Mary Serafin

Hello colleagues! I'm excited to introduce you to my upcoming book, soon to be published by YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS LIMITED, titled: Change the Wallpaper: Transforming Cultural Patterns to Build More Just Communities. The book is on the science of positive social change. If you've wondered: How can we as ordinary people fight for justice? Can individual action have any impact on larger structural inequalities? What works, what doesn’t, and what's the evidence either way? then Change the Wallpaper is for you. For people interested in justice for all, frustrated by lack of progress, and looking for fresh solutions, read the book. In it I bring together my original research from 25 years with that of colleagues across many disciplines to answer the questions above. It's not abstract science. I weave into it stories of real people whose experiences illustrate the takeaways from research. Some of them are people I personally interviewed. This is a "big think" book for leaders, changemakers, students, activists, and everyone who wants a more just society and interested to understand what works and what doesn't. Some spoiler alerts: The book provides answers about why traditional DEI efforts have yielded limited benefits, and sometimes backfired, and why awareness of implicit bias alone doesn’t lead to behavior change. Then it shows what does work and what you can do. Read more here (if interested, you can pre-order now): https://lnkd.in/epdJnW8y #DEI #socialchange #inclusion #diversity #equity #psychology University of Massachusetts Amherst Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) AAAS American Psychological Association Association for Psychological Science Fortier Public Relations, LLC (Fortier PR) Mind & Life Institute

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Exciting times at Tulane! Teaching AI Unleashed this semester has been a fantastic experience, and I'm gearing up to lead an upcoming session for faculty and staff: "Collaborating with AI at Work: An Experiential Workshop Exploring How to Use AI as a Co-Teacher, Coach, & Collaborator" As part of the preparation, I’ve developed a series of prompts tailored to these roles, and I’ll be rolling them out during the workshop for hands-on testing in small groups. So far, I’ve created 15 complex prompts and would love to share a few here for your feedback and refinement before the session. Below is one of the prompts I made for using AI as a Writing Coach. I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you have! Let’s collaborate to refine these prompts before the workshop. "You are my writing coach, and your goal is to help me refine my writing by ensuring clarity, enhancing the structure, and improving grammar. I also need you to check if I’ve missed any key points based on the topic, and to help me stay true to my intended voice. Instructions: 1. Review: Carefully read through the entire piece of writing and assess it for grammar, punctuation, clarity, and coherence. 2: Key Points: Identify any critical points or arguments that I may have missed based on the topic. Suggest specific content to add that strengthens my argument or expands my main idea. 3: Grammar and Clarity: Edit for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to ensure the writing is polished and easy to read, while maintaining my personal style. 4: Enhance: Offer suggestions to strengthen the writing. For example, rephrase awkward sentences, suggest smoother transitions, or enhance the flow of ideas. While making edits, briefly explain the rationale behind major changes to help me learn and improve my writing skills for future tasks. Your suggestions should: 1. Maintain a formal and professional tone (INSERT TONE IF DIFFERENT] throughout. 2. Keep sentences concise and clear, avoiding overly complex language. 3. Respect the word limit (max [INSERT] words) without adding unnecessary content. 4.Ensure the piece aligns with my initial thesis and topic focus. Here is some context to guide you: I’m writing for a professional audience interested in [INSERT] , and I want the tone to be informative but approachable. I aim to come across as confident but not overly academic [ADAPT PROMPT PER YOUR DESIRED GOAL]" #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Education #ProfessionalDevelopment #Workshop #FacultyDevelopment #TulaneUniversity #HigherEd #InnovativeTeaching #AIinEducation #WritingSkills

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It was a pleasure speaking with Nicolas Sesson Farre on our latest podcast episode! Together we discuss our online courses on world religions and ecology, environmental economics, and biomimicry, among other topics. Learn more about our online courses here: https://lnkd.in/eDHPQgi3

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The 2024-2025 survey cycle is about to start! Let me know if you have questions about the Staff Climate Survey, Diverse Learning Environments Survey, HERI Faculty Survey (off-cycle), or any of our other surveys! Stay tuned for the College Senior Survey, Your First College Year, and the landmark 60th(!!!) CIRP Freshman Survey!

