Safety Culture in the News

Safety Culture in the News

Timken misses link between racism and STEM

www.dispatch.com/story/opi…

Jane Timken expressed dissatisfaction with racial justice education in schools and suggested curricula would be better served by focusing on support careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

As an engineering professor, I can attest that. Timken is misguided in that these issues are inextricably linked. Racism in STEM has manifested in the abuse of minorities as evidenced in the Tuskegee Syphilis Trials, establishment of the HeLa cell line from Henrietta Lacks without informed consent, the Detroit Water crisis, and the large scale buildout of chemical plants in Black and brown communities.

Inattention to diversity has led to seat belt designs that are ineffective for women and children because of their smaller stature and poor safety culture because of the divide between technicians that are often from minority groups and their managers (who are often white and male).

Engineering curricula are evolving to more closely address these deficiencies based on industry demands, where a focus on diversity is already well established.

Timken would do well to consult stakeholders before making offhand comments that do not have basis in fact.

Timken would do well to consult stakeholders before making offhand comments that do not have basis in fact.

Jessica O. Winter, professor, Ohio State University William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering