Black women have long contributed to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, while navigating spaces not designed with their full humanity, brilliance or lived experiences in mind. Their stories matter because they reveal barriers, illuminate persistence and possibility and help us imagine bold futures where Black women in STEM are fully recognized, supported and able to thrive.
As Associate Professor of Higher Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Director of the Education Policy & Equity Research Collective (Ed_PERC), I study issues at the intersection of race, education policy, STEM and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I am committed to understanding how Black women navigate STEM environments, how institutions shape their opportunities and what supports help them thrive.
This work is both personal and professional. Before completing my doctoral training at the University of Michigan, I earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Clark Atlanta University, where I experienced educational spaces that affirm Black students’ intellectual development. This pathway informs my commitment to studying how institutions can better support Black women in STEM and ensuring that Black girls and young Black women in Wisconsin and beyond can see STEM as a place where they belong and thrive.
I lead Ed_PERC, a multi-institutional team of undergraduate and graduate student researchers. Ed_PERC studies education policy, STEM pathways, HBCUs and students whose stories are often overlooked. Within Ed_PERC, the Computing Sciences Education Research Team (cSERT) focuses on equity issues in computing, while serving as a training site for emerging scholars.
One recent cSERT project examines how Black women from HBCUs experience STEM industry partnerships and internships. This work highlights how institutional and industry practices shape students’ sense of belonging, professional development and opportunity. It also shows how racism and sexism influence how Black women are perceived, evaluated and supported. These findings matter because internships and industry partnerships are often treated as straightforward pathways to opportunity, but for Black women, the quality of those experiences matters just as much as access to them.
To make our work more accessible, my team and I recently launched Ed_PERC Insights: BIG ideas. Small bites, a micro-learning video series that shares short, research-based insights on education, STEM, policy and practice. Current videos translate findings from our research on Black women in computing, HBCU STEM partnerships, imposter syndrome, professional environments and social dynamics that shape these students’ experiences. Through Ed_PERC Insights, we are working to ensure that research reaches students, educators, policymakers, industry leaders and communities who can use it to spark conversation, strengthen support and imagine new possibilities.
Ultimately, this work is about more than documenting inequity. By centering Black women’s experiences in STEM, my team and I invite the broader community to see research as a tool for action and possibility.
My team welcomes connecting with Black undergraduate women in STEM who may be interested in participating in current research, as well as educators, mentors and community members who may know students who can help shape this work.
To learn more, visit www.KrystalLWilliams.com, follow @EdPolicyEquity or search #ScholarGrind on social media for study participation information, team updates, Ed_PERC Insights videos and accessible resources related to education, STEM policy and Black educational excellence.
