Welcome to the Super Science Squad
Everyone can be a Super Science Hero
Educate • Research • Collaborate
The Super Science Squad aims to engage youth of color, particularly girls, in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in productive and meaningful ways. We believe that STEM can be used to improve our communities when we collaborate with our peers.
The purpose of this project is to understand:
- what are the best ways to support the engagement of youth of color, specifically girls, in STEM
- how to design after school learning environments for this engagement
- how to collaborate with after school and school sites for sustained and meaningful research practice partnerships
Check out the Super Science Squad Press Release
We Educate
As part of our educational endeavors, the research team supports our partnership site in and out of school by:
- Volunteering weekly at the school to support teachers and students during the school day
- Implementing a weekly after school STEM program at the school's extended day program
- Executing quarterly family STEM nights which include Family Robot and Drone Night
We Research
As part of our research endeavors, the team continuously engages in research that aims to improve learning opportunities for youth and their families by:
- Applying and securing research grants to support our work
- Engaging in academic and practitioner based meetings to share our work and learn from colleagues
- Publishing our work through peer-reviewed journals
- Mentoring undergraduate research assistants in conducting independent educational research
We Collaborate
As ethical community based researchers, we aim to conduct research with communities rather than on communities. We collaborate with stakeholders on equal footing by:
- Centering the needs of the school site, families, and students as the focus of our educational research
- Implementing afterschool programs that are theoretically and empirically driven to improve the lives of those we serve
- Including the voices of all the participants and partners who offered their love, time, and support to help the research team learn from the community.
Research
Features of our work
Publications
Scholarly publications in peer reviewed research journals
Liu, D. & Kang, H. (Revise and Resubmit). Generating Identity Resources.
Liu, D. (Submitted) Activist Scholarship: Leveraging Research Practice Partnerships in Educational Reform
Presentations and Papers
Our work at peer-reviewed conferences, classes, and professional meetings.
Peer Reviewed Conferences and Professional Meetings
Liu, D. (2019). Caught in the STEM Borderlands: Negotiating Hybrid STEM Identities. Paper presentation at the American Education Research Association (AERA) in Toronto, Canada.
Liu, D. (2019). Gender Differences of Latinx 5th grade students and Their Recognition of STEM accomplishments. Paper presentation at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) in Baltimore, MD.
Liu, D. (2018). Creating Video Documentaries of Community Ecosystems. Oral presentation at California STEAM Symposium in Long Beach, CA.
Pulido, T. (2018). Defining Health Behavior Practices of Low-Income Youth. Poster at American Anthropological Association (AAA) in San Jose, CA.
Liu, D.(2018). What problem is in our ecosystem? Participatory Action Research through Using and Producing Scientific Practice to Improve the Community. Chair and Paper at American Anthropological Association (AAA) in San Jose, CA.
Liu, D. (2018). A Bright Future for Latinas in STEM. Oral Presentation for Latinas/os in the US and Beyond: Diverse Perspectives on Latina/o Communities in Irvine, CA.
Liu, D. (2018). Supporting Young Latina Science Identities: Reimagine a Future Latinx World. National graduate student lecture series at University of California Santa Barbara: “ExpandED: Broadening the Understanding of Today’s Educational Issues"
Liu, D. (2018). Generating Identity Resources: Supporting Young Latina's Development of a STEM Identity. Poster invitation for College Access in a Digital Era: A Practitioner Convening.
Gorospe, A., Villegas, A., Comia, V., [lead researchers in alphabetical order] Liu. D., & Kang, H. (2018). Impact of Peer Interaction on Student Engagement and Intellectual and Behavioral Development. Presentation at the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Symposium.
Liu, D. (2017). Community-based scholarship: Activism on and off the field. Session organizer and presenter at Digital Media and Learning Conference (DML) in Irvine, CA
Liu, D., & Kang, H. (2017). Designing afterschool STEM programs for 5th grade Latinas. Paper at American Anthropological Association (AAA) in Washington, D.C.
Guest Lecture for Courses Highlighting Super Science Squad
Liu, D. (2018).Designing Opportunities to Learn for Students. Guest Lecture for 21stCentury Literacies (Undergraduate course).
Liu, D. (2018). Challenging Deficit Perspectives in Science. Guest Lecture for Children, Schools, and Cinemas (Undergraduate course).
Liu, D. (2018). Challenging Deficit Perspectives in Science. Guest Lecture for Multicultural Education in K-12 (Undergraduate course).
Liu, D. (2017). Social Relevant Curriculum and Digital Media Practices. Guest Lecture for Multicultural Education in K-12 (Undergraduate course).
