On April 16, the Center for Child and Family Policy (CCFP) hosted the School Research Partnership's annual spring event, featuring student poster presentations followed by a dinner and expert panel on Community-Engaged STEM for Belonging and Identity: Insights from our L.I.F.T (Learning Innovation and Future Technology) Lab.
Moderated by Leslie Babinski, director of the School Research Partnership, the panel featured Whitney McCoy Hudson, Ph.D., research scientist at CCFP, and Sandra Roach, associate in research at the Pratt School of Engineering. Hudson and Roach are among the lead researchers of the Duke L.I.F.T. Lab.
As part of the discussion, panelists shared about their work in the L.I.F.T. Lab, an initiative focused on expanding access to STEM through community-engaged research and practice. The lab partners with schools, families, and local organizations to design learning experiences that are both accessible and meaningful.
A central theme of the discussion was STEM identity and how individuals, particularly women, come to see themselves as capable participants in STEM fields. The speakers highlighted that belonging is shaped not only by skills and knowledge, but also by whether individuals feel recognized and included in these spaces.
The L.I.F.T. Lab addresses this challenge through a multi-layered approach that connects faculty, undergraduate students, and community members. Undergraduate students play a key role in the model, engaging in coursework that examines equity in STEM while also designing and facilitating hands-on learning activities in community settings.
During the panel, Hudson and Roach — with assistance from undergraduate student, Jasmin Riley — led interactive demonstrations that reflected the lab’s approach to hands-on, inquiry-based learning. These experiences illustrated how thoughtfully designed activities can support both skill development and a sense of belonging in STEM.
The panel highlighted the importance of community-engaged partnerships in creating more inclusive pathways into STEM and fostering a sense of belonging for learners of all backgrounds.
Duke students (pictured below) in the Child Policy Research Certificate program and Jacqueline Morris Fellows presented posters of their research projects as part of the event.
