorities faced challenges against their rights, both as people and as workers trying to stay safe in the pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these struggles over rights remained and, in some cases, worsened . Black Americans and other minorities have faced increased exposure to COVID-19 and their ability to succeed personally and professionally has been hindered more than before because of decreased protection, ongoing protests, and worse working conditions since a large number of minorities hold service sector jobs. [2]
Before the Pandemic
Before the pandemic, the share of income going to the wealthy increased while the share of income going to workers fell. [3] Because of this growing gap, legislation has been proposed to IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
increase the minimum wage to more evenly distribute wealth. A minimum wage increase would significantly benefit the Black American population. The struggles facing the Black American population includes disproportionately low wages despite increased productivity. This issue has contributed in preventing the growth and success of Black Americans and foreshadowed the increased challenges they faced during the pandemic with working conditions, public identity, and personal growth. Once the pandemic started, these struggles only worsened and still have not been rectified.
During the Pandemic
As COVID-19 first appeared, there were many protests surrounding race-based inequality in US society, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, and other movements against white supremacy. While COVID-19 changed the daily lives of everyone during this time, “the pandemic and political events PAGE 05
seemed to amplify feelings of risk , danger, and vulnerability.” [4]
due to COVID-19, there is a large number of people who do not qualify for the compensation. Of these workers who do not qualify, 39% of them are people of color. [10] Therefore, people of color, especially Black Americans, who already work jobs with high risk of exposure, now do not receive compensation for time off because of COVID-19 infection and illness. This can force workers to continue to work in unsafe conditions, and frequently work while sick. Furthermore, because this population has increased exposure to COVID-19, and less
Despite legislation, like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 [5] and Ending Qualified Immunity Act [6], being proposed and some changes being made, the feeling of uncertainty and unease still remains. Furthermore, the risk Black Americans faced during the pandemic in the workplace increased; “black workers were more likely employed in essential industries and occupations with frequent exposure to infections.” [7] These industries include animal and meat processing, social assistance, and healthcare as well as many others. This increase in exposure led to decreased compensation and an increase in mortality rates for Black Americans. In many places, the mortality rates due to COVID-19 are not equal to the population of Black Americans in that region. For example, in both Louisiana and Michigan, the mortality rates were significantly higher than the population those rates were attributed to. In Louisiana, the Black American population is 32% , despite making up 70% o f the COVID-19 deaths. Likewise, in Michigan, the Black American population is 14%, but makes up 40% of COVID19 deaths. [8] This inequality between deaths and population is due to unfair working conditions exposing the Black American population to COVID-19 more than other groups of people. [9] While the Families First Coronavirus Act was created to provide workers with compensation for time off
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access to healthcare, they have higher mortality rates due to their contraction of the virus.
Resolution
The American dream that anyone can achieve success through hard work and determination has not been attainable for Black Americans and other minorities for a very long time. While the issues discussed above are specific to COVID-19, they are not isolated circumstances of the inadequacies in our country for working conditions, healthcare, and government policies towards Black Americans. Hopefully, we can take a long look at the deep-rooted issues facing our society, and help these marginalized groups get their chance to achieve their dreams.
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NOTES
[1] In this paper, the term ‘Black Americans’ is used instead of ‘African Americans’ because all Black Americans do not identify as African American. More information on this can be found at the New York Times, Pew Research Center, and CBS News. [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Labor force characteristics by race and ethnicity, 2018,” BLS Reports https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-and-ethnicity/2018/home.htm [3] William E. Spriggs, “A Look at Inequality, Workers’ Rights, and Race,” Law and Inequality 36, no. 2 (2018): 233 [4] Ellen D. B. Riggle, Laurie A. Drabble, Lauren A. Bochicchio, Angie R. Wootton, Cindy B. Veldhuis, Cat Munroe, and Tonda L. Hughes, “Experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic among African American, Latinx, and White sexual minority women: A descriptive phenomenological study,” Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity 8, no. 2 (2021): 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000510 [5] 116th Congress, “H.R.7120 - George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020,” Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7120 [6] 117th Congress, “All Information (Except Text) for S.492 - Ending Qualified Immunity Act,” Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/492/all-info [7] Jordan Gemelas et al, “Inequities in Employment by Race, Ethnicity, and Sector During COVID-19,” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 9, (2022): 351, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-009633 [8] Keith C. Ferdinand and Samar A. Nasser, “African-American COVID-19 Mortality: A Sentinel Event,” Journal of the American College of Cardiology 75, no. 21 (2020): 2748, https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.04.040 [9] Elis Gould and Valerie Wilson, “Black workers face two of the most lethal preexisting conditions for coronavirus—racism and economic inequality,” Economy Policy Institute, https://www.epi.org/publication/black-workers-covid/ [10] Gemelas et al, 351
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The Impact of Unions on Workers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Madison Charnigo The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on workers of all disciplines worldwide since March 2020. The International Labor Organization states that in the second quarter of 2020, working hours around the globe were reduced by 17.3%, equating to the loss of 495 million full-time jobs. This sudden collapse of norms within workplaces and loss of wages has the potential to have detrimental impacts on the lives of workers world-wide. [1] In his recent presentation at Purdue University, Dr. William Spriggs, a Professor of Economics at Howard University, discussed the impact of unemployment on marginalized workers and the disproportionate effect of the onset and continuation of the pandemic on different groups and industries. Dr. Spriggs shared that the leisure and hospitality industry as well as public sector employees were the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, heightened by the fact that there is not adequate support for employees in these industries. [2] Prior works of William Spriggs highlight wage discrepancies between upper and lower classes,
and this trend remains consistent during the pandemic as lower income countries experienced much worse impacts than higher income countries. This is demonstrated as lower middleincome countries had a 43% larger reduction in working hours than higher income countries. Other facets of the socio-economic inequalities have also been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, low-income and low-skill workers were much more likely to have reduced working hours or have lost their jobs. [3] Dr. Spriggs continued to highlight this point by sharing information in his presentation about the impact on various ethnic groups, as well as the lack of access to support and benefits. Dr. Spriggs noted that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) resulted in a disparate impact on Black workers’ access to Unemployment Insurance (UI). It was also noted that Black workers were the least likely to receive or qualify for unemployment insurance during the peak of the pandemic in April and May 2020. With lack of access to UI, Black workers are unprotected during employment losses like the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes it more difficult
Above: African American and Hispanic American workers on strike against Kellwood, wearing placards that encourage support for better wages” by Kheel Center, Cornell University Library, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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for these workers to job search and earn wages while not earning unemployment benefits. [4] Workers with disabilities have also had disproportionate struggles during the pandemic, and the disease they are potentially exposing themselves to by going to work has the potential to cause serious long-term illness or death for themselves and their families. Additionally, if immunocompromised workers are to be infected with COVID-19, they lose a disproportionate number of working hours as compared to average workers as they often experience more severe illnesses. [5]
With increased support by unions, both workers and the overall economy would experience tremendous benefits during the crisis of the current pandemic, and future economic crises specifically related to climate catastrophes as predicted by Dr. Spriggs. Unions demonstrate the ability to make institutions more productive, with data demonstrating that with higher union density, both productivity and wages for workers increase. The current studies clearly indicate that when workers feel their work is being adequately valued as demonstrated through voicing their wage and benefits needs through unions, they become more productive. With increased productivity, there ultimately is the potential to reverse the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and return to normalcy even before the virus and its impacts on society are eradicated. [8]
Because many different groups of workers have suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, unions are a crucial source of protection for workers and should be supported and amplified in order to preserve economic growth. Unions have the ability to have monumental impacts on minority workers with studies indicating that Black workers protected by unions are paid 13.7% more than non-unionized Black workers. [6] Unionized workers during the pandemic have experienced many crucial benefits including enhanced safety measures in the workplace, additional premium pay during the pandemic, paid sick time, and increased say in terms of furloughs in order to retain jobs. These benefits allow minority, disabled, and immunocompromised workers to be financially supported and also have the ability to stimulate the economy by increasing the number of workers who are willing and able to work in a time of crisis. [7]
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"An Asian American and an African American woman wear signs that indicate that they are on strike against Ottenheimer for poor treatment and unfair labor practices, December 1, 1966." by Kheel Center, Cornell University Library is marked with CC BY 2.0.
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NOTES
[1] Tom Shakespeare, Ndagire Florence, and Queen E Seketi. 2021. “Triple Jeopardy: Disabled People and the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The Lancet 397 (10282): 1331–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/s01406736(21)00625-5. [2] William Spriggs, “Visiting Scholars Series: A Post Pandemic World with William Spriggs”, YouTube, Purdue Honors College, January 24, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRZRyG8_0uM [3] Shakespeare, Florence, and Seketi, 1. [4] Spriggs, 11:34 [5] “Work and Well-Being during COVID-19: Impact, Inequalities, Resilience, and the Future of Work.” 2021. World Happiness Report. 2021. https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2021/work-and-well-beingduring-covid-19-impact-inequalities-resilience-and-the-future-of-work/. [6] “Why Unions Are Good for Workers—Especially in a Crisis like COVID-19: 12 Policies That Would Boost Worker Rights, Safety, and Wages.” 2020. Economic Policy Institute. 2020. https://www.epi.org/publication/why-unions-are-good-for-workers-especially-in-a-crisis-like-covid-1912-policies-that-would-boost-worker-rights-safety-and-wages/. [7] “Why Unions Are Good for Workers—Especially in a Crisis like COVID-19: 12 Policies That Would Boost Worker Rights, Safety, and Wages.” 2020., 3. [8] Edward Ongweso, “Study Finds Unions Make Companies More Productive.” 2020. Vice. 2020. https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3bjn9/study-finds-unions-make-companies-more-productive.
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A Racial and Gender Equity Argument for a $15 Minimum Wage
Corrin Davis It’s no secret that the pandemic has had numerous drastic effects on our economy. Throughout the pandemic, workers went through phases of not working at all, to working from home, to going back to work in person with masks and quarantine procedures, and many other measures depending on how ‘essential’ their work was deemed. Aside from just healthcare workers, we deemed grocery store attendants, fast food workers, truck drivers transporting goods, and many more low-wage workers essential throughout the pandemic, [1] and yet many of them may have been compensated with the outdated federal minimum wage of $7.25 currently offered in most states. This has not been raised since July of 2009. [2] For many states, including Indiana, the federal minimum wage is the same as their state minimum wage, and there aren’t any planned increases to the state minimum wage of Indiana in 2022, [3] despite the rising inflation throughout the pandemic, which reached a high of “5.3%... in the 12 months through August 2021.” [4] As described in Dr. William Spriggs’s 2018 paper, Black Americans are disproportionately harmed by a stagnant wage, as was the case in the 1980s. [5] This is because a larger proportion of the working class comprises Black Americans. The case is similar now, with minorities such as Black Americans facing more of the rough impact of this pandemic not only through lost jobs and wages, but loss of life as well. Wage gaps have made the rate of uninsured Black Americans near twice that of whites or Asians, which limits their access not only to healthcare in the event of COVID or another disease but testing for COVID as well. Loss of sources of income due to illness, new debts from the bills of illness, or even loss of life of a primary provider can all contribute to an
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increased economic struggle in Black American households. In fact, a bill such as the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 (comparable to the Raise the Wage Act of 2017 noted by Dr. Spriggs) which would aim to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025, [6] would predominantly benefit Black Americans in particular. Dr. Spriggs determined that the Raise the Wage Act of 2017 would “directly raise the wages of Black American workers” but overall would even “help almost 30% of Americans see a pay raise.” [7] Americans need that pay raise after a long, taxing pandemic where we’ve seen many lose their jobs or go without pay due to closures, isolation, or quarantine procedures.
A representation of minimum wage by state, compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor. Source: “History of Changes to the Minimum Wage Law,” United States Department of Labor, (accessed January 17, 2022), https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history.
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It follows that a minimum wage raise should come now, when buying power of our dollar has decreased as prices rise, similar to the last federal minimum wage increase which would have been shortly after the Great Recession in 2008. And, in the case of women, a raise in the minimum wage is just one of many changes necessary to make joining the workforce more accessible. According to Dr. Spriggs and Dr. Ellen Kossek, women are out of the labor force at high rates this century. [8] This issue was greatly exacerbated by the Great Recession, since women had more trouble rejoining the labor force than men, [9] as well as the pandemic, with kids being home to learn and no place or person to watch them if mom needed to return to work. However, as women make up about half of our population and should make up as much of our workforce, it is troubling to note that only 57% of women were participating in the workforce as of February 2021, the lowest it’s been since 1988. [10] Above all, women need access to affordable childcare in order to be successful in the labor force and to remain in the labor force long term. According to Spriggs and Kossek, the price of childcare has risen faster than the median wage, so it is well out of the price range of the average woman, let alone minority women. They elaborated that what we really are going to need is government sponsored childcare and maternity leave (and maybe even paternity leave if we can get that far), but there is a narrative that women
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are “innately” meant to raise children to explain how jobs are not traditional for women, thus why they can’t ever be successful. [11] Similar ideas surround most minorities trying to be successful in non-traditional or stereotypical roles, to explain away their struggles rather than recognize the inequities that exist within our society and economy for marginalized groups. In the case of women, in absence of free childcare supplied by the government, wages need to be increased to put childcare back into their affordability. According to the House Committee on Education and Labor, the Raise the Wage Act as it stands now would disproportionately benefit women in that nearly 6 in 10 workers receiving the federal minimum wage are women, and so nearly 20 million women will receive a raise, with “32.7% of single parents” and “19.5% of women of color” being some of those women. [12] In conclusion, due to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on minorities such as Black Americans and women, as well as pre-existing systemic and institutionalized inequity in the workforce and economy, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour is necessary. In addition to the improvements for women and Black Americans, other minorities and Americans such as essential workers and those laid off during the pandemic will also benefit from raised wages in a post pandemic world. Of course, these are just the first steps to reshaping our economy and society to one that is both equal and equitable.
