{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T17:43:59Z","timestamp":1785433439009,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]],"date-time":"2026-06-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782172800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Fostering a sense of belonging in the scientific community is one way to increase the retention of students who belong to groups that have been historically excluded in STEM. In the past several years, I have attempted this in my undergraduate Neurobiology course by introducing students to several neuroscientists with each topic we cover. For each scientist, I spend 2-5 minutes total giving biographical information, introducing an example of the type of research they do, and explaining how their research is related to the lecture topic. The neuroscientists I have included are diverse in racial\/ethnic background, gender identity, nationality, sexual orientation, disabilities\/abilities, career trajectory, and career stage. Based on an anonymous survey, students overwhelmingly appreciated this aspect of lectures, reported that they are more interested in course material, and were more aware of career options in neuroscience. Students belonging to a group that has been historically under-represented in the sciences were particularly likely to report that they felt more represented in science. Fifty-three percent reported that they are more likely to pursue a career related to neuroscience because of this component of the course. Students said that \u201cmeeting\u201d neuroscientists helped them not only realize the diversity of neuroscientists themselves but also the diversity of sub-fields within neuroscience. They also felt more empowered to get involved in research because I included examples of scientists in earlier career stages, such as graduate students, that were more relatable. This is an easy way to make a course more inclusive and can be used in a wide variety of course formats and sizes. It is not time intensive, complements existing course topics, and has a positive impact on students\u2019 classroom experience.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.59390\/001c.161078","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]],"date-time":"2026-06-23T22:16:59Z","timestamp":1782253019000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Fostering Belonging Through Introducing Diverse Scientists in Undergraduate Neuroscience Lectures"],"prefix":"10.59390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1348-1638","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Katharine V.","family":"Northcutt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04bk7v425","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Mercer University","department":["Biology and Neuroscience"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"38466","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]]},"reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.21-03-0060","article-title":"Student-authored scientist spotlights: investigating the impacts of engaging undergraduates as developers of inclusive curriculum through a service-learning course","volume":"20","author":"M. L. Aranda","year":"2021","journal-title":"CBE\u2013Life Sciences Education"},{"issue":"1","key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.29311\/ndtps.v0i16.3607","article-title":"Student belonging: The impact of disability status within and between academic institutions","volume":"16","author":"R. Barnes","year":"2021","journal-title":"New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1002\/tea.21146","article-title":"What matters in college for retaining aspiring scientists and engineers from underrepresented racial groups","volume":"51","author":"M. J. Chang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Research in Science Teaching"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167220936480","article-title":"Am I a science person? A strong science identity bolsters minority students' sense of belonging and performance in college","volume":"47","author":"S. Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin"},{"issue":"2","key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.24-02-0082","article-title":"Highlighting counterstereotypical scientists in undergraduate life science courses","volume":"24","author":"R. A. Costello","year":"2025","journal-title":"CBE\u2013Life Sciences Education"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"010139","DOI":"10.1103\/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010139","article-title":"Students' sense of belonging in introductory physics course for bioscience majors predicts their grade","volume":"18","author":"S. Cwik","year":"2022","journal-title":"Physical Review Physics Education Research"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1111\/ssm.12382","article-title":"Exploring the state of science stereotypes: systematic review and meta-analysis of the draw-a-scientist checklist","volume":"120","author":"S. L. Ferguson","year":"2000","journal-title":"School Science and Mathematics"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1111\/ssm.12382","article-title":"Exploring the state of science stereotypes: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the Draw-A-Scientist Checklist","volume":"120","author":"S. L. Ferguson","year":"2020","journal-title":"School Science and Mathematics"},{"issue":"4","key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1042","DOI":"10.1039\/d0rp00053a","article-title":"Belonging in general chemistry predicts first-year undergraduates' performance and attrition","volume":"21","author":"A. Fink","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemistry Education Research and Practice"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1177\/2372732220943232","article-title":"Measuring and resolving LGBTQ disparities in STEM","volume":"7","author":"J. B. Freeman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"A207","DOI":"10.59390\/BKPW4729","article-title":"Project DiViNe: diverse voices in neuroscience","volume":"20","author":"K. E. Frenzel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal for Undergraduate Neuroscience Education"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"E13","DOI":"10.59390\/AXFD9450","article-title":"Celebrating diverse voices