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Climate progress requires us to close the “talent gap”, enabling a wave of top talent to come into the space. I love working with #mba students who want to work in climate through ClimateCAP, and frequently talk with them about how they can pivot into the climate careers that they want. Often, that conversation is around transferable skills from their early careers and ways to build up their climate resume. This whitepaper from Voiz Academy highlights some of those skills that are critical for mid-career climate pivoters on day 1, and those that allow them to grow in their careers over time. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/edaEwUKG

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From LSE's Special Issue on Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Justice Development of a Scale to Measure Planned Behavior in Inclusive Science Communication: Validity Evidence in Undergraduate STEM Students Kelp and colleagues present the development of Planned Behaviors in Inclusive Science Communication (PB-ISC) scale! Use this scale to evaluate how science communication training impacts students' attitudes, self-efficacy, and behaviors in inclusive science communication! https://lnkd.in/eypZuuZ8

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Is your university ready for digital transformation? We are. APUS President Nuno Fernandes sits down with FINN Partners' CMO Celia Jones to discuss how new technologies – including AI – can benefit students. https://ow.ly/yU1N30sGbbU #AIinEducation #FutureOfLearning #APUSinsight

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Thank you to all who attended my keynote at Loyola University Chicago Faculty Center for Ignatian Pedagogy. We discussed how to make decisions about using generative AI in the university classroom. Here's a description of the talk and my bio. If you'd like me to visit with your faculty about teaching (and not teaching) with AI, send me a note! ------------------------------------------ The Balancing Act: Teaching and Learning with AI from a Place of Integrity How do our personal and professional values inform our choices about technology use? How does this inform our classroom policies? How can we discuss AI policies with students in ways that resonate with their values about learning and higher education? Dr Sage will lead faculty through these critical conversations about AI's impact on higher education and how it is transforming our thinking about teaching, learning, and professional readiness. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, participants will consider how to best align their pedagogical goals with AI innovation in the classroom. This talk will focus on maintaining enthusiasm for teaching and fostering students' passion for learning amidst rapid technological advancement, regardless of individual AI adoption in teaching practices. This keynote will move you beyond hope or hype toward a balanced approach to teaching with integrity. You'll leave more confident in your explainable choices about integrating AI in the classroom and better equipped to navigate this new landscape with purpose and clarity. bio:   Melanie Sage, PhD, LCSW, is an expert at the intersection of emerging technologies, teaching and learning, and empathy and engagement. With two decades of experience across social work practice, academia, private industry, and consulting, she is a go-to expert for academics and organizations reinventing ways to work with technology to center the humans in the room. Melanie’s experience includes 12 years in tenure-track social work faculty positions. As a creative entrepreneur at heart, she also spent post-academia as a researcher at Meta, working on improving social media equity. Her research roles have explored the impact of social media on youth in foster care, how to make social media systematically safer for people who are LGBTQ+, how to teach with technology in trauma-informed ways, and when and how AI can be used to make ethical decisions about social services priorities, to name a few. Melanie channels her passion to empower professionals to harness technology’s potential benefits while minding risks and staying true to their core values of human dignity and empathy. She operates her own consultancy and works on projects and opportunities that align with her values of thoughtful innovation and digital transformation.

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Amidst recent protests and concerns, Columbia University has made strategic adjustments to its #graduation plans to prioritise safety and inclusivity. In response to student voices and call for action, the university has opted for smaller ceremonies tailored to each school, ensuring a more manageable and conducive environment for celebration. This allows the university to fostering a community where all voices are heard and valued which is essential in times of unrest and protest. Consultation with student leaders played a crucial role in shaping these changes, highlighting the university's dedication to collaborative decision-making and student #empowerment. By engaging with stakeholders and taking proactive measures, addressing challenges while upholding its core values of diversity and inclusion. As graduation season approaches, Columbia University stands as a testament to resilience and adaptability, navigating complex issues with care and consideration. Through thoughtful adjustments to its #ceremony format, the university reaffirms its commitment to providing a safe and meaningful experience for all graduates and attendees, setting a standard for excellence in higher education. For more information check out the article on https://skoobuzz.com. #skoobuzz #education #news #university #academic #ceremony

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We are nearing the deadline for the Olin Impact Case Competition, so pull together your teams. It has been a blast writing this up and getting rich feedback on the design from folks like Brent Beshore, Scott Wilson, Clay Hunter, Paul Tice and others. One of the unique features of this case is that we provide students access to data on what owners care about -- research that came out of our partnerships with Edward Jones Enova International and U.S. Bank. I am including one of those conjoint simulations below -- this one visualizes how companies of different sizes prioritize distinct KINDS of options in transition. If you are all interested in the possibilities of longer-hold investment, it might work, and its implications for the middle market- this competition is for you! https://lnkd.in/gx2qRtqa Please share with those in your network (graduate or undergraduate) who might be interested! The deadline is Sunday night!