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NOTES
[1] “Categories of Essential Workers: Covid-19 Vaccination,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 29, 2021), https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid19/categories-essential-workers.html. [2] “History of Changes to the Minimum Wage Law,” United States Department of Labor, (accessed January 17, 2022), https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history. [3] Bink Addy, “These States Will Increase Their Minimum Wages in 2022,” Fox 59 (Nexstar Media Inc., December 31, 2021), https://fox59.com/news/national-world/these-states-will-increase-their-minimumwages-in-2022/. [4] Alberto Cavallo and Oleksiy Kryvtsov, “How the Pandemic Has Affected the Economy, from Empty Shelves to Higher Prices,” PBS (NewsHour Productions LLC, November 10, 2021), https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/how-the-pandemic-has-affected-the-economy-from-emptyshelves-to-higher-prices. [5] Cydney Adams, “Not All Black People Are African American. Here's the Difference.,” CBS News (CBS Interactive Inc, June 18, 2020), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/not-all-black-people-are-africanamerican-what-is-the-difference/; Maritza Vasquez Reyes, “The Disproportional Impact of COVID-19 on African Americans,” Health and human rights vol. 22,2 (2020): 299-307, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7762908/ [6] “The Budgetary Effects of the Raise the Wage Act of 2021,” Congressional Budget Office (Congressional Budget Office, February 8, 2021), https://www.cbo.gov/publication/56975#:~:text=If%20enacted%20at%20the%20end,rate%20as%20medi an%20hourly%20wages. [7] William E. Spriggs, "A Look at Inequality, Workers' Rights, and Race," Law and Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice 36, no. 2 (Summer 2018): 231-246, https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page? collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/lieq36&id=242&men_tab=srchresults# [8] William Spriggs and Ellen Kossek, Social and Gender Equity in Workforce Development and Manufacturing Panel organized by Purdue Policy Research Institute, Contemporary Matters, January 24, 2022. Dr. Kossek is a Professor in Krannert School of Management at Purdue University.
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NOTES (CONT'D)
[9] “Gender Inequality and Women in the US Labor Force,” International Labour Organization (International Labour Organization (ILO), November 23, 2011), https://www.ilo.org/washington/areas/gender-equality-in-the-workplace/WCMS_159496/lang-en/index.htm. [10] Courtney Connley, “Women's Labor Force Participation Rate Hit a 33-Year Low in January, According to New Analysis,” CNBC (CNBC LLC, February 9, 2021), https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/womenslabor-force-participation-rate-hit-33-year-low-in-january-2021.html. [11] Spriggs and Kossek, Contemporary Matters, 2022; Kim Parker, “Women More than Men Adjust Their Careers for Family Life,” Pew Research Center (Pew Research Center, August 14, 2020), https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/10/01/women-more-than-men-adjust-their-careers-forfamily-life/. [12] “Raise the Wage Act- Women Fact Sheet,” House Committee on Education and Labor (House Committee on Education and Labor, 2021), https://edlabor.house.gov/download/raise-the-wage_-womenfact-sheet.
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The Reformation of Unemployment Insurance
Hannah Whitlock Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States was in an economic crisis—businesses and schools had to shut down to limit the transmission of the virus. Due to shutdowns, many Americans lost their jobs and had periods of time with no work. It was seen that minorities have been affected disproportionally by the pandemic.[1] Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as of 2010, non-elderly Hispanic and American Indian and Native Alaskan people had the lowest access to health insurance, with 33% lacking coverage, compared to 13.1% of nonelderly white Americans.[2] Entering the pandemic with this economic factor clearly showed the disparity in access to healthcare among minorities. The AMP Research Lab reports that African American communities experienced a COVID-19 mortality rate 2.7 times higher than white communities.[3] Racial and ethnic health disparities within minorities are influenced by socio-economic status. O’Leary et al describe how unemployment insurance and social security programs are excluding coverage among these racial and ethnic minorities, since many of them are employed as domestic or household workers.[4] Dr. Spriggs has previously discussed the New Deal, which IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
excluded 65% of African Americans from receiving Social Security benefits. However, interestingly, African Americans comprised only about 23% of the agricultural and domestic workforce that was excluded from benefits.[5] Since the COVID-19 pandemic (as of February 2021) the unemployment rate of African American men was 11.6% as compared to 6% for Asian and white workers. This paper focuses on policy changes in unemployment insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the move towards health equity among minorities. During the pandemic, programs such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) helped workers receive benefits if effected by COVID-19. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 helped increase access to health coverage through increasing and expanding eligibility for subsidies. Since the beginning of these programs, 12 states have still not adopted the ACA, but if the states were to implement them, an additional 1.8 million uninsured adults would be eligible.[6] These changes to unemployment insurance, however, were temporarily implemented due to the PAGE 15
challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, which started in March of 2020, ended on September 6th, 2021, and thus the PUA program ended as well.[7] Additionally, in June 2021, 22 states ended all supplemental pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. This eliminated benefits for 2 million workers.
Coombs et al followed a group of individuals that were unemployed and were receiving unemployment insurance before the pandemic supplemental insurance ended. Based on data they collected through August 6th, 2021, ending UI increased employment by 4.4 percentage points and reduced UI recipiency by 25 percentage points. This indicates that when the pandemic-related unemployment insurance ended, individuals were able to get jobs, and according to the paper 1 out of 8 that lost UI coverage found jobs by the first week of August. [8] The number of Americans that have filed for unemployment insurance has decreased significantly since January of 2021. As of December 25th, 2021, 198,000 Americans filed for unemployment insurance, which is four times less than January 2021.[9] Since all the supplemental pandemic unemployment insurance benefits ended, nothing has replaced or changed within the policies of unemployment insurance. IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
Unemployment insurance now fails to serve many workers, especially low wage or part-time workers who are left out entirely, along with workers of color, who are overrepresented within these groups. Current eligibility rules are completely inequitable. Unemployment insurance reform would allow the government to update unemployment insurance eligibility to match that of the modern workforce and create benefits for those looking for work—and are still jobless due to no of fault of their own. Additionally, the reform would include universal minimum standard for benefits eligibility, duration, and levels, while still allowing states to enact more expansive benefits. [10]
Latoya Hill, Health Coverage of the Nonelderly Population by Race/Ethnicity and Medicaid Expansion ages 0 to 24 in 2019, 2021, Photograph, FKK, March 2022, https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issuebrief/health-coverage-by-race-and-ethnicity/.
Without reformation of unemployment insurance, these racial disparities will continue. Now is a crucial time to make these changes so people affected by the loss of the supplemental pandemic unemployment insurance benefits can prosper within society and get support from the government while working on obtaining a job in the post-pandemic world.
PAGE 16
NOTES
[1] Maritza Vasquez Reyes, “The Disproportional Impact of Covid-19 on African Americans”, Health and Human Rights Journal. NBCI, December 2020. [2] Latoya Hill, “Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity, 2010-2019,” Kaiser Family Foundation, July 16, 2021, https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/health-coverage-by-race-andethnicity/. [3] Grace De’Zhon, “Racial Inequality and Covid-19,” The Greenlining Institute, May 8, 2020. [4] Chirstopher J O'Leary, William E Spriggs, and Stephen A Wander. “Equity in Unemployment Insurance Benefit Access,” December 2, 2021. [5] William E. Spriggs, "A Look at Inequality, Workers' Rights, and Race," Law and Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice 36, no. 2 (Summer 2018): 231-246 [6] Latoya “Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity. [7] Alicia Adamczyk, “Pandemic Unemployment Benefits End in September and States Aren't Extending Them,” CNBC, August 31, 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/31/federal-unemployment-benefitsend-in-a-week-states-wont-extend-them.html. [8] Kyle Coombs et al., “Early Withdrawal of Pandemic Unemployment Insurance: Effects on Earnings, Employment and Consumption,” Harvard Business School, 2021. [9] Greg Iacurci, “Unemployment Claims End 2021 near Pre-Pandemic Levels.” CNBC, December 30, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/30/unemployment-claims-end-2021-near-pre-pandemic-levels.html. [10] Josh Blvens et al., “Reforming Unemployment Insurance,” Economic Policy Institute, June 2021, https://files.epi.org/uploads/Reforming-Unemployment-Insurance.pdf.
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ISSUE 2
VISITING SCHOLAR: DR. ANN FEUERBACH
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Ann Feuerbach Associate Professor State University of New York, Nassau Community College
Website
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Dr. Ann Feuerbach, an anthropology professor at SUNY Nassau Community College, studies how material culture can influence innovation. Known for her work with central Asian swords along the silk road, as well as her work surrounding the history, technology, and socio-cultural dynamics of ancient Damascus steel, Dr. Feuerbach investigates the past to predict what can be done in the future. Dr. Feuerbach’s keynote lecture on February 22, 2022, continued the theme of this year’s Visiting Scholars’ Program, focusing on innovation and post-pandemic possibilities of the museum industry. The museum industry was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic; museum attendance of the top 100 art museums dropped 77% in 2020, after 230 million people visited museums in 2019. The pandemic was at risk of affecting the transmission of culture, considering that it was impossible to go places or physically see historical objects. As museums need visitors to generate revenue, it was necessary for museums to create new methods of transmitting knowledge and new ways to have visitors interact with objects virtually. As in archaeology, Dr. Feuerbach focused on what blooms after things go wrong and discussed the multiple positives of the pandemic on the museum industry. Due to the pandemic, museum operations were largely moved online, allowing increased accessibility for new and old audiences. Those who had never thought to visit museums before the collections were online were able to access museums’ services, and those who had once thought of museums as a pilgrimage could now access them from anywhere. Even the use of social media allowed people to interact with a museum’s collection.
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For example, the Getty Museum started the popular trend of challenging people to recreate works of art with objects or people in their homes, which increased people’s interactivity and sharing of art. Additionally, through online spaces, museums were able to offer virtual tours or interaction with objects through augmented reality. Such augmented reality allowed visitors to explore objects like how people in that object’s original time period experienced it. Museums also had to address physical space and storytelling due to the changes brought about by the pandemic. Although museums previously had to think about space and how visitors were flowing through exhibits, exhibits now had to be changed to allow for social distancing. An example of such a changed exhibit includes an immersive film gallery shown at the National Museum of Qatar, which allowed for visitors to keep their distance but feel like they were alone at the same time, giving a unique environment for visitors. Additionally, museums, who had once frowned upon phone use, began to encourage the inclusion of phones in exhibits, using QR codes to link to further information that can be lengthy and easily updateable and translatable, stopping the need for reprints and creating less waste. Overall, through the likes of online spaces, museums were able to innovate to survive. Although visiting a museum in person is still the preferred way of many, the pandemic pushed the museum industry to speed up its digitalization process, allowing for increased accessibility and outreach.
Visiting Scholars Series
February 22, 2022
Keynote Address by Dr. Ann Feuerbach Hosted by Purdue University Honors College
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PAGE 20
COVID-19: The Financial Implications on Museums
Grace Beehler The pandemic took its toll on many public and
surveys that asked a variety of museums what
private institutions, including museums. While
they
they were affected in many ways, economically,
economically over time due to the setbacks in
museums were hit very hard. According to the
revenue. In the future, if another pandemic was to
International Council of Museums (ICOM), about
occur,
70% of museums surveyed lost 50% or more
canceled/reduced,
visitors because of the pandemic, and about one
downsized, and private/public funding may be
in five museums lost an upwards of 90% of their
decreased. [5] The United Nations Educational,
visitors. [1] Also, according to Dr. Feuerbach,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO,
there was a nearly 77% drop in attendance in the
also described the need to rely on each other to
world’s top 100 art museums. [2]
overcome the difficulties museums have faced.
think
will
be
programs
the
may staff
long-term
have may
effects
to
need
be
to
be
This may entail finding refuge in public authorities Because of the immense loss in visitors and the
or inhabitants of the areas the museums are in and
eventual
strengthening
lockdown
countries
experienced,
museums suffered financial instability. In fact,
relationships
between
other
museums to come up with solutions. [6]
many museums throughout the world lost almost 50% of their revenue due to the closures and changes made because of COVID-19. [3] Due to these losses, measures were put in place to mitigate the effects. To continue to transmit the museums’ knowledge despite these revenue setbacks, museums needed to come up with creative low-cost options.
Pandemic’s Impact
Surprisingly, majority of museums did not come up with other ways to generate income to make up for these losses. While it also depends on the size of the museum and its popularity, many
Low Cost Alternatives
museums experienced negative impacts due to
To continue to transmit knowledge despite these
the pandemic. This holds true especially for
revenue setbacks, museums needed to come up
smaller museums who suffered the greatest
with creative low-cost options. Dr. Feuerbach
impacts. [4] ICOM conducted surveys, asking
discussed in her presentation that although some
museums what they thought were potential ways
aspects of museums suffered, there are also parts
of making up lost revenue. These surveys found
that flourished. [7] Along with the many changes
that using digital tools such as virtual tours and
made due to the pandemic, there were a plethora
online
of lower cost options that were implemented.
fundraising
could
be
beneficial
generating income. They also completed other
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in
These options included podcasts, online
PAGE 21
newsletters, videos, Zoom conferences, use of social media, and even QR codes. These new changes also offered the option of earning revenue through online subscriptions and even donations. Another positive of these methods is that
they
help
connect
to
the
younger
populations. Especially utilizing social media, platforms such as TikTok can be an effective means to communicate and outreach to younger generations who are already on these platforms. While these methods inhibit the ability to see first-hand
the
many
artifacts
and
exhibits
available, these methods give the opportunity to reach a wider audience and create an immersive experience while following pandemic guidelines and maintaining low costs.
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Looking to the Future
Moving forward, these methods will create positive
changes
to
improve
museums.
As
mentioned before, museums now have platforms to reach a variety of different ages through online methods. They can also bring up revenue because they are spending less to transmit and share information in the museums. Finally, by utilizing online platforms, new jobs in technology sectors will open in the museum industry, inviting new people with different skill sets to work in these museum industries. [8] While it may be easy to assume that only negative effects occurred because of the pandemic, this is not the only case. Positive outcomes can and have occurred because of the pandemic.
