Welcome to the collection of published papers and conference presentations showcasing science education research conducted in collaboration with the HiSPARC project. This page highlights studies focused on supporting youth, including refugee youth, in their STEM learning journeys and exploring how educators can foster an environment where students build and strengthen their own STEM identities. Through these research efforts, we delve into the strategies and approaches that empower diverse learners, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to engage with complex scientific concepts and feel confident in their abilities as future scientists and innovators. These resources provide valuable insights into how inclusive STEM education can be enhanced through meaningful, hands-on experiences and strong teacher-student support.
Peer-Reviewed Publications to Date
- Braden, S. & Dexter, T. (2023). Translanguaging as an essential practice in socially just science classrooms: How to make all language styles appropriate for science learning. The Science Teacher, 90(7), 28-31.
- Nyawelo, T., Braden, S., Matthews, J., Gerton, J., Bamidele, B., Garcia, M., Goldrup, R., Gonzalez, R. & **Kiflom, J. (2023). Investigating the Development of STEM Positive Identities of Refugee Teens in a Physics Out-of-School-Time Experience. Phys. Sci. Forum 2023, 8(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/psf2023008045.
- Braden, S., Marx, S., Dotterer, A., Bamidele, B., Sugganda, L., Goldrup, R., Nyawelo, T., Gonzalez, R., Gerton, J., Matthews, J. (2023). Examining Teenagers’ Spontaneous Play in a STEM-Based Out-of-School Time Experience for Refugee-Background Youth. Conference Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences.
Academic Presentations to Date
- Bamidele, B., Braden, S., Sugganda, L., Goldrup, R., Gonzalez, R. (Accepted for - April, 2024). African Girls’ Math Identity Work and Refugee Stories in a STEM-focused After-school Program. American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
- Marx, S., Braden, S., Dotterer, A., Bamidele, B., Sugganda, L. & Nyawelo, T. (November, 2023). Examining Third Space in an After-School STEM Program for Refugee-background Youth during Pandemic Times. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Studies Association.
- Braden, S., Bamidele, B., Goldrup, R., Valera Garcia, M., Gonzalez, R. (April, 2023). “It sticks with you”: Youth metacommentary on the term “refugee” in a STEM-focused after-school program.” American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, IL.
- Bamidele, B., Braden, S., Nyawelo, T., Marx, S., Dotterer A., Goldrup R., Valera Garcia, M., Gonzalez, R. (April, 2023). Insights on culturally sustaining science pedagogy in an after-school program for refugee youth. Paper at the annual conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST).
- Young, T., Barth-Cohen, L. & Braden, S. (July, 2022). “Students’ use of Symmetry Resources when Sense making about Magnetism.” Poster at Physics Education Research Conference (PERC), Grand Rapids, MI.
- Braden, S., Nyawelo, T., Matthews, J., Gerton, J., Bamidele, B. (July, 2022). “Using multiple methods to explore refugee teens’ STEM identity work in a physics after-school program” Poster at Physics Education Research Conference (PERC), Grand Rapids, MI.
- Nyawelo, T., Braden, S., Matthews, J., & Gerton, J. (July, 2022). “Investigating the Development of STEM-Positive Identities of Refugee Teens in a Physics Out-of-School Time Experience” Paper at NuFACT, Workshop on Neutrinos from Accelerators; Working Group: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Education, & Outreach. Snowbird, UT.
- Braden, S., Dotterer, A., Marx, S., Bamidele, B. & Nyawelo, T. (April, 2022). “Emojis, chat, and black boxes: Challenges and opportunities for linguistic anthropological research in Zoom.” Annual Conference of the Society for Linguistic Anthropology (SLA), Boulder CO.
- Braden, S., Dotterer, A., Marx, S., Bamidele, B. & Nyawelo, T. (November, 2021). “The girls who thrive in Zoom: Supporting students’ disciplinary identities in science in a virtual afterschool program for refugee youth.” American Anthropological Association (AAA), Council on Anthropology & Education (CAE), Virtual conference due to COVID-19.
Accepted But Yet to be Presented
- Suganda, L., Braden, S., Bamidele, B. & Dexter, T. (Accepted for March 2025). Spontaneous playfulness to support refugee-background youth. Paper at the annual conference of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Denver, CO.