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🚨 New data just in from the Business-Higher Education Forum and Inside Higher Ed via Kristen D. Fox and Kathryn Palmer, and it confirms what we’ve been seeing at Extern for a while now. 🚨 A recent BHEF analysis shows that of the 8.2 million learners who wanted to intern in 2023: 🔴 56% missed out completely 🟡 13% ended up in lower-quality internships 🟢 Only 31% landed higher-quality experiences This highlights a massive disconnect between the number of students seeking internships and the availability of meaningful opportunities. And on the company side? The challenges are equally clear: 🔧 Operational challenges (48%) 📉 Market uncertainty (26%) These are the primary reasons companies aren’t offering or expanding internships, creating a bottleneck that limits student access to valuable work experiences and prevents companies from tapping into fresh talent. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️ At Extern, we’re flipping the script. 🚀 Our remote, project-based Externships eliminate these traditional barriers, making it easier for companies to engage young people on strategic projets without the heavy lift, and giving students the high-quality, real-world experience they crave. 💡 The need for accessible, scalable professional experiences is more critical than ever, and we’re on a mission to bridge this gap as we recently served our 45,000th extern! 🚀 #Externships #FutureOfWork #OpportunityForAll #TalentDevelopment #Internships #CareerGrowth 🌟 Do these stats track with your experience or perception?

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Y'all - I’m SO thrilled to share that I’ve officially completed the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University! Over the past two months, I’ve had the pleasure to do a deep dive into a variety of important topics, including: ✨ Improving Employee Engagement ✨ Counteracting Unconscious Bias ✨ Fostering an Inclusive Climate ✨ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace But this class is so, so much deeper than just a little piece of paper to add to my collection of certifications. It is a commitment to myself and to my community. As we approach 2025, committing to furthering education, learning, and nurturing my DEI practitioner skills feels more critical than ever. In this sociopolitical climate, where attacks on inclusion and equity are prominent and division is stronger than ever, we must gather in community, press onward, and commit to doing the good work. And if I'm the first one reminding you of this today: I have your back. We're in this together. What makes you you is your superpower. And don't forget to give yourself a big hug - you are love, and you are SO loved. #DEIAB #Inclusivity #CommunityImpact #Accessibility #Leadership #Cornell

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Wrapping up my summer of presenting on LSAC applied research and data insights. Can’t wait to co-present with the dream team Anna Topczewski (Assessment Sciences) and Laura Fonseca (DEI) at #PLANC2024. Join us to engage with upcoming insights and how to best support applicants’ agency. #LSAC #appliedresearch #LSACStrategicResearch If you attended one of my presentations this year, comment below what you learned or would love to learn more about.

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Have you heard about “Young Voices for a Sustainable Future”? JA Worldwide's collaborative initiative with BASF integrates students from diverse backgrounds into a global dialogue on sustainable development. Students focus on local issues through a global lens, enabling them to understand the critical challenges facing their communities. Now finishing its second year, JA students have created inspiring solutions to some of our biggest challenges. Read more about the initiative and experience youth innovation in a series of videos at https://lnkd.in/e2wi-g3S.

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Five Principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 1. Creating an Inclusive Environment 2. Mitigating Bias and Prejudice 2. a Bias vs. Prejudice 3. Managing Intercultural Dialogue 4. Addressing Systemic Inequity 5. Understanding Identity and Perspective-Taking https://lnkd.in/gFBqusR7 #columbia #ppil #ppilessay #cbs #DEI

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New on Wonkhe: Julie Hulme and Bunmi Omorotionmwan argue that collaboration, innovation and ditching tradition are crucial to closing awarding gaps, improving student outcomes, and securing quality https://lnkd.in/eu_SWaDm

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I had a great time chatting with some of our ENCOURAGE Diversity and U54 Partnership interns yesterday at their networking tea! It's always gratifying to speak with students about career development and resilience. As I told the interns yesterday, if I can pass along some of the lessons I've learned to make the way easier for someone else, then all my struggles have been worth it. #networking #mentorship #intership #summerinternship #cancerresearch #sciencecareers #earlycareer #careerdevelopment

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I have this phrase that I often share with myself, classmates, and coaching clients: make transitions with grace. It’s nearly 10 years since I first arrived in Boston from Sierra Leone, and now I am sitting here at MIT Sloan School of Management in this week of graduation. Looking out at the Charles, where I learned to sail to find some sense of peace when I first got here, I’m noticing both the anticipation for what's next but also an untethering from this place and moment at MIT. The word transition implies a movement from one thing to the next, a switch of path, or an emergence of some kind. That you’re done. That you’re ready. That you know. It requests clarity from you. What are you doing next? Are you excited? When you choose an ambiguous next step – “I’m starting something new” or “I’m considering my options” - a transition still asks you to justify what this means. It feels like it’s not enough to say this is where I am today. So, why are transitions often branded like you are meant to know what's coming next already in your career and life more broadly? Allowing yourself to explore, being open to what’s next, and moving forward day-to-day takes consistent commitment. Transitions are those points in time when you have to ask the most of yourself. And so, I share these thoughts to give some insight into the beauty and challenges of my own moment of transition. As I consider this next chapter, I tell myself and those around me that by embracing the uncertainty with grace and allowing ourselves to create openings for new, we may find different possibilities than we had imagined. In this week of graduation, here’s to all the transitions yet to come - may we face them with a steadfast dedication to ourselves and allow grace and joy in each moment.

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