PAGE 22
NOTES
[1] “Museums, museum professionals and Covid-19: third survey,” International Council of Museums, July, 2021, https://icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Museums-and-Covid-19_third-ICOMreport.pdf. [2] Dr. Anne Feuerbach, “Visiting Scholar Series with Anne Feuerbach,” filmed February 22, 2022 at Purdue Honors College, West Lafayette, IN, YouTube Video, 1:05, https://youtu.be/VXGQtaEo8AU. [3] “Museums, museum professionals and Covid-19: third survey.” International Council of Museums. [4] “Museums, museum professionals and Covid-19: third survey.” International Council of Museums. [5] “Museums, museum professionals and Covid-19: third survey.” International Council of Museums. [6] “UNESCO report: museums around the world in the face of COVID-19,” UNESCO Digital Library, UNESCO, 2021, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000376729_eng. [7] Dr. Anne Feuerbach, “Visiting Scholar Series with Anne Feuerbach,” YouTube Video. [8] Dr. Anne Feuerbach, “Visiting Scholar Series with Anne Feuerbach,” YouTube Video.
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How the Pandemic Affects Museums and Heritage
Grace Julia Bowling might argue this shift to a virtual format is almost
Museums and Cultural Heritage
The field of cultural heritage studies is a relatively new branch of anthropology. It is broad and interdisciplinary, focusing on the studies of heritage and our engagement with it. [1] In modern society, one of the primary ways we engage with culture is through museums—the embodiment of cultural heritage, from historical artifacts to works of art. Unfortunately,
the
COVID-19
necessary. Museums have made it clear most, if not all, of these virtual additions are here to stay. [4] Virtually
viewing
an
object,
however,
fundamentally changes its context. Context is one of the most important concepts in all of anthropology. It is the idea that an object’s placement and surroundings directly affect its
pandemic
has
significantly affected museum operations globally. With the need to quarantine and social distance, indoor public places like museums saw a drop in attendance. Reports from late 2020 show that, on average, museum attendance dropped to 35% of the pre-pandemic numbers. [2] However, like all facets of life, museums have shifted the way they operate in response to the pandemic. Most notably, museums have taken a more virtual approach. Places like the Smithsonian are offering virtual tours, and places such as the Philbrook Museum now share images of the museum’s collection through social media. [3] In a digital age fast-tracked by a global crisis, one
meaning. It is only fair to note that, by nature of a museum’s relocation of artifacts and items, some context has already been lost. However, museum exhibits are specifically set up to retain and recapture some of that context. Digitally viewing an object adds a further degree of separation from the original context. As described by Harrison, “Its [a historical object’s] relationship with humans is changed fundamentally by its mode of exhibition… even though the fabric of the object itself is not changed.” [5] Indeed, viewing an object through a screen changes nothing about the object itself; however, it fundamentally alters our engagement with and interpretation of it.
Göreme Valley: A Case Study
An important question to ask is: does context matter? Does recontextualizing an object have any significant effects? Some cases have proven this to be true. I believe Göreme Valley illustrates the importance of context and presentation, even if museums shifting to a digital format is on a Figure 1. A look inside one of the Smithsonian’s many free virtual tours offered from their website. (“Rotunda: South, Virtual Tour”, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Accessed March 29, 2022, https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/z_tour022.html)
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somewhat smaller scale than Göreme Valley.
PAGE 24
Located
in
central
Turkey,
Göreme
Valley
contains a large amount of churches dating back to the Byzantine period. For some, the valley is of high religious importance. Church groups would take pilgrimages through the valley. However, the Göreme
Valley
over
time
became
heavily
marketed towards international tourists. Signs
were
placed
outside
the
The Impact
A museum shifting to a digital format is not necessarily anywhere near the scale of what happened to Göreme Valley. Museums at their core, however, are places of cultural heritage. A place to remember the past and reflect on the future. As our primary vessel for appreciating
churches
forbidding photography, smoking, and shouting within the churches. Guards were stationed in each church to enforce these rules. While this valley held high religious importance, many church groups take alternative routes to less visited churches. [6] By framing Göreme Valley as a tourist attraction, its religious significance was permanently altered.
cultural
heritage,
no
doubt
the
effects
of
changing the presentation of museums will have an effect on the dynamic concept of cultural heritage. Our
interpretation
of
cultural
heritage
and
engagement with it has already changed because of a shift to a virtual format. Whether these changes are positive or negative is a matter of interpretation. How we engage with digital heritage, however, is
vital. A point should be
made to see digital versions of items not as an equal, but as a complement. The digital image of an artifact does not substitute for the physical item, but rather exists alongside it. [8] Digital heritage also provides large amounts of accessibility. By offering access to a museum’s knowledge online, one bypasses any spatial and temporal restraints for engagement otherwise present. [9] One could then argue that this Figure 2. Tourists at an outdoor area of Göreme Valley. (Photograph by Zafer Yazici, Tour Groups in Front of a Cave Church – Cappadocia, Turkey, March 4, 2007, Urban Adventures, https://www.flickr.com/photos/41179876@N05/4709492062.)
Göreme Valley illustrates an important point; heritage is fluid. Artifacts and monuments remain mostly unchanged throughout time materially. A static and unchanging object grants an idea of permanence. But rather, the truth is the heritage, importance, and meaning of an object is fluid. [7] This importance and meaning can be shaped by the very culture it is in.
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removes much of an object’s meaning and importance. As previously stated, context is crucial. Bypassing spatial and temporal restraints also bypasses the spatial and temporal context. In this
sense,
much
of
the
information
and
significance of an item is lost. Some make the argument that this not only changes the way one views an object, but also directly removes importance from the object itself. Digital reproduction is seen by some as a threat. The physical collections of a museum
PAGE 25
become forgotten. The replica of an object takes as much meaning as the physical object. [10] Much of this stance however is rooted in the idea of what museums are. The view that museums become
obsolete
with
a
digital
approach
reinforces the idea that museums are storage. Museums act as an archive of cultural heritage. This assertion does not give the full credibility of what a museum is. One can view museums not as a storage unit, but rather as a place of education. It can then be argued that virtual engagement makes
museums
less
obsolete.
It
increases
outreach and creates opportunities for education. In the context of cultural heritage, this creates an opportunity for heritage to be engaged with. [11] In this sense, virtual museum attractions are simply a new medium by which to be educated about heritage.
Conclusion
Heritage is an abstract concept. It lacks a concrete definition and there is no one right way to engage with it. As museums shift to a more virtual outreach, there is no doubt a change in how we engage with heritage. But change is simply that: change. It is not always quantifiable as good or bad. The results of a digital shift are left as primarily speculative. Heritage itself is a vague concept, ethereal and undefinable. How we interpret it is both cultural and individual. Museums as a vessel of cultural heritage impact the way we view cultural heritage. With a shift to a digital format, our ideas and views of heritage will no doubt change. This can be interpreted as a case of losing context, of existing as a complement to existing heritage, as a threat to physical heritage items, or as a method for new engagement with cultural heritage.
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NOTES
[1] Rodney Harrison, Heritage: Critical Approaches (New York: Routledge, 2013), 3. [2] “National Snapshot of COVID-19 Impact on United States Museums (October 2020),” American Alliance of Museums, November 17, 2020, https://www.aam-us.org/2020/11/17/national-snapshot-ofcovid-19/. [3] “Facing Challenge with Resilience: How Museums are Responding During COVID-19,” Institute of Museum and Library Services, Accessed February 28, 2022, https://www.imls.gov/blog/2020/04/facingchallenge-resilience-how-museums-are-responding-during-covid-19. [4] Lukas Noehrer, Abigail Gilmore, Caroline Jay, and Yo Yehudi, “The impact of COVID-19 on digital data practices in museums and art galleries in the UK and the US,” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 8, no. 236 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00921-8. [5] Harrison, 38. [6] Hazel Tucker and Elizabeth Carnegie, “World Heritage and the Contradictions of ‘Universal Value’,” Annals of Tourism Research 47 (2014): 63-76, 10.1016/j.annals.2014.04.003. [7]Susan Alcock, Archaeologies of the Greek Past: Landscape, Monuments, and Memories (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002), 28-34. [8] Fiona Cameron et al, Theorizing Digital Cultural Heritage : A Critical Discourse, (London: MIT Press, 2007), 28-32. [9] Cameron et al, 10-11. [10] Cameron et al, 50-51. [11] Tiziana Russo Spina and Francesco Bifulco, Digital Transformation in the Cultural Heritage Sector, (Naples: Springer, 2021), 186-188.
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Museums and Morality An Ethical Analysis of Replacing Jobs with Technology
Trevor J. Ladner The COVID-19 pandemic has had grave effects on all facets of life. Many jobs, especially those working in the service industry, have been significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Technology has provided an alternative to paid staff in these roles, and the trend to opt for this change appears to have no signs of slowing. This trend can be seen across many industries, but particularly museums as they were some of the hardest-hit during the early stages of the pandemic. Museums began to truly embrace technology in ways that they had not before. However, they also replaced the jobs of many front-of-house service positions such as tour guides, cashiers, and information guides with electronic services. [1] As we move to a post-pandemic world, the question is not whether these changes will remain. The question is rather, is it morally right? This article will introduce the issue and then discuss the morality of it based on four ethical theories.
What has Changed?
At the beginning of the pandemic when there was nothing certain and businesses across the country were
facing
possible
economic
devastation,
museums all but closed to the public — shutting their doors, many for the first time since World War II or earlier [2]. This resulted in 35.7 percent of museum employees saying that immediately, at An empty museum, similar to the start of the Pandemic. Source: Alex Kurok, 2014, https://wordpress.org/openverse/image/96c40095-55e4-4172bdec-552615c10095/
the start of the pandemic, they were either without a job or were not working [3]. While this has improved a year and a half into the pandemic, 20.8 percent said they were still not working, nearly half of which had been laid off entirely.
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PAGE 28
While several museum jobs have been affected, a
The first theory, Kantian Ethics or Duty Based
large amount has been in front-of-house staffing.
Ethics, asks “would I want everyone to perform
These are roles such as ticket counter and gift
this same action?” The answer is not initially clear,
shop employees. These roles are being replaced
but thinking about it from the perspective of
by automated ticketing counters, online ticketing,
“would I want everyone to eliminate similar jobs
hands-free gift shops, and other means. [4] Other
to the ones that I am eliminating?” yields a clear
roles that have faced similar fates have been tour
answer. No, we do not want to do that; it would
guides, educators, and interpreters. While these
be detrimental to the lives of so many people who
roles are more likely to return in some capacity,
would be unable to find other work and risk
the effects to some degree will still be felt.
losing access to healthcare. [7] The second theory, Utilitarianism or Ends Based
The Effects
With this significant amount of job loss or transition, what is to happen? There are two main categories of people who are feeling the effects: traditionally unskilled workers who are working in roles
that
background
do and
not
require
employees
an
educational
working
in
an
educational context within the museums. Many of these service jobs still have not returned since they were lost at the beginning of the pandemic. [5] The educational positions have at a much higher rate, but many of them have still yet to return.
Ethics, considers what produces the most good for the most people. While the visitors to the museum may be benefited from shorter wait times and individualized tours, the staff of the museum has been significantly made worse. While quantifying this numerically cannot be done, the good of those employees maintaining income and healthcare is better than the marginal gain to the guests. [8] The third theory, Care Based Ethics, is very similar in many ways to Kantian Ethics but rather asks the question: “would I want this action done to me?” Nobody wants to lose their source of
Is it Right?
With this background in mind, there is a bigger question we are led to: Is it morally right to leave all of these service workers and educated workers
income
and
healthcare,
especially
during
a
pandemic, so this easily results in a conclusion of no. [9]
who have specialized in their fields without a job amid the largest health crisis in a century? When asked this very question, Dr. Feuerbach avoided a direct answer indicating that it is a trend that has been long coming. [6] She also asserted that the average person is going to have twelve careers in their lifetime, so even many of these educated individuals would be able to find meaningful work in a new career. While these are both fair points, that doesn’t answer what is the morally just thing to do? Kantian, utilitarian, virtue, and care-based ethical theories allow for an analysis of whether the action is right. IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
A museum tour prior to the pandemic that may become less common in the post-pandemic world. Source: Brian Hoffman, 2012, https://wordpress.org/openverse/image/f66860f7-db98-4ae89648-5467a5f7d49f
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The final theory, Virtue Based Ethics, looks for a so-called golden mean between two extremes to determine what is ethical to do. For this case, one extreme is eliminating all positions and the other is eliminating none. The Golden Mean would be a slow elimination with assistance in finding other sources of work. This is not the case so it yields the same conclusion. [10]
Conclusion
It is clear that under multiple ethical theories, the move to eliminating large amounts of jobs from museums and replacing them with technology is an unethical decision. The museums appear to be making decisions that are within their own best interest and not that of their employees or the community they are in.
NOTES
[1] Jennifer Billock, “How Will Covid-19 Change the Way Museums Are Built?,” Smithsonian Magazine, September 16, 2020, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-will-covid-19-change-way-futuremuseums-are-built-180975022/. [2] Dr. Anne Feuerbach, “Innovation and Post Pandemic Possibilities,” Visiting Scholars Program presentation, Purdue Honors College, February 2022. [3] “Museums-and-Covid-19_third-ICOM-Report.” International Council of Museums, March 1, 2022, https://icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Museums-and-Covid-19_third-ICOM-report.pdf [4] Billock, 2020. [5] Elise Gould and Melat Kassa, “Low-Wage, Low-Hours Workers Were Hit Hardest in the COVID-19 Recession: The State of Working America 2020 Employment Report,” Economic Policy Institute, May 20, 2021. https://www.epi.org/publication/swa-2020-employment-report/. [6] Feuerbach, 2022. [7] Mike W. Martin and Roland Schinzinger, Ethics in Engineering (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005), 5571 [8] Martin and Schinzinger, 2005 [9] Martin and Schinzinger, 2005 [10] Martin and Schinzinger, 2005
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PAGE 30
The Future of Museum Architecture
Adam Sands In the early 1900s, people were facing a disease
through transparent façades or the creation of
that ravaged the world: tuberculosis. It was one
open-air cafés”. [3] Simply, they are investing in
that forever changed the way buildings were
changes to the interior, allowing for more
designed as architects learned to implement new
outdoorelements to enter. Certain locations like
techniques that, in a way, help to combat the
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or
disease. [1] One such designer, Hugo Alvar
LACMA, are constructing a building with terraces
Henrik Aalto (better known as Alvar Aalto),
and large windows that includes outdoor exhibits
established
the
below. [4] The project is expected to be finished
characteristics of what would be known as
by 2023 and will fulfill the need for fresh air,
modernist architecture: geometrically shaped,
which was a growing trend during the pandemic.
wider windows, and terraces that allowed for
[5]
a
sanatorium
that
included
more sunlight. [2] This style would be utilized in other buildings by other modern-era architects like Le Corbusier.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
On December 10, 2021, a new exhibit designed by MASS Design Group opened to the public.
Flash forward to the present day, and the entire
Presented by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design
human population is now facing yet another
Museum, the “Design and Healing: Creative
challenge
Responses to Epidemics” exhibit details “the work
in
the
form
of
COVID-19.
The
pandemic resulted in numerous industries being
of
heavily
like
together to aid each other, push for change and
museums where they saw a significant decrease
create new spaces, objects and services.” [6]
in visitors. Like the modernist architects that
There are three galleries that detail innovation
were
building
through various professional fields including
architecture in the early twentieth century,
architecture, which is covered in the second
designers
gallery that revolves around designs that were
affected,
especially
responsible of
today
for
in
places
rethinking
have
reevaluated
how
museums should be designed, which led them to
communities
and
individuals
who
came
created to combat diseases. [7]
consider incorporating elements of the outdoors to promote a more sanitary environment.
Real-Life Examples
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Some architects have proposed new buildings with more open or outdoor exhibits. According to Nancy Kenney of the Art Newspaper, these are meant to enhance “the connection between inside and outside in their designs, whether
IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
Figure 1. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, NY. Source: Allison Meier, July 14, 2019, https://www.flickr.com/photos/7527891@N04/48293978146
PAGE 31
Once everyone finishes the exhibit, they end up in a light-filled conservatory titled the Breathing Space. Designed with the intent of providing visitors a comfortable atmosphere, it contains cushions that have traditionally woven yarns courtesy of the textile industry. [8]
Long-Term Impacts?
While COVID-19 continues to be a threat to everyone, it will eventually wane over time like tuberculosis did in the twentieth century. This, however, begs the question: will there be longterm effects on museum architecture? This can be influenced by a wide variety of factors including, but not limited to, current events and local community influences. The pandemic has caused museums to deal with financial aspects that influence expansions or renovations. [9] This allows designers to find alternatives to provide visitors a safe experience without spending a lot of money. Communities have also influenced museum designs as architects have rethought the way physical spaces are designed. With the public still
concerned
about
COVID-19,
it
gives
designers an opportunity to redesign museums while emphasizing a more sanitary experience. In conclusion, these ideas that can be seen as a response to the enduring pandemic reveal the important trait that humans can adapt to events that can be challenging. In these instances, they come up with possible solutions and implement them to improve the conditions around them. The COVID-19 pandemic is not the only event where this happened, nor would it be the last. However, designers can learn from this and make necessary changes that would benefit everyone.
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PAGE 32
NOTES
[1] Kyle Chayka. “How the Coronavirus will Reshape Architecture.” The New Yorker. June 17, 2020. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-design/how-the-coronavirus-will-reshape-architecture. [2] “How the Coronavirus will Reshape Architecture.” [3] Nancy Kenney. “Space Race: How the Pandemic is Pushing Museums to Rethink Design.” The Art Newspaper. October 7, 2020. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/10/07/space-race-how-thepandemic-is-pushing-museums-to-rethink-design. [4] Nancy Kenney. “Space Race: How the Pandemic is Pushing Museums to Rethink Design.” [5] Nancy Kenney. “Space Race: How the Pandemic is Pushing Museums to Rethink Design.” [6] “‘Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics’ Exhibition to Open in December at Cooper Hewitt.” Smithsonian Institution. November 9, 2021. https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/design-andhealing-creative-responses-epidemics-exhibition-open-december-cooper. [7] “‘Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics’ Exhibition to Open in December at Cooper Hewitt.” [8] “‘Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics’ Exhibition to Open in December at Cooper Hewitt.” [9] Bruce Davis and Ron Elad. “Will COVID-19 Change Museum Architecture?” American Alliance of Museums. August 28, 2020. https://www.aam-us.org/2020/08/28/will-covid-19-change-museumarchitecture/.
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Source: Robert Couse-Baker, A Day at the Museum, February 28, 2014, photograph, Crocker Art Museum, accessed March 29, 2022, https://www.flickr.com/photos/29233640@N07/12859956864/in/photostream/
Small Museums in a Global Pandemic: Diversifying Marketing and Outreach Strategies
Jadon Yeager Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, various inperson events the world has come to know and enjoy as common activities were forced to limit capacities Sporting
or
even
events,
shut
down
entertainment
completely. venues,
and
restaurants were all among the major topics of conversation surrounding the effect the pandemic would have on the future of in-person events and how these might change. Often less described is the effects the pandemic has had and will continue to have on museums, and how museums of all sizes have been working to diversify the ways in which they reach their audiences and patrons.
Effects of the Global Pandemic
Certainly, museums of all sizes have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, but smaller museums have been further disproportionately affected due to lack of funding, stable internet access, and more. According to the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) third report on museums and COVID-19 and shown in figure 1, 61.6 percent of small museums reported that they had to cancel or reduce exhibitions with another 53.6 percent of small museums reporting the cancelation or reduction of programs; meanwhile, only 37.0 and 35.6 percent of large museums showed that they would have to cancel or reduce exhibitions and programs, respectively. [1]
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PAGE 34
With a greater percentage of small museums
reality experiences for their visitors to see the
losing exhibitions and programs, these museums
museums’ exhibits online, with an example of a
have especially needed to find new ways to reach
digital art installation shown in figure 2. [3]
the public as well as invite in new guests.
However, small museums may not have the
Additionally, in the ICOM report, 50.81 percent
resources or internet access to be able to
of small museums answered that they did not
produce
have their collections available online; in contrast,
Feuerbach was able to describe some more
only 18.6 percent of large museums did not have
inexpensive digital alternatives such as online
their
This
newsletters, regularly updated websites, videos,
becomes the central issue for small museums in
and social media. [4] She even provided an
the pandemic and going forward: finding new
example for cases of museums with very little
digital strategies to share their content with many
internet
of
archaeological site in Uzbekistan that had QR
collections
these
available
museums
not
online.
yet
[2]
having
online
collections.
these
types
access
of
which
experiences.
was
a
Dr.
remote
codes which allowed the text descriptions of certain sites and objects to be translated into any language. [5]
Figure 1: Expected loss of services, funding, and other opportunities according to museum size Source: International Council of Museums, “Museums, Museum Professionals and Covid-19: Third Survey,” International Council of Museums, 13, accessed March 1, 2022, https://icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Museumsand-Covid-19_third-ICOM-report.pdf.
Figure 2: Museum goers interact with a digital art installation at the teamLab Borderless Museum in Tokyo, Japan. Source: rabbit_akra, July 2, 2018, photograph, teamLab Borderless Museum, accessed March 29, 2022, https://www.flickr.com/photos/aciel_akra/42264313385/in/ph otostream/.
Next Steps and New Strategies
Dr. Ann Feuerbach, a professor of anthropology at the State University of New York, Nassau, presented on the redefining of museums during and after the COVID-19 pandemic at Purdue University
on
February
22,
2022.
In
this
presentation, she highlighted ways in which all museums could work to involve more digital practices, including examples of what both large and small museums have done throughout the
Conclusion
Small museums could use simple and easily accessible technologies like these mentioned to innovate the way they connect with current audiences and help to improve their outreach with new ones. Additionally, advances like this help to prepare small museums for adverse global events in the future.
pandemic. She described how some museums were able to implement virtual or augmented IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 35
NOTES
[1] International Council of Museums, “Museums, Museum Professionals and Covid-19: Third Survey,” International Council of Museums, 13, accessed March 1, 2022, https://icom.museum/wpcontent/uploads/2021/07/Museums-and-Covid-19_third-ICOM-report.pdf. [2] International Council of Museums, 18. [3] Ann Feuerbach, “Innovation and Post Pandemic Possibilities,” Oral presentation, Purdue University, Honors College, February 22, 2022. [4] Ann Feuerbach, “Innovation and Post Pandemic Possibilities.” [5] Ann Feuerbach, “Innovation and Post Pandemic Possibilities.”
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PAGE 36
ISSUE 3
VISITING SCHOLAR: DR. ALISON POWER
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PAGE 37
Alison Power Professor Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
Website
NOTE FROM THE CO-EDITORS
Biologist Dr. Alison Power, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, has a key research focus on disease ecology in plant communities. Dr. Power is also interested in the intersection between science and community, as well as the diversity of how we grow our food. Her keynote address “Global Crop Diversity in Farming Communities,” given on February 28, 2022, touched on her work in Ethiopia studying how Ethiopian farmers create and handle diverse crops to adapt to changing climate conditions. Ethiopia has long been recognized as a center of crop diversity, particularly for legumes. Such legumes provide food, fodder, soil fertility, and cash income for small farmers, while such legume diversity contributes to dietary quality, broader temporal availability, adaptive capacity and resilience, and food culture within communities. There are existing gaps in legume knowledge, particularly regarding the lack of monitoring on the status of legume diversity, the understudied significance of legume diversity for farmers, and the difficult to anticipate effects of agricultural development policies on legume diversity. Dr. Power and her team asked the question, “Why are farmers growing this diversity of legumes, and what are they valuing in these crops?” To answer this question, the Legume Diversity Project was created. The project was a result of the collaboration between six universities and two cohorts of students, all with a focus on farmers’ traditional varieties of legumes to build a knowledge base about the diversity of these traditional legumes in Ethiopia.
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PAGE 38
Using open-access software and an integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge, each student involved in the program interviewed 144 different farm households about the species of legumes they grew and valued. Interviews were separated into stratified random samples of cultural identity, agroecological zone, gender, and wealth status, and focused on the key attributes of different legume varieties, as well as their nutritional and medicinal values and any changes in abundance within the community. The results of these interviews found that more legume varieties were available at a community level as opposed to the ones grown in a single household. Farmers showed that they understood that some crops were more useful at the community level as they plant some crops one year, while planting other crops the next. However, very few legume varieties are being used by farmers in a community, which can be expected if climate is changing so that some regions are becoming less hospitable while others are becoming more hospitable. Most varieties of legumes are only used by less than a third of the community, although farmers know about the other varieties that exist in their community. Although there is no focused effort on conserving diversity of legumes, farmer’s ratings of legume varieties indicate significant difference in traits, including many that facilitate climate adaptions, such as drought tolerance. Overall, despite the lack of a concentrated effort to support legume diversity, conservation of traditional legume varieties can aid in the adaptation to climate change. Farmers’ use of a variety of species of legumes can help create a buffer toward such climate change, although there is research left to be done to see how crop diversity can continue to add resilience to small-holder farming systems.
Visiting Scholars Series
February 28, 2022
Keynote Address by Dr. Alison Power Hosted by Purdue University Honors College
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PAGE 39
Biodiversity Loss in Our Ecosystems Results in Increased Food Insecurity
Kyler Bartol Within our country and all over the world, food
several issues can present themselves: new and
security has become an increasingly pressing
infectious diseases, and reduced soil fertility,
issue. Another major concern we face today is the
which results in a decrease in crop yields.
loss of biodiversity in our ecosystems. There is
Additionally, as our global population increases,
also a direct relationship between food security
more land is required in order to produce enough
and the biodiversity present in ecosystems.
food to feed everyone.
Current research on this relationship has shown that, while enough food is able to be produced
Expansion of crop fields into separate ecosystems
through agricultural means, it also “methodically
can lead to loss of plant and animal life; if these
undermines the capacity of agroecosystems to
organisms are not able to adapt to the changing
preserve biodiversity.” [1] This paper discusses
surroundings, then they will not be able to
several instances of biodiversity loss and its
survive, leading to more losses in biodiversity. [2]
overall impact on the security of our food.
When this loss occurs, food security can become endangered on a global scale; nutrition in diets can decrease due to less adequate crops, rural
What is Biodiversity and its Role in the
Environment?
On a local level, biodiversity refers to the amount and variety of life that is present within a given ecosystem. When biodiversity is lost, however,
livelihoods can worsen, and there can be a loss in sustainability of food as resilience becomes less prominent in our communities. [3] With all of this in mind, it is clear that biodiversity needs to be preserved in our ecosystems so that the security of our food does not become endangered.
Figure 1 (Above): Legume plant fields in Ethiopia. (Source: “Inoculating Legume Plants with Nitrogen-Fixing Rhizobia Bacteria Improves Yields in Ethiopia and Could Save USD28 Million Annually in Fertilizer Costs” by Paul Karaimu, July 12, 2019, International Livestock Research Institute, https://www.ilri.org/news/inoculating-legume-plants-nitrogen-fixing-rhizobia-bacteria-improves-yields-ethiopiaand-could)
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PAGE 40
there can also be tradeoffs that aid in the loss of
Microbial Effect on Biodiversity
As the biodiversity of microorganisms decreases in a crop yield, new pathogens and harmful microorganisms have the ability to fill the void and transmit diseases not only to the crops but also
to
the
crop-consumers.