in neuroscience: introducing project DiViNe","volume":"20","author":"K. E. Frenzel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal for Undergraduate Neuroscience Education"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/s41979-023-00096-8","article-title":"The importance of STEM sense of belonging and academic hope in enhancing persistence for low-income underrepresented STEM students","volume":"7","author":"M. J. Hansen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal for STEM Education Research"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.24-02-0055","article-title":"Elevating marginalized student experiences of belonging in the life sciences: a qualitative case study approach","volume":"23","author":"D. T. Harry","year":"2024","journal-title":"CBE\u2014Life Sciences Education"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1039\/D5RP00230C","article-title":"Fostering STEM Identity through storytelling: links to belonging, self-efficacy, classroom climate, and lab performance","author":"K. Ho","year":"2026","journal-title":"Chemistry Education Research and Practice"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"755","DOI":"10.1007\/s11422-013-9542-3","article-title":"A journey of negotiation and belonging: understanding students' transitions to science and engineering in higher education","volume":"9","author":"H. T. Holmegaard","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cultural Studies of Science Education"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"eaao6373","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.aao6373","article-title":"Coming out in STEM: factors affecting retention of sexual minority STEM students","volume":"4","author":"B. E. Hughes","year":"2018","journal-title":"Science Advances"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1797","DOI":"10.1007\/s11191-023-00478-9","article-title":"Understanding science identity development among college students","volume":"34","author":"Z. Jiang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Science & Education"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.1177\/0361684317720186","article-title":"Fitting in to move forward: belonging, gender, and persistence in the physical sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM)","volume":"41","author":"K. L. Lewis","year":"2017","journal-title":"Psychology of Women Quarterly"},{"issue":"1","key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.22-06-0103","article-title":"\"No matter what your story is, there is a place for you in science\": students' ability to relate to scientists positively shifts after scientist spotlight assignments, especially for first-generation students and women","volume":"22","author":"K. J. Metzger","year":"2023","journal-title":"CBE\u2013Life Sciences Education"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1186\/s40594-018-0115-6","article-title":"Race and gender differences in how sense of belonging influences decisions to major in STEM","volume":"5","author":"K. Rainey","year":"2018","journal-title":"International Journal of STEM Education"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.1037\/pspi0000130","article-title":"Meta-lay theories of scientific potential drive underrepresented students' sense of belonging to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)","volume":"115","author":"A. Rattan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Personality and Social Psychology"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18260\/1-2--28034","article-title":"Classroom belonging and student performance in the introductory engineering classroom","author":"M. Schar","year":"2017","journal-title":"ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings"},{"issue":"3","key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.16-01-0002","article-title":"Scientist spotlight homework assignments shift students' stereotypes of scientists and enhance science identity in a diverse introductory science class","volume":"15","author":"J. N. Schinske","year":"2016","journal-title":"CBE\u2013Life Sciences Education"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.12930\/0271-9517-30.2.19","article-title":"Patterns of persistence in intended college major with a focus on STEM majors","volume":"30","author":"E. J. Shaw","year":"2010","journal-title":"NACADA Journal"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1038\/s43247-021-00156-0","article-title":"Perceptions of scientists held by US students can be broadened through inclusive classroom interviews","volume":"2","author":"S. L. Sheffield","year":"2021","journal-title":"Communications Earth & Environment"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1187\/cbe.13-12-0241","article-title":"Considering the role of affect in learning: monitoring students' self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and science identity","volume":"13","author":"G. Trujillo","year":"2014","journal-title":"CBE\u2014Life Sciences Education"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1007\/s11162-025-09836-8","article-title":"Research learning experiences for first-year undergraduate students: belonging, research identity, and retention","volume":"66","author":"H. C. White","year":"2025","journal-title":"Research in Higher Education"},{"issue":"1","key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/jmbe.v2lil.2013","article-title":"In a \"Scientist Spotlight\" intervention, diverse student identities matter","volume":"21","author":"A. Yonas","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education"}],"container-title":["Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/junejournal.scholasticahq.com\/article\/161078-fostering-belonging-through-introducing-diverse-scientists-in-undergraduate-neuroscience-lectures","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]],"date-time":"2026-06-23T22:16:59Z","timestamp":1782253019000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/junejournal.scholasticahq.com\/article\/161078-fostering-belonging-through-introducing-diverse-scientists-in-undergraduate-neuroscience-lectures"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59390\/001c.161078","relation":{},"ISSN":["1544-2896"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1544-2896","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]]}}}