On Sunday, Dec. 17, UW–Madison and the School of Education will be celebrating its latest cohort of talented graduates with 2023 Winter Commencement celebrations. Ahead of the big day, we reached out to a few of our graduating students to learn more about their accomplishments, time at UW–Madison, and future plans.
Tiaira Porter-Beall, who is receiving her PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, is one student who agreed to share her thoughts with us.
Porter-Beall, who holds a master’s degree in neuroscience, has focused her dissertation work while at UW–Madison on the critical intersection of race and gender in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) academia. Porter-Beall explains how this research centers on the departmental-level experiences of women of color faculty members in STEMM, and how these experiences shape their retention.
“As a Black, queer woman with a master’s in neuroscience, my dissertation reflects and responds to my time in STEMM and how a lack of representation shaped my academic experiences,” says Porter-Beall.
“Tiaira’s dissertation is a groundbreaking study drawing upon critical quantitative and mixed methods approaches that delve into the nuanced factors of job satisfaction, productivity, and departmental climate, revealing how these elements influence the decisions of women of color to either stay or leave the institutions,” says Xueli Wang, who is Porter-Beall’s doctoral advisor and who holds the Barbara and Glenn Thompson Endowed Professorship in Educational Leadership.
Porter-Beall’s impact far extends beyond her dissertation research. She also is a research associate with Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB) and is a former community college instructor. Across all of her roles, she actively works to mitigate institutional barriers for students from historically marginalized backgrounds.
“Notably, she has developed, implemented, and studied the Transfer STEM Immersion program, a highly innovative cohort model that provides summer orientation and year-round activities for incoming and current transfer students,” says Wang.
To learn more about Porter-Beall and her work, check out this Q&A:
Where are you from, and what brought you to UW–Madison? I am originally from Detroit, Michigan, and attended Northern Michigan University for my bachelor’s degree. During my time at NMU, I was a McNair Scholar and had the opportunity to visit UW–Madison as I considered which institutions to attend for my graduate studies in neuroscience. During my campus visit, I was overwhelmed by the genuine kindness and warmth from every single person I met. The faculty were enthusiastic to answer my questions, and students were willing to openly talk with me about their experiences. Together with the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research at one of the top schools for my program, deciding to come to UW-Madison was an easy choice.
What else would you like people to know about your research and research interests? In addition to my dissertation work that focuses on women of color in STEMM faculty, my research interests more broadly explore the institutional barriers that prevent the inclusion and academic success of those from historically marginalized backgrounds. As a research associate in Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory, I have conducted work tailored toward broadening the participation of Black and Brown graduate students and faculty in engineering and computer sciences. As a previous instructor at Madison College and through a partnership with the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement, I also conducted research on ways to support marginalized transfer students. Notably, I created the Transfer STEM Immersion program, a cohort-model summer orientation program that provides the social, cultural, and academic capital to transfer students in an effort to create equitable and transparent transfer pathways.
What was your most meaningful experience at UW–Madison? One of the most meaningful experiences I have had at UW–Madison has been building a mentorship with my doctoral advisor, Dr. Xueli Wang. She has simultaneously challenged me to be my best self while instilling confidence in my capabilities as a scholar. Her encouragement, kindness, and honesty spanned beyond simply achieving doctoral milestones to a mentorship that made me feel visible and cherished. She is, and continues to be, my role model and primary source of inspiration.
What’s next for you? What are your plans for the future? After graduation, I will be starting as a research scientist in the Center on Equity Research at NORC at the University of Chicago. The Center on Equity Research conducts research to advance equity through the development, implementation, and dissemination of high-quality, inclusive, and equitable social science research methods. I’m excited to continue to use data that includes and represents a diversity of people, their thoughts, and experiences, and to use research as a means to champion for equity.
Thinking about the principle of the Wisconsin Idea, how will you use what you have learned at UW–Madison to influence other people’s lives or positively impact our world? During my time at UW–Madison, I have learned rigorous, culturally responsive research methodologies that aim to mitigate inequities and advocate for social justice. Reaching beyond my academic studies, the experiences I’ve had at UW–Madison have permanently shaped my worldview. I’m excited in my future work to center empathy, to continue to challenge my horizons — and to extend the Wisconsin Idea-in-practice to the Wisconsin Idea-in-action, by creating tangible steps that strive for a more just and equitable society.