In
a
regular
ecosystem, there is a natural competition that constantly takes place between organisms. On the microscopic level, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms are competing for resources that reside in both the soil and on the crops themselves. As biodiversity is lost, however, this competition is less prevalent as species are dying out; when the non-harmful microbes are lost in these scenarios, harmful ones are able to replace them and use up the resources that the plants offer. As these new microbes spread and are ingested, new diseases and infections can arise, which could result in an epidemic as the food is distributed across the globe. [4]
biodiversity, such as emitting greenhouse gasses and creating water runoff that is filled with pesticides and other chemicals that can be poisonous to wildlife. [6] These deficiencies in agroecosystems need to be addressed in order to preserve biodiversity; by accomplishing this, food sources around the world will be able to become safer and more secure for consumers. Preserving Biodiversity in the Future
Overall, biodiversity is very important in keeping our food safe, and these examples have shown how
biodiversity
production.
affects
Without
our
overall
biodiversity,
food several
problems can arise, including disease and loss of wildlife. In order to stop this, more manageable policies need to be adopted to protect wildlife, which will also benefit our crops and keep our food secure. Current Research
Biodiversity in Agriculture and Agroecosystems
Agriculture, in general, has contributed to a loss of biodiversity as these crop fields expand across the world. With this, there is a tradeoff between food security and the resulting biodiversity. As mentioned in her article, Dr. Alison Power talks about how the management of agriculture can lead to losses in wildlife habitats, and more specifically, the wildlife itself. Dr. Power has also worked extensively with the legume plants and fields in Ethiopia (Fig. 1), which have shown to be vital to protecting the biodiversity of legumes. From this, agroecosystems can arise; these allow for many more benefits within crop fields and can greatly increase the security of our food sources. Agroecosystems can allow for the support of biodiversity, but as mentioned before, the fate of biodiversity
is
reliant
heavily
upon
the
management of the agroecosystem. [5] For example, agroecosystems can allow for the regulation of water and soil content, and they can support the effects of biodiversity on crops, such as pollination and nitrogen fixation. However, IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
Research has shown, however, that problems with food security and loss of biodiversity do not have to be mutually exclusive to each other; by implementing new policies and practices in our agricultural
fields,
both
problems
will
be
addressed. For example, alternative agriculture, such as utilizing hydroponic techniques, has been seen to decrease losses in biodiversity, and is overall better for biodiversity conservation than conventional agriculture. [7] The difference is that conventional agriculture focuses solely on increasing the outputs and yields of crops in order to increase the efficiency of harvests at the expense of biodiversity, whereas alternative agriculture’s main focus is sustainability of food sources
that
coincide
with
an
increased
protection of biodiversity. Another study has shown that small farms using more alternative agricultural practices are “two to four times more energy efficient than large conventional farms." [8] With this in mind, it is important that we begin to adopt these practices to save biodiversity in our ecosystems and keep our food secure. PAGE 41
NOTES
[1] Michael Jahi Chappell and Liliana A. LaValle, “Food Security and Biodiversity: Can We Have Both? an Agroecological Analysis,” Agriculture and Human Values 28, no. 1 (2009): 3–26, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-009-9251-4. [2] Desirée J. Immerzeel, Pita A. Verweij, Floor van der Hilst, and André P. C. Faaij, “Biodiversity impacts of bioenergy crop production: a state-of-the-art review,” GCB Bioenergy 6, no. 3 (2013): 183–209, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12067. [3] “The Biodiversity That Is Crucial for Our Food and Agriculture Is Disappearing by the Day,” FAO, Accessed February 21, 2022. https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1180463/icode/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CLess%20biodiversity%2 0means%20that%20plants,%2C%E2%80%9D%20added%20Graziano%20da%20Silva. [4] Felicia Keesing, Lisa K. Belden, Peter Daszak, Andrew Dobson, C. Drew Harvell, Robert D. Holt, Peter Hudson, et al., “Impacts of Biodiversity on the Emergence and Transmission of Infectious Diseases,” Nature 468, no. 7324 (2010): 647–52, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09575. [5] Alison G. Power, “Ecosystem Services and Agriculture: Tradeoffs and Synergies,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 365, no. 1554 (2010): 2959–71, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0143. [6] Power, 2959-71 [7] Chappell, 3-26 [8] Chappell, 3-26
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PAGE 42
Promoting Ecosystem Services by Implementing Agroforestry
Martin L. Emerson Recent literature in the interdisciplinary field of
services
present
food security has emphasized the need for
agroforestry.
ecosystem services to preserve food security.
Department of Agriculture defines agroforestry
Ecosystem services represent the benefits that
as “a unique extensive action involving the
natural spaces provide to society. [1] These are
integration of woody plants with crop and
increasingly important as the growing population
livestock
of the world and the progression of climate
agricultural
change pose new challenges for food security. As
otherwise be a monoculture can be interspersed
a result, both policymakers and individuals must
with trees, as seen in figure 1.
A
in 2017
components.” fields
and
agricultural
land
is
report
the
US
[3]
from
For
pastures
example,
that
would
make tradeoffs between maintaining ecosystem services for the future and gathering more resources
to
maintain
immediate
wellbeing.
Reaching a sustainable future will require finding a middle ground between these objectives.
Analyzing Food Security
Considering the various factors impacting food security, authors in this field have proposed frameworks to analyze food security issues. Ideally, these approaches can lead to more balanced outcomes, which both promote shortterm
food
security
while
also
conserving
Figure 1: An agroforestry planting in Australia. The tree lines correspond to the slope of the landscape. Source: Pixture2016, Agroforestry contour planting, January 2, 2017, JPG image, Australia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agroforestry_conto ur_planting.jpg.
ecosystem services for the future. Specifically,
Ecosystem Services
University of Southampton professor Guy Poppy
Implementing agroforestry would entail various
notes that this approach is particularly relevant to
benefits and drawbacks, which can be analyzed
understanding “agro-ecosystems,” which include
through
both managed and natural features. [2] To
Agroforestry would provide direct benefits to
illustrate the value of this novel framework, this
crops. For example, trees would provide shade
article will provide an example of applying these
that would help reduce the effects of extreme
principles by discussing a specific practice,
heat as well as providing shelter against damage
agroforestry, that aims to preserve the ecosystem
from high winds. [4] Developing resilience against
services of agricultural land, a goal necessary for
adverse weather is particularly valuable, since
long-term food security.
global environmental change has been found to
the
ecosystem
services
framework.
threaten crop yields. [5] Further, the ecosystem Analyzing Food Security
One recent proposal to enhance the ecosystem IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
services framework explains the value of certain indirect benefits provided by agroforestry. PAGE 43
Figure 2: An illustration of the contributions of ecosystem services to the public and the need for investments to maintain those ecosystem services. Source: Bosco Lliso, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), 26 March 2021, PNG image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Payments_for_Ecosystem_Services_(PES).png
Wooded areas provide ecosystem services that
land entail tradeoffs between short-term and
enhance
long-term interests. [7]
agriculture,
including
habitats
for
beneficial wildlife, such as pollinators. [6]
Agroforestry for Resilience
Agroforestry provides various ecosystem services Addressing Tradeoffs
that benefit agriculture. These considerations
However, the ecosystem services model also
provide an example of the utility of this modern
notes
involve
model of food security. This concept asserts that
drawbacks as well. Converting conventional fields
food security is not a matter of maximizing
to the agroforestry model would require an initial
productivity in the short run. Instead, innovative
investment of money and labor. This could
techniques, potentially including agroforestry, will
discourage farmers from adopting agroforestry.
be required to promote food security into the
As suggested by figure 2, the problem could be
future, despite the adverse effects of global
addressed
that
environmental change. Environmental scientist
promote sustainability. Specifically, the upfront
Josée Méthot notes that “ecosystem services are
costs could be offset by subsidies provided by the
key building blocks of ecological resilience, and
population that benefits from the ecosystem
that our ability to support stable food security in
services. A further concern is that including tree
the long-term hinges on agricultural systems that
lines within fields would reduce the acreage
provide multiple ecosystem services.” [8] In line
available for planting crops. This could spur the
with
expansion of agriculture into previously natural
various ecosystems services, including shelter for
areas, damaging biodiversity and reducing the
crops and habitat for pollinators. In conclusion,
availability of ecosystem services. Consistent with
examining agroforestry through the lens of
the ecosystem services model, different uses of
ecosystem services reveals the potential for this
that
food
by
security
incentivizing
decisions
techniques
this
proposition,
agroforestry
provides
practice to promote long-term food security. IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 44
NOTES
[1] Josée Méthot, “Managing Food Security for Resilience: The Role of Ecosystem Services,” Institute for the Study of International Development, 3, accessed 4 March 2022, https://www.mcgill.ca/isid/files/isid/methot.pb12.pdf. [2] Guy M Poppy et al., “Food security in a perfect storm: using the ecosystem services framework to increase understanding,” Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences 369, no. 1639 (April 2014): 6, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2012.0288. [3] Patel-Weynand, Toral, Gary Bentrup, and Michele M. Schoeneberger. "Agroforestry: Enhancing Resiliency in U.S. Agricultural Landscapes Under Changing Conditions." Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 2017. [4] Schoeneberger, 10. [5] John Ingram, “A food systems approach to researching food security and its interactions with global environmental change,” Food Security 3, no. 4 (2011): 422, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-011-0149-9. [6] Poppy, 3. [7] Poppy, 4. [8] Méthot, 12
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PAGE 45
Food Deserts: Can We Close the Gap?
Chinonso Emenim As the world population continues to increase,
affordable price is significantly restricted, usually
one consideration that is becoming increasingly
due to a lack of supermarkets or grocery stores in
important is ensuring that there is enough food
a convenient distance. Nearly 39.5 million people,
supply to comfortably meet the population’s
making up over 12% of the American population,
needs.
live in low-income and low-access areas. [4] As
Worldwide,
implemented
to
measures
preserve
the
are
being
quality
and
mentioned
earlier,
food
deserts
are
often
availability of the food supply. For example,
characterized by areas with low socio-economic
legume farmers in Ethiopia are making sure to
status. They are most likely to be found in urban
plant a wide variety of crops in order to increase
areas
the adaptability and resilience of crops to
American and Hispanic residents and are usually
temporal changes and natural disasters. [1] The
low-income areas, where many people do not
term “food security” is used to describe having
own vehicles, making it difficult to reliably access
physical and economic access to food sufficient
grocery stores in many cases.
that
contain
predominantly
African
to meet dietary needs for healthy living. A family is described as food secure when its members do
Further complicating the matter is that high-
not live in hunger or in fear of going hungry. [2]
income districts have been found to have
Food insecurity is often related with lower socio-
approximately triple the number of supermarkets
economic status and has major long-term effects
as
on affected individuals, contributing to chronic
predominantly
health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and
significantly larger and have a greater selection of
hypertension.
food choices than those in predominantly African
poor
districts,
and
white
grocery
stores
neighborhoods
in are
American communities. [5] The fact that struggles This problem is exacerbated when considering
regarding food security tend to fall along lines
children
separating race and class has led to the increased
who
grow
up
in
food-insecure
households. In some places, there are food
use of the term “food apartheid” to highlight the
“safety nets” available to school-aged children. Some children from food-insecure households can typically
supplement
consumption
during
extracurricular
activities,
their
nutritional
meals
at
or
through
school, meals
provided at a job, for instance. [3] However, in other places, these safety nets may not be sufficient, may not exist, or may be inaccessible for a variety of reasons. One of the major contributing factors to food insecurity is the concept of “food deserts.” These are geographic areas where the population’s
Figure 1. An illustration depicting the hardship faced by those living in food deserts. Source: Chapman University, 2020, JPEG image. https://blogs.chapman.edu/sustainability/2020/08/26/interse ctional-issues-food-deserts/
ability to access healthy food options at an IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 46
societal causes of decreased access to nutritious
the opening of more chain discount locations
foods by ethnic minorities and low-income
such as Dollar General or Dollar Tree, which
communities. [6] An individual’s dietary choices
areknown for providing little to or no fresh food
are restricted by the options physically and
options along with numerous processed food
financially available to them. In many of these
items. Their convenient locations and low prices
geographical areas, the stores that are available
make them attractive options to residents in low-
are discount chain stores that typically sell
income areas without convenient access to more
cheaper products that tend to be high in levels of
nutritious options, which are typically further
salt, sugar, and fat. The available processed foods
away and more expensive. The existence of these
typically lack in nutritional quality as well.
chains serves to undercut the few grocery stores and supermarkets that do exist in these areas,
The
fact
that
are
with many being forced to close. [9] After Kansas
significantly more expensive than less nutritious
City’s regional planning commission passed a bill
options is compounded in food deserts. A
that restricted the opening of discount chains in
comprehensive review of studies looking at the
the city in 2016, other cities such as Birmingham,
relative costs of healthier and less healthy diets
Alabama;
found that healthier diet patterns cost an average
Louisiana; and Atlanta, Georgia, followed suit.
of $1.48 more per day. [7] For many families,
[10] Many city councils are proposing and passing
what may seem like a small difference to some
legislation that encourages more fresh food
adds up rather quickly, making it financially
retailers and farmers markets, as well as raising
difficult to follow a nutritious dietary pattern,
funds to offset the costs of implementing high-
even
quality grocery stores in areas that are lacking.
when
nutritious
the
food
ingredients
choices
are
physically
Cleveland,
Ohio;
New
Orleans,
available. Thankfully, public awareness of the issue is steadily increasing. The work of government officials and activists across the country has served to bring light to the inequality regarding food security, and steps are being taken towards creating a more equitable future. As many individuals in low-income communities rely on public transportation to get to the supermarket, bus stop farmers markets are starting to pop up around the country, including in cities such as
Figure 2. A mobile farmer's market helping to combat a shortage of nutritious food choices in low-income areas. Source: Mark Gardner, JPEG image. https://cdn10.bostonmagazine.com/wpcontent/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/MobileMarket.jpg
Dayton, Ohio; Tampa, Florida; and Atlanta,
The inequality in physical and economic access to
Georgia.
the
healthy, nutrient-dense food options is one of the
opportunity to choose from fresh, nutrient-dense
most important factors threatening food security
groceries on their way home from work at the bus
today. As previously mentioned, approximately
stop. [8] The bus stop farmers’ market is just one
one-eighth of Americans have limited access to
example of recent countermeasures taken against
nutritious food choices, a proportion that is
food insecurity. Many cities, especially those with
bound to increase if serious changes are not
a higher proportion of residents living in a food
made in the near future. However, with some
The
goal
is
to
give
people
desert, have taken measures to restrict or prevent IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 47
creativity everyone
and can
hard
work,
a
conveniently
future acquire
where the
components of a nutritious diet is entirely possible.
