Harvard professor discusses race, power and science in academia

UMass Daily Collegian ^ | 9/26/16 | Curtin

[pabianice]

John Asher Johnson, a professor of astrophysics and astronomy at Harvard University, led a discussion about the lack of racial diversity in STEM academia and the need for national discussions of race and social power at his talk Friday in the Integrative Learning Center.

“If I’m worrying about where my next meal comes from, I’m not trying to get telescope time.” said Johnson during the talk.

The event titled “The Language of Equity and Inclusion: Four Simple Words” had about 35 people in attendance, leaving the majority of ILC S131 room empty. The discussion looked at some of the reasons that few black people are in the top astronomy departments in the country and how a lack of social power leads to a lack of options.

“If your personal self worth is based on having out-performed other people on this even playing field, then you’re being told actually there was a whole group of people you weren’t competing against because it’s not even. That’s going to really challenge their identity,” said Johnson, explaining one reason he believes many white people in hard science fields do not want to consider race as a part of their success.

[Vince Ferrer]

I took a semester of astronomy in college - never got any telescope time. You’ve got to be pretty high up in the program to do that.

I took the basic 101 Astronomy course at my university just because it had a lab where you could use the university 24 inch telescope, because hey, when am I going to be around a 24 inch telescope again? (so far, never)