Liu, D. (2017). Social Relevant Curriculum and Digital Media Practices. Guest Lecture for 21st Century Literacies (Undergraduate course)
Liu, D. (2017). Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Guest Lecture for Children, Schools, and Cinemas (Undergraduate course).
Current Studies
We are constantly thinking and learning
Title: Science Identities of 5th grade Students
A total of 100 surveys focusing on attitudes and beliefs about STEM, recognition in STEM, and how they see their future selves in STEM was collected. Descriptive analysis is currently being conducted. Post measures will be collected in Spring.
Co-Researchers: Algrae Gorospe, Pamela Garcia, Vanessa Comia, and David Liu
Title: Designing Family Science Nights for K-8 Schools
Co-Researchers: Algrae Gorospe, Pamela Garcia, Maura White, Carlos Henriquez, Natalie Au Yeung, and David Liu
The purpose of this study is to investigate how to design Family Science Nights and support families to engage in engineering practices.
Title: Designing Afterschool STEM Programs Connecting Schools, Homes, and Communities for Latinas
Researchers: David Liu
The purpose of this study is to investigate the cultural resources and practices that fifth grade Latinas leverage to engage in STEM learning activities at an after school computer science club, inside the classroom, and homes, and their shifts in sense of self in STEM.
Title: Impact of Peer Interaction on Student Engagement and Intellectual and Behavioral Development
Researchers: Algrae Gorospe, Alondra Villegas, and Vanessa Comia
The purpose of this study is to document and understand how students develop their engagement with their peers, volunteers, and teachers in their transition from the beginning to the end of their fifth grade elementary school year.
Title: Observing the Trends on Interest in Science from Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade: Assessing the Impact of the Influential People in the Students’ Lives
Researcher: Carlos Henriquez
The purpose of this study is to understand how student interests in science shifts from fifth grade to sixth grade.
Title: Engaging English Language Learners in a Dual Immersion School
Researcher: Lulu Galindo
The purpose of this study is to understand how English Langauge Learners (ELL) students are adapting to their environment. Interactions between ELL students and native English speaking peers will be studied as well to see if there are any moments of exclusion experienced by ELLs.
Title: Teachers’ and Parents’ Perceptions of Early Childhood Education
Researcher: Pamela Garcia
The purpose of this study is to describe how educators and parents perceive the impact of early childhood education (ECE), specifically preschool.
Title: Healthy Behavior Engagement in Low Income Children
Researcher: Tessa Pulido
The purpose of this study is to explore students’ behavioral and intellectual engagement by examining how youth participate in various science-related activities during in school and out-of-school settings.
Awards
We are an award-winning project and are actively seeking more funding.
Awarded
Civic Action and Social Engagement Award – Science Teaching and Learning SIG of the American Education Research Association
Awardee: David Liu
Amount Awarded: $750
Newkirk Center for Science and Society Fellowship 2017
Title: Designing Afterschool STEM Programs Connecting Schools, Homes, and Communities for Latinas
Awardee: David Liu
Amount Awarded: $10,000
Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) 2016
Title: Impact of Peer Interaction on Student Engagement and Intellectual and Behavioral Development
Awardees: Algrae Gorospe, Alondra Villegas, and Vanessa Comia
Amount Awarded: $4,500
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 2017
Title: Impact of Peer Interaction on Student’s Behavioral Development and Engagement
Awardee: Algrae Gorospe, Alondra Villegas, and Vanessa Comia
Amount Requested: $1,400
Under Review
N/A
Unfunded
Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships
Title: Designing Afterschool STEM Programs Connecting Schools, Homes, and Communities for Latinas
Applied: David Liu
Amount Requested: $20,000
California Immigration Research Initiative 2017
Title: Leveraging Cultural Resources of 5th grade Immigrant Latina Youths’ to Learn Science
Applied: David Liu
Amount Requested: $9,000
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 2017
Title: Observing the Trends on Interest in Science from Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade: Assessing the Impact of the Influential People in the Students’ Lives
Applied: Carlos Henriquez
Amount Requested: $870
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 2017
Title: Teachers’ and Parents’ Perceptions of Early Childhood Education
Applied: Pamela Garcia
Amount Requested: $990
Meet the Team
Click on the images to learn more about each member.
Media about the Project
Take a look and enjoy!
Imagining a Future of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) for Latinas in the Community
Latinas' Developing Identities as Scientists in the Context of Afterschool STEM Programs
Demystifying STEM: Doctoral student helps Latina girls see themselves as potential scientists
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