NOTES
[1] Alison Power, “Global Crop Diversity in Farming Communities” (presentation, Purdue University Honors College Aronson Lecture Keynote Address, West Lafayette, IN, February 28, 2022). [2] “Agriculture and Food Security,” U.S. Agency for International Development, last modified February 2, 2022, https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security. [3] Jayanta Bhattacharya, Janet Currie, and Steven Haider, “Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Nutritional Outcomes in Children and Adults,” Journal of Health Economics 23, no. 4 (December 2003): 839–62, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2003.12.008. [4] “Exploring America's Food Deserts,” The Annie E. Casey Foundation, February 14, 2021, https://www.aecf.org/blog/exploring-americas-food-deserts. [5] Kimberly Morland, Steve Wing, Ana Diez Roux, and Charles Poole, “Neighborhood Characteristics Associated with the Location of Food Stores and Food Service Places,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 22, no. 1 (January 2002): 23–29, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-3797(01)00403-2. [6] Amber Charles Alexis, “Food Deserts: Causes, Effects, and Solutions,” Healthline Media, June 14, 2021, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/food-deserts. [7] Mayuree Rao, Ashkan Afshin, Gitanjali Singh, and Dariush Mozaffarian, “Do Healthier Foods and Diet Patterns Cost More than Less Healthy Options? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” BMJ Open 3, no. 12 (2013), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004277. [8] Aria Dailee, “5 Solutions That Alleviate Food Insecurity in the U.S.,” Heated, April 10, 2021, https://heated.medium.com/5-solutions-that-alleviate-food-insecurity-in-the-u-s-767ba03fcb94. [9] Charlie Thaxton, “More Cities Pass Laws to Block Dollar Store Chains,” Institute for Local Self-Reliance, September 28, 2021, https://ilsr.org/more-cities-pass-laws-to-block-dollar-store-chains/. [10] Thaxton, “Cities Block Dollar Store Chains.”
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The Impact of Soil on Climate Change and Human Health
Alec Patterson Concerns about climate change, the health of our
According
to
an
article
planet, and the effects that these have on the
University,
future of humanity have been prevalent for
ecosystems (plants, animals, and microbes) over a
decades. As a species, we have attempted
long time by providing benefits such as improved
numerous measures to help mitigate the crisis
water-holding
that we have imposed on our climate, but none
reduced nutrient runoff and soil erosion, and
have seemed to pan out too well. The topic just
potentially enhanced crop yields.” [4]
“healthy
posted
by
can
sustain
soils
capacity
and
nutrient
Arizona their
cycling,
seems insurmountable at times. It may not be as complicated as we think though.
Given that healthy soil is better at sustaining so many of these important environmental aspects we
In a recent presentation at Purdue University,
must consider what healthy soil is. At North
Cornell professor and crop expert Dr. Alison
Carolina State University, soil is considered ideal
Power claimed that crop diversity is an integral
when it consists of roughly 45 percent minerals, 25
part of promoting environmental health. As part
percent water, 25 percent air, and 5 percent
of this claim, Dr. Power asserted that a more
organic matter. [5] This is considered ideal because
diverse array of crops on one piece of land
it provides the best soil profile for the absorption
improves soil health. According to Dr. Power, by
of water and nutrients.
exposing soil to a variety of crops, soil can retain nutrients better than it would if one type of crop is planted repeatedly. [1] This poses a few questions: first, what is soil health?
According
to
the
United
States
Department of Agriculture, soil health is, “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.” [2] A significant aspect of this is the fertility of soil, which is, “the ability of a soil to sustain plant growth by providing essential plant nutrients.” [3] So, how does the health of soil affect its fertility, how does this affect human health, and how do both relate to the climate crisis?
Figure 1: A depiction of Ideal soil makeup promoting overall soil health. (N.C. Brady, and R.R. Weil. 2004. Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils, 2nd Edition. Atlanta, GA: Prentice Hall. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1soils-and-plant-nutrients)
The relationship between the health of soil and its fertility is undeniable, but soil health goes much further than affecting crops. IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 49
Figure 2: A depiction of the U.S. Government recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. (My Plate. https://www.myplate.gov/ resources/graphics/myplat
Soil is not quite that simple, however. Beyond the profile of the soil, its pH plays a significant role in its ability to yield consistent, healthy crops. [6] Furthermore, the ability for crops to continue growing relies upon the ability of the soil to provide each of the 17 required nutrients. These nutrients
are
macronutrients Potassium),
broken
into
(Nitrogen,
while
the
categories
Phosphorus, remaining
14
e-graphics)
of and are
Diet-related health is not solely dependent on the
considered micronutrients. The macronutrients
amount or variety of crops in one’s diet though.
are considered the most important for the
The ability for nutrients consumed to be absorbed
survival of crops, as they require the greatest
and utilized is called nutrient bioavailability. [13]
amounts of macronutrients, while they can
This is where soil health comes into play with
survive on smaller amounts of the micronutrients.
human health. Crops that are consumed but have
[7] While micronutrients may not be required in
come from less fertile soil sources not only taste
as great amounts, they play a vital role in crop
bad but also do not have as many nutrients
health, and the more abundant they are, the
readily available. [14] In contrast, crops that come
healthier the crops are. In short, healthier soil
from rich, healthy soil will be considered more
produces healthier crops.
bioavailable, meaning they provide a greater source of nutrients for the body.
As soil health affects its crops, the chain continues. We include these crops in our diet, and
We can see that human health is extremely
they have a direct effect on our health. [8] Back
dependent on the health of the planet. [15]
to those nutrients. These nutrients, which are
Perhaps the best part about this is that, for the
broken down by the human body, provide
most part, we get out of the environment what
different functions.
we put into it. As such, we must protect the health of our soil to see the benefits in our own
Much like in plants, the bulk of our energy is
health as well. During her presentation at Purdue,
derived
Our
Dr. Power advocated for the use of farming
carbohydrates,
techniques such as cover cropping and slash and
from
macronutrients,
macronutrients. however,
are
[9]
proteins, and fats. While most energy comes from
burn
agriculture,
which
adds
resilience
to
macronutrients, many other functions are aided
farmland. This resilience is helpful in preparation
by micronutrients. [10] Beans for example are
for extreme weather brought on by climate
known for having high protein levels, but they are
change, but it is also healthier for the soil
also high in fiber, an important micronutrient for
altogether. [16]
the maintenance of gut health and digestive function. [11]
As we move into the future, we must place more emphasis on environmental health. In doing so,
While macronutrients are relatively easy to
we are also investing in our health and our ability
consume in sufficient amounts, getting proper
to enjoy healthy lives. [17]
levels of certain micronutrients can be a bit more difficult, hence why fruits and vegetables are so widely emphasized for their nutritional value. [12] IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 50
NOTES
[1] Alison Power, “Global Crop Diversity in Farming Communities,” Aronson Family Lecture Series, Purdue Honors College, February 28, 2022. [2] “Soil Health,” Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Accessed March 9, 2022, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health/. [3] “Soil Fertility,” Global Soil Partnership, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Accessed March 9, 2022, https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/areas-of-work/soil-fertility/en. [4] “Soil Fertility and Soil Health.” Cooperative Extension | The University of Arizona, January 11, 2022. https://extension.arizona.edu/yavapai-soil-fertility-soil-health. [5] “1. Soils and Plant Nutrients.” NC State Extension Publications. Accessed March 27, 2022. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients. [6] “1. Soils and Plant Nutrients.” [7] “1. Soils and Plant Nutrients.” [8] Alida Melse-Boonstra, “Bioavailability of Micronutrients From Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods: Zooming in on Dairy, Vegetables, and Fruits,” Frontiers in Nutrition 7 (July 24, 2020): 101,10.3389/fnut.2020.00101. [9] Brian Lindshield, “Energy-Yielding Macronutrients.” Human Nutrition. Oregon State University, August 1, 2019. https://open.oregonstate.education/humannutrition/chapter/chapter-2-energy-yieldingmacronutrients/. [10] “Micronutrients Have Major Impact on Health.” Harvard Health, February 15, 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/micronutrients-have-major-impact-on-health. [11] “Black Beans Help Fix Insulin Resistance and Gut Bacteria Balance.” Black Beans Help Fix Insulin Resistance and Gut Bacteria Balance: USDA ARS. Accessed March 29, 2022. https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2021/black-beans-help-fix-insulinresistance-and-gut-bacteria-balance/. [12] “Fruits.” MyPlate. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/fruits.
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NOTES CONTINUED
[13] Mike Espy, “Bioavailability: How the Nutrients in Food Become Available to Our Bodies.” HealthGuidance.org |, December 8, 2019. https://www.healthguidance.org/entry/6265/1/bioavailabilityhow-the-nutrients-in-food-become-available-to-our-bodies.html. [14] Espy, “Bioavailability” [15] David A. Sinclair and Matthew D. LaPlante, “Chapter 8. The Shape of Things to Come,” in Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To (London: Harper Thorsons, 2021), 22-24. [16] Alison Power, “Global Crop Diversity in Farming Communities,” Aronson Family Lecture Series, Purdue Honors College, February 28, 2022. [17] Sinclair and LaPlante, Lifespan, 222-224
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PAGE 52
Cover crops reduce agricultural impacts on climate change. (Source: "Cover cropping at Granton Vineyard (fava beans)" by Stefano Lubiana Wines is marked with CC BY 2.0.)
Digging Into Sustainable Agriculture
Gabrielle (Ellie) Tanner As one would expect, large scale agriculture
resulting soil fertility, and more. [3] In recent
today looks vastly different than even just a
years, the main focus in agriculture has been on
century ago, with technology and innovation
increasing productivity and thus ameliorating
driving the industry forward in an effort to
food insecurity by simply producing more food.
maximize food production. Notably, however, agriculture and food production still rely on the
This strategy, however, has a major fault as it fails
same thing they always have: natural resources,
to account for the huge dependency of these
which are in a steady decline across the globe
agroecosystems
largely due to climate change. [1] In her research
provided
and work, Cornell University’s Dr. Alison Power
agroecosystems can result in both ecosystem
champions the notion that an increased focus on
services and disservices depending upon the
preserving
absolutely
specifics of their operation. [5] In order for truly
essential to the future of sustainable and resilient
sustainable agriculture to come to fruition, focus
agricultural
must shift towards practices that preserve and
ecosystem practice
services in
the
is
effort
to
feed
by
on
the
nature.
ecosystem [4]
services
Moreover,
humanity for the next century and beyond.
contribute positively to ecosystem services.
According to the Institute for the Study of
Agricultural Impacts on Climate Change
International Development, ecosystem services
Importantly, the ecosystem disservices brought
are “the benefits that humans get from nature,”
about by agriculture both contribute to and are
[2] which includes but is not limited to pollination
exacerbated by global climate change. Currently,
by wild bees, timber and wood harvested from
a lack of resilient food production systems has
forests,
resulted in highly sensitive agricultural practices
environmental
disease
and
pest
regulation, nutrient cycling via decomposition and IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
which are not able to quickly bounce back from PAGE 53
the hindrances brought about by climate change. These deficiencies include declining soil nutrients, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity and its resultant lack of pest resistance, which ultimately decrease agricultural productivity and thus reduce crop yields. [6] This ultimately has the potential to cause food insecurity for future generations, especially in developing countries, should climate change and a lack of resilient food production
proceed.
While
fighting
climate
change is a battle of its own, the focus of many agronomists and biologists such as Dr. Power has
Figure 2: The Wabash River watershed collects runoff from Indiana farmland that is polluted with nitrogen fertilizers. (Source: "Wabash River, Indiana" by Ken Lund is marked with CC BY-SA 2.0.)
Mexico, [9] which has implications for marine wildlife and the ecosystem services it provides.
been to reduce agriculture’s contribution to the depletion of natural ecosystem services. Dr. Power has investigated several ways in which food production is harmful to the environment, particularly pertaining to nitrogen pollution of waterways, greenhouse gas emission, and loss of
Steps Towards Sustainable Agriculture
Looking to the future, Dr. Power recommends a transition to more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices to reduce nitrogen pollution such as cover cropping (Fig.1) to help eliminate
biodiversity. [7]
standing
While the lack of resilient food production in
crops. [10]
exacerbates climate change in numerous ways as Dr. Power has investigated at length, I would like to focus on the impacts that are closest to home here at Purdue University. The main way that agroecosystems, particularly clonal crops, directly harm the global environment is through the introduction of extreme amounts of nitrogen to waterways through runoff of nitrogen-based fertilizers. In fact, approximately 20 percent of all nitrogen fertilizers used for farming end up in which
on
farmlands
as
well
as
increasing the variety of nutrients provided to
agroecosystems harms the environment and
waterways,
nitrate
ultimately
results
in
widespread algae-induced hypoxia and dead
During her visit to Purdue in spring 2022, Dr. Power discussed her work in Ethiopia studying the agricultural practices of local farmers and working
alongside
Ethiopian
agronomists
to
maintain the rich biodiversity of legume crops boasted by the country’s many regions. The intercropping and cover cropping utilized by local communities serves as a proof of concept for their efficacy in maintaining biodiversity and reducing nitrogen pollution, thus ameliorating the contribution of agriculture to climate change.
zones in rivers and oceans. [8]
During her talk, Dr. Power remarked that these
A perfect example of this type of environmental
nitrogen-based
harm is the Wabash River, which runs along Purdue’s campus. A Notre Dame study has reported that the Wabash River watershed (pictured in Fig.2) contributes approximately 11 percent of the total nitrogen pollution causing a 6,000 square mile dead zone in the Gulf of IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
practices, in conjunction with reduced usage of fertilizers
in
favor
of
green
manures, can help decrease the volume of nitrogen runoff resulting from agriculture. [11] If adopted in Indiana alone, changes like these would have major impacts on the health of the Wabash River and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as any parties who rely on the ecosystem services PAGE 54
they provide. Ultimately, prioritizing increased biodiversity
through
cover
cropping
and
intercropping on a global agricultural scale is one very promising way to decrease the pollution of our waterways and work towards a healthier planet and more sustainable food production.
NOTES
[1] Josée Méthot, “Managing Food Security for Resilience: The Role of Ecosystem Services,” Research to Practice Policy Briefs, Policy Brief no.12, Institute for the Study of International Development, 6. [2] Méthot, 3. [3] Méthot, 29-30. [4] John Ingram, “A food systems approach to researching food security and its interactions with global environmental change,” Food Security 3 (2011): 418. [5] Alison G. Power, “Ecosystem services and agriculture: tradeoffs and synergies,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 365 (2010): 2964, 10.1098/rstb.2010.0143 [6] Méthot, 8. [7] Power, 2959 [8] Power, 2965 [9] University of Notre Dame, “Work Ongoing to Improve Water Quality in the Wabash River,” Environmental Change Initiative, Notre Dame Research, September 19, 2014, accessed March 9, 2022, https://environmentalchange.nd.edu/news-events/news/work-ongoing-to-improve-water-quality-in-thewabash-river/ [10] Power, 2965 [11] Alison G. Power, “Global Crop Diversity in Farming Communities,” HONR 29900: Visiting Scholars Seminar, Visiting Scholars Series Keynote Lecture and Q&A, Purdue University Honors College, February 28, 2022.
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PAGE 55
ISSUE 4
VISITING SCHOLAR: SHARITA WARE
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Mrs. Sharita Ware STEM Teacher East Tippecanoe Middle School 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year
Website
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Sharita Ware, Indiana’s Teacher of the Year for 2022, has been teaching Engineering and Technology education in the Tippecanoe School Corporation for ten years. With a focus on real-world and problem-based design scenarios, Ware has become known for offering what is not “normal” in her classes. In her keynote address, “The Lost Ones (Identity Lost)—Redefining Education to Empower Children,” given on April 14, 2022, Ware addresses how many students are experiencing what she calls “dead learning,” and what can be done to empower these children to return from their lost state. With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, students tend to be disconnected. Ware discussed how it is hard to keep students focused and involved in learning, defining this as “dead learning,” where teaching in a classroom feels as if it is stagnant, and students will tend to give up if anything is too challenging. Ware posited multiple reasons why students may be lost, which included lowered expectations, no accountability for actions, possible broken families and governmental disconnect, and of course, the effects of the pandemic. Additionally, Ware posited that children today struggle to discover who they are, having lost pieces of their family’s history or culture, which makes learning some subjects particularly difficult for students who do not have a reference point for their identity. Ware said it was just as important for teachers to know their own history and how they fit into their subject and classroom, as everything is connected. Showing students you care as a teacher is another way Ware hopes to empower students, saying that “once they know you care about them, you can get them to do anything.”
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When it comes to teaching Engineering and Technology, students who may not excel in other areas can find pride in the work they do in Ware’s classes, while also working with writing, math, or other subjects students tend to “hate,” as Ware mentioned being able to sneak these subjects into her coursework. Ware gives her students options to talk about themselves, and advocates for “active learning,” where students become part of their own learning process. Instead of grading based on standardized test results, Ware focuses on how students used their materials and time, or how they worked with their team, to see how they contributed toward their project and how they can use that information going forward. If students can see where they went wrong with a project, they are learning, and can begin to take pride in their work. Ware describes such creative work as a representation of students themselves, as well as something they can have control over. Students are often struggling with things outside of school, and taking part of their own education and having some control over their work can help to increase a student’s confidence and even improve grades. To close her keynote discussion, Ware tells a story of one student whose life she had affected, a student who had previously been struggling, but thanks to her influence, found a spark and was able to find the courage to push through and succeed. She says that the stories of these students who have found life again because of their teachers support her when she gets discouraged; doing things differently can pay off, and going outside of what is expected can be what helps a student become their best self.
Visiting Scholars Series
April 14, 2022
Keynote Address by Mrs. Sharita Ware Hosted by Purdue University Honors College
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PAGE 58
The Pandemic’s Impact on the Future Classroom
Samuel Bauer An empty classroom. Source: Flickr
The COVID-19 pandemic forcibly revolutionized
pandemic, and teachers had to adapt their
ademically as if they were in person. About 93%
support to their students in addition to their
of households with children reported some form
lessons.
of
online
schooling
during
the
COVID-19
pandemic. [1] Remote learning often took the form of digital lessons and assignments as well as paper content sent from the schools. However, affluent school districts were more likely to be utilizing digital resources than paper resources for remote learning. Of households with incomes of less than $50,000, 65.8% reported children using online resources for schooling, while those with an income of over $100,000, 85.8% reported children using online resources for schooling.
A West Lafayette Community School Corporation school bus. Source: Journal & Courier
The inequality of remote learning impacted families and, specifically, school children. The pandemic
exposed
this
inequality
but
also
exposed less visible issues within K-12 education. Mental health of students declined during the
Sharita Ware
Mrs. Sharita Ware understands this unique challenge. Ware, a middle-school STEM teacher, is the 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year. [2] The superintendent
of
the
Tippecanoe
School
Corporation, Dr. Scott Hanback, said, “She is an IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 59
exceptional teacher who has transformed the technology classroom and lab space into an
that the online interaction differed negatively than physical interaction with friends; they lacked
engaging, inspiring workspace for students.”
faith with technology to support their social lives.
In a recent lecture at Purdue University, Mrs.
of students and overlooked the mental health
Ware noted that “There are times where [I’m] cheering [my students] on because [I’m] thinking, ‘Yes, just keep going,’ especially when [I] hear about their home lives. […] A lot of times, I feel more like a mother figure than I am a teacher.” [3] As a teacher, Mrs. Ware is concerned about student’s academic success. But as a mother figure, Mrs. Ware is concerned about the wellbeing of students.
Many educators focused on the academic success (and emotional or social) concerns of students. Students, school personnel, and parents who are school personnel indicated the most concern for, in order, “student health, […] student academic development,
school
personnel
health,
and
student mental health.” [5] While ranking student mental
health
last
does
not
indicate
unimportance, one can note that the pandemic caused concerns that overshadowed student mental
health,
including
student
academic
development. Mental Health and Students
Unfortunately, students’ wellbeing often suffered
Mrs. Ware did not fall into this trap. Instead, she
during the pandemic. In a British survey, 83% of
took extra caution to care for her students’
students reported their mental health worsening.
academic and personal wellbeing. Mrs. Ware
[4] Only 7% indicated their mental health
extended
improved. The surveyed students indicated that
understanding that her students often have
they worried for their family’s personal health,
deleterious home lives that hinder academic and
school closures, loss of routine, and loss of social
personal growth.
this
mindset
under
COVID-19,
connection. Some of those worried about school closures because they would lose contact with
Teachers like Mrs. Ware have expended massive
friends; others worried about having a place away
efforts in growing their children academically and
from an abusive or otherwise dangerous home
personally, often as if they were their own
environment. The loss of routine, according to
children. As life is resembling pre-pandemic life,
students, may remove healthy coping activities
teachers like Mrs. Ware should continue to
(e.g., marching band) from their lives. Those
incorporate the effective techniques learned for
worried about the loss of social connection noted
student support, academic and personal, into familiar, in-person classroom settings.
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PAGE 60
NOTES
Summary
[1] Kevin McElrath, “Nearly 93% of Households With School-Age Children Report Some Form of Distance Learning During COVID-19,” United States Census Bureau, August 26, 2020,
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/08/schooling-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.html. [2] Holly Lawson, “Tippecanoe County Engineering and Technology Teacher Named 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year,” Indiana Department of Education, October 26, 2021, https://www.in.gov/doe/about/news/tippecanoe-county-engineering-and-technology-teacher-named2022-indiana-teacher-of-the-year/. [3] Purdue Honors College, Visiting Scholars Series with Sharita Ware, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xickdxuXW5U. [4] “Coronavirus: Impact on Young People with Mental Health Needs,” YoungMinds, March 30, 2020, https://www.youngminds.org.uk/media/xq2dnc0d/youngminds-coronavirus-report-march2020.pdf. [5] Jacqueline R. Anderson, Jennifer L. Hughes, and Madhukar H. Trivedi, “School Personnel and Parents’ Concerns Related to COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact Related to Schools,” School Psychology Review 50, no. 4 (October 2, 2021): 519–29, https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1862626.
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Online Learning and Changing Lesson Plans
Devin Capece Source: “At Home Online Learning Resources and Podcasts for Kids,” Atlanta Parent, published July 16, 2021. https://www.atlantaparent.com/online-learning-resources-and-podcasts-for-kids/. Accessed May 7, 2022.
The
global
COVID-19
pandemic
generated
article
from
the
National
Science
Teaching
momentous change in many facets of society,
Association, teacher Jan Barber-Doyle explains
most notably in education. Teachers had to
that the move to online teaching made her feel as
quickly find innovative ways to make sure that
though she were starting her teaching job over
their students would not fall behind. Many found
again. [1] She often had to spend extra time
platforms like Zoom to be incredibly useful in
figuring out how to teach the content she needed
engaging their students, however engagement
to over technological platforms. Many teachers
had an overall drop-off in upper education.
were not well prepared to make the transition of
Middle-school, high-school, and college students,
their class content online, and thus had to learn
especially those involved in STEM education,
how to use technologies alongside fulfilling their
found it more difficult to stay engaged in school.
normal teaching duties.
Mrs. Sharita Ware, the 2022 Indiana Teacher of
Some teachers found themselves looking to
the Year recipient and middle school STEM
outside resources to develop their new lesson
teacher, encountered similar problems with her
plans. Sarah D. Sparks suggests in her Education
students. She felt her students were unable to
Week article that “the overwhelming majority of
take as much accountability for their education as
teachers said they made their own lessons, in part
they used to before the move to online learning.
from material culled from the internet.” [2] Much
Teachers like Mrs. Ware needed to find different
of what STEM teachers had been doing in their
ways to make learning STEM at home as
classrooms prior to the pandemic had been
synonymous
pre-pandemic
centered around physical interaction with tools,
schooling, each of them having varying degrees of
materials, and lab equipment. With the pandemic
success.
nullifying their use in learning, many teachers had
as
possible
to
to rework their entire curriculum to fit with an How Teachers Have Coped
Adjusting a normally in-person STEM class to a
online setting, even using the internet to find ways of doing so.
completely online format is no easy task. In an IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 62
needed to. [5] This method made sure that Adapting to an Online Format
As much as this situation negatively impacted STEM teachers across the country, many were
students were still learning necessary analytical laboratory skills.
able to effectively adapt to their new situation. Teacher Kurtz Miller used the breakout feature on the online meeting platform Zoom during his class sessions to get his students to talk with one another as they did their work, which let them bounce ideas off one another as they solved class problems. [3] This simple yet effective way of managing the online learning environment allows teachers to keep the content of their classes while also maintaining the collaborative class atmosphere. Students can work on problems with one another and ask each other questions if they need help, similarly to what they had been doing prior to the pandemic. Lab work, a major part of many STEM curricula, had to be reworked as well because of the shift to at-home learning. In response, many teachers provided their students with at-home lab kits that mimicked their in-class labs. For example, Lynn Huntsinger, an ecology professor at UC Berkeley, distributed soil lab kits to her students, which contained the seeds, jars, and specimens needed for each of the labs. [4] Having resources like these helped STEM students to continue to learn vital laboratory skills that would be necessary in
Looking to the Future
STEM teachers from a variety of backgrounds all experienced the challenges of teaching during the global pandemic. Each was able to manage this situation differently as they helped their students’ progress through their new mode of learning. Overall, the effect of the global pandemic on all teachers though was very profound. Some were bogged down by it, but they and many others were able to creatively adjust their teaching styles to better fit teaching in an online setting. This greater use of online resources persisted into the in-person setting once pandemic restrictions were rolled back, permanently changing how teachers approach educating their students. Many schools have had their teachers adopt online resources into their in-person curricula and have seen their students’ learning be positively impacted. As such, there appears to be a positive outlook for an even greater level of online content being implemented into lesson plans because of the success of many teachers using it during the pandemic.
their education, despite not being physically in their labs. Some teachers had their students work on virtual labs that still allowed students to receive the content of their labs and understand lab procedures. As James Palcik explains in his article in The Journal, students would watch online demonstration videos of the lab being performed or would use online simulations that mimicked the actual lab; their teachers would then provide them with data that they could use to measure the effects and quantities they
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Source: “5 Tips to Help you Succeed with Distance Learning,” Atlanta Parent, published April 8, 2020. https://www.floridacareercollege.edu/blog/5-tips-to-help-yousucceed-with-distance-learning/. Accessed May 7, 2022
PAGE 63
NOTES
Summary
[1] Debra Shapiro, “Teaching STEM during a Pandemic,” NSTA, published 2022.
https://www.nsta.org/resources/teaching-stem-during-pandemic. Accessed April 2, 2022. [2] Sarah D. Sparks, “Science Teaching and Learning Found to Fall off in Pandemic,” Education Week, published April 12, 2021. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/science-teaching-and-learningfound-to-fall-off-in-pandemic/2021/04. Accessed April 2, 2022. [3] Debra Shapiro, “Teaching STEM during a Pandemic,” NSTA, published 2022. https://www.nsta.org/resources/teaching-stem-during-pandemic. Accessed April 2, 2022. [4] “STEM Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Master of Education—Curriculum & Instruction, Eastern Washington University, published June 17, 2021. https://online.ewu.edu/degrees/education/med/curriculum-and-instruction/stem-education-during-thecovid-19-pandemic/. Accessed April 2, 2022. [5] James Palcik, “Teaching STEM during COVID,” THE Journal, published September 19, 2020. https://thejournal.com/articles/2020/09/18/teaching-stem-during-covid.aspx. Accessed April 2, 2022.
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COVID-19: Impact on STEM Students and Educators
Eanna Nicole Espejo DeGuzman In 2020, the world turned upside down for educators and students. The new way of remote learning posed a problem, especially for educators in STEM. They had to adjust and find ways to make their learning materials more hands on and tangible
that
resembled
teaching
in-person.
However, transitioning to online classes caused some discussion gaps that divided educators and students. There was less collaboration between students which affected students’ motivation to learn adversely. [1] Students were not willing to take the time to collaborate online as it was found to be more tedious. As some STEM educators prepared less work for their students for remote learning, other STEM educators took this challenge head on. One of these educators was Mrs. Sharita Ware, the 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year. Fortunately, her school did not shut down completely during the pandemic. At that time, she did everything she could to make sure that her students learned in the safest way possible while giving her students the full experience of a STEM class. However, there were several roadblocks in the way of achieving this full experience.
Roadblocks in STEM Teaching
For in-person classes, safety precautions had to be implemented to prevent the transmission of COVID. Time had to be accounted for to disinfect machines and sanitize all tools that would be touched. As an added precaution to prevent transmission of the virus, personal protective equipment (PPE) had to be put on which took time away from teaching lessons. [2] One of the solutions to mitigate this safety concern was to provide students with previously obtained data to eliminate touching equipment. This took away from the real-life experience and the thrill of gathering data on one’s own. In the same token, in a normal environment, the technology and equipment used to obtain data from in-class experiments was provided by schools at no cost to students. However, that same equipment would cost more for online classes which could be unaffordable for many households. The loss of collaboration between students, and the added cost of equipment may be a deterrent for students to pursue their STEM passion. In
addition,
challenging
the to
students
achieve
found
their
full
it
more
potential.
Students who did not fail before were suddenly experiencing it and did not know how to handle it. Seeing how failures could be taken as a taboo in academics, Mrs. Sharita Ware allowed her students to make mistakes so that they could learn and grow from them instead of having defined objectives that restricted her students from growing. She states that “there’s value in failing” which students do not realize especially at a younger age. [3] These students need to be
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PAGE 65
constantly reminded of their successes and their capabilities especially during a pandemic. Distractions
were
another
roadblock
that
achieve their full potential to learn. Mrs. Sharita Ware, in her keynote lecture at Honors Hall, that
technology
and
phones
have
distracted students from full engagement in their classes. Not only do their devices provide an extra distraction during online classes, but it also negatively affects their performance in school, whether it be remote or in-person, as students tend to use their devices late at night. Parents contributed to this problem as they did not supervise
their
children
when
it
students could not have the hands-on experience. The quality of the camera presented by the
contributed to the inability of the students to
stated
present their equipment through a screen where
came
to
technology which caused learning difficulties in the classroom. Altogether, COVID posed many roadblocks that affected students’ performance in classes.
educator was a problem as the fine details of what the equipment could do was not fully observed through a screen. Pre-COVID, this was not a problem as the equipment was right in front of each student and educators could take time to properly perform and handle the equipment live. Furthermore, during and after COVID, parents state that their children have spent less time on activities and assignments during remote learning than ever before. [4] This poses a problem as educators
have
noticed
the
difficulty
their
students are having at retaining information as they adjust back to in-person learning. As more classes transition back to in-person, STEM educators must adjust their teaching styles to accommodate the effects of COVID to their student’s motivation, learning styles, and possible
Experiences Then to Now
regression from learning. COVID has affected the
Inevitably, because of COVID, STEM experiences in
way students have learned and how they will
high school for students who are currently in
learn moving forward – these ill effects of COVID
college have differed from high schoolers now. For
in STEM learning will have to be undone.
instance, STEM educators during COVID had to
Source: “4 DIY Ideas to Get Your Kids Interested in Science.” Parent Map, published January 28, 2020. https://www.parentmap.com/article/stem-science-diy-activities-kids. Accessed May 8, 2022
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NOTES
[1] Sarah D. Sparks, “Science teaching and Learning Found to Fall Off in Pandemic,” Education Week, April 12, 2021, https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/science-teaching-and-learning-found-to-fall-off-inpandemic/2021/04 [2] James Palcik, Teaching STEM During COVID,” THE Journal, September 18, 2020, https://thejournal.com/articles/2020/09/18/teaching-stem-during-covid.aspx [3] Zoe Replinger, “Carrying the torch: Q&A with Sharita Ware, 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year,” Purdue University, February 10, 2022, https://stories.purdue.edu/carrying-the-torch-qa-with-sharita-ware-2022indiana-teacher-of-the-year/ [4] “Online Education in STEM and Impact of COVID-19,” Science & Engineering Indicators, accessed April 18, 2022, https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20211/online-education-in-stem-and-impact-of-covid-19
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Source: “Back to School: Research Topics on Education during Covid-19.” Frontiers, Accessed September 21, 2021. https://blog.frontiersin.org/2021/09/21/back-to-school-research-topics-on-education-during-covid-19/.
Creativity and STEM Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Saaniya Rupani The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of life for people all around the world, including social life, education, work, and mental health. Students are just one group that have been affected greatly by the pandemic. The educational system’s transition to online school during quarantine was difficult for both teachers and students.[1] Curriculum had to be changed to accommodate remote learning, leading to loss of key components like in-person discussions and hands- on activities. [2] This often led to a lack of student engagement, which led to less learning and social development. According to a study done at the University of California Santa Barbara, remote platforms were generally found to be “non conducive to learning” because the biggest challenge was getting students to collaborate and discuss with each other. [3] Although students became more familiar using technology and online programs, there is still something different about in-person, hands-on laboratories and teamworkbased
design
projects
that
curriculum provides. IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
normal
STEM
The value of student connection
Many teachers across the country struggled to quickly adapt to teaching during a pandemic; however, one teacher’s methods stood out. Mrs. Sharita Ware, Indiana’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, has been recognized for her unique teaching style and STEM implementations during the pandemic. According to Zoe Replinger’s interview with Mrs. Ware, she is first and foremost unique as a teacher because of her STEM industry background in industrial engineering technology which she brings into the classroom. [4] This gives her a different perspective as a teacher because of her knowledge of relevant technical skills learned in an engineering industry. Furthermore, her values include encouraging students to stand up and share their voice without being afraid of failure. Not only does this mindset allow her to empower her students, but also gives students a safe and free space to learn and use their creativity. One success story to highlight Mrs. Ware’s impact in the classroom is about a struggling student who ended up being very successful. This student was struggling academically and ended up being expelled from the school. PAGE 68
However, prior to being expelled, he had read a
to focus on translating those to students across
book in Mrs. Ware’s STEM class about a role
online platforms. Furthermore, assessments were
model who struggled throughout his life yet
changed greatly because of new access to
became a successful pilot. This story seemed to
information. Since students now had access to
impact the student greatly, as he later took
look information up or ask people in their homes,
inspiration from the book, and decided to work
assessments
hard to get into a flight school that started in the
explanations and processes rather than just the
9th grade. Mrs. Ware’s out-of-the-box teaching
right answer. This allowed students to be more
style, which included reading and language within
creative and emphasized problem- solving skills
her STEM program, was the one thing that
and
positively impacted this student. This goes to
creativity and hands- on projects even during
show that valuing personal connection with
online school helped Mrs. Ware and other
students is extremely beneficial in the classroom.
teachers to continue to impact their students and
became
communication.
more
The
focused
combination
on
of
keep them engaged with STEM during the pandemic.
Change in Assessments
Transitioning her unique teaching style into a classroom during the pandemic was difficult even
The Impact of STEM
for Mrs. Ware; however, she was still able to
Although restrictions due to the pandemic are
deliver STEM content to her students because
relaxing, school systems across the country have
she recognized the changes her students would
changed
face. The biggest change to young students
assignments, and student interactions. These
during the pandemic was their attention span, as
changes will likely remain a part of schools in the
many of them were heavily exposed to the
future and would not have existed without this
internet, entertainment, and YouTube videos.
transition period. Virtual components are still
This decreased their attention span when back in
interconnected with curriculum today, with online
the classroom, so Mrs. Ware decided to now
tools being used, virtual options to classes and
incorporate the internet with hands- on projects
exams, and online discussions. Furthermore,
during the year by adding research components.
valuing creativity and logic rather than the right
For example, she designed a project using Barbie
answer is very beneficial to students because it
Dolls where the students had to design a
changes the mindset and motivation of students
prosthetic leg. However, she added the research
in the classroom. With hands-on projects and
component so that students had to write a
assessments being focused on the process rather
backstory of the Barbie doll based on a real-life
than the solution, students are more engaged and
person. Now, students had an individualized
can take away more than just facts and figures.
section of their STEM projects that they could do
Overall, teachers like Mrs. Ware who value
remotely
were
personalized student connection and creativity
exposed to during the pandemic. Mrs. Ware’s
are extremely impactful in the academic industry,
values in the classroom about encouraging
especially STEM. Recognizing these teachers and
creativity and failure is like other teachers as well.
implementing their student engagement methods
One teacher, Rick Erikson, stated that the biggest
across the country will help future students learn
challenges at his school involved equity, access,
and be successful.
while
using
platforms
they
in
their
academic
curriculum,
and delivery of instruction. [5] These challenges led him to reevaluate essential learning outcomes IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
PAGE 69
NOTES
[1] “Back to School: Research Topics on Education during Covid-19.” Frontiers, Accessed September 21, 2021. https://blog.frontiersin.org/2021/09/21/back-to-school-research-topics-on-education-duringcovid-19/. [2] James Palcik, “Teaching Stem during COVID,” THE Journal, published September 18, 2020, https://thejournal.com/articles/2020/09/18/teaching-stem-during-covid.aspx. [3] Sarah D. Sparks, “Science Teaching and Learning Found to Fall off in Pandemic,” Education Week, April 13, 2021, https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/science-teaching-and-learning-found-to- fall-off-inpandemic/2021/04. [4] Zoe Replinger, “Carrying the Torch: Q&A with Sharita Ware, 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year,” The Persistent Pursuit, Purdue University, published February 17, 2022, https://stories.purdue.edu/carryingthe-torch-qa-with-sharita-ware-2022-indiana-teacher-of-the-year/. [5] Lauren J. Young, Xochitl Garcia, . “What It's like to Be a Science Teacher in a Pandemic,” Science Friday, published October 23, 2020, https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/stem-remote-learning/.
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Barriers in STEM during the Pandemic
Vanessa Lucia Sida The COVID-19 pandemic has without a doubt
there are now so many new factors that need to be
caused
the
considered, like how much access and equity each
healthcare field but also in education, as many
child has at home [2]. This has caused him, and more
things were highlighted and brought to the
like him, to include more creative ways to get
surface such as social and economic inequality
students to participate while staying at home.
within education. Mrs. Sharita Ware, Indiana
Likewise, Mrs. Ware talked about how difficult it was
Teacher of the Year for 2022, explored these
to connect with her students when everything was
problems in her keynote lecture at Purdue’s
online because many students did not feel it was
Honors College and discussed how she has
necessary to put in the same amount of effort into
personally been affected. Mrs. Ware explained
their projects as before since for many of them
that she has always felt overlooked and under-
school did not seem as important during a pandemic
respected
any
[3]. She combated this by really emphasizing how
accomplishments that she has achieved and how
important their work was to her and how they
that has made her a more prepared and well-
should care for it too. This was very natural to her as
researched person [1]. During her lecture, she
she had always been described as a “mother” to her
explained how the pandemic created barriers for
students. For example, during her lecture, she
students who lacked proper internet access and
mentioned how important it is for her to have
that the pandemic may have led to less motivated
students talk openly to her and how she makes it a
students, and what she did to combat that.
priority to carve out a time in her classroom for her
many
problems
in
her
not
field
merely
in
despite
students to talk about themselves and share stories. She does this, regardless of other teachers’ criticism Changes during the Pandemic
Regarding the pandemic, there have been many setbacks as to how to teach the new generation, given all the new restrictions and protocols. Rick Erickson,
a
middle
school
science
teacher,
that it’s a waste of time because she believes that this
open
dialogue
will
help
kids
believe
themselves and that will carry on to other areas of their schoolwork, significantly improving it, which she claims she has seen time and time again.
explained that the pandemic has dramatically changed how teaching can be performed since IDEAS MAGAZINE / VOL.4
in
PAGE 71
However, during the pandemic, Mrs. Ware
This is a positive step forward, but it may not be
noticed the negative aspects more with the fact
enough since providing an iPad will only solve
that the students started becoming lazier since so
half of the problem if the child’s home does not
much free time was allotted to them. She fears
have internet. All these factors need to be
that the pandemic may have caused students to
pondered and explored if we do not want
not be able to persevere through different
students to fall behind in STEM-related subjects.
challenges. This greatly affects the future of
The pandemic poses a grave threat to a decreased
STEM, because these majors require students to
interest in STEM-related fields as contemporary
face many challenges.
students will not have the same opportunities as students in the past. Most students were
Lack of Tools
While teachers have had to keep this in mind, the other factor that could be affecting young kids’ education in STEM is a lack of tools to participate in online classes [4]. STEM classes tend to require some type of computer and a reliable internet connection and there are many low-income students who may not be able to access it. To accommodate for this, certain districts have offered free iPads for students who would otherwise not be able to afford one and have no other working computer at home [5].
confined to e-learning for most of 2020 and 2021; consequently, some students may be a whole grade or two behind because they could not afford a computer and their district did not provide them with one. In Mrs. Ware’s district, they were only on lockdown for the spring of 2020, so thankfully these issues were not as severe
as
for
other
districts.
Overall,
this
pandemic has created many problems for current and future STEM majors, but because of teachers like Mrs. Ware who work daily to encourage students of their ability to achieve whatever they set their minds to, there is hope that the future of STEM will be as strong as ever.
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NOTES
Summary
[1] Rizwaan Lakhani, “Learning from a Distance: How Remote Learning Can Set Low-Income Students Back Further,” RTI international, published February 1, 2021, https://www.rti.org/insights/how-remotelearning-impacts-low-income-students-covid-19. [2] Lauren J. Young, Xochitl Garcia, “What It's like to Be a Science Teacher in a Pandemic.” Science Friday, published October 23, 2020. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/stem-remote-learning/. [3] Sharita Ware, “The Lost Ones (Identity Lost)- Redefining Education to Empower Our Children.” Visiting Scholars, Lecture presented at the Visiting Scholars Series with Sharita Ware, April 14, 2022. [4] Zoe Replinger, “Carrying the torch: Q&A with Sharita Ware, 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year,” The Persistent Pursuit, Purdue University, published February 10, 2022, https://stories.purdue.edu/carryingthe-torch-qa-with-sharita-ware-2022-indiana-teacher-of-the-year/. [5] ] Laura Ascione, “A District Gets Creative as It Distributes IPads to Students during Lockdown.” eSchool News, published September 20, 2021, https://www.eschoolnews.com/2021/10/04/a-district-getscreative-as-it-distributes-ipads-to-students-during-lockdown/
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1101 3rd St. West Lafayette, IN 47906 (765) 494-2929 honors.purdue.edu honorscollegemedia@purdue.edu
