Ability and Ableism: Ability refers to one's physical and cognitive capabilities whereas ableism is a system that places value on societally constructed ideas of normalcy, favoring those with abilities and resulting prejudice or discrimination against people with disabilities.
ABIOP: Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, Physical Chemistry
Access and accessibility: Access refers to the conditions that enable people with permanent or temporal disabilities to participate equitably in all societal activities whereas accessibility describes the degree to which one has access to all rights, benefits, and responsibilities in the living, working, and learning environments.
Affinity group/organizations: A group or organization formed based on the shared ideas, interests, and goals of the individuals.
Bias: Disproportionately favoring or not favoring a person, group, entity, or idea in a way that is unfair, prejudice, or discriminatory.
Counter spaces: A system of support structures and resources, formal or informal, that support the psychological health of individuals from marginalized, minoritized, and disadvantaged groups.
Culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogies: Culturally responsive pedagogies incorporate students’ identities and cultural references into the curriculum whereas inclusive pedagogies address students’ learning styles, abilities, and background.
DEIR: Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect.
Discrimination: The mistreatment of individuals or groups of individuals based on their identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic background)
Diversity: Representing individuals having a range of identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic background, body size)
Equity: Ensuring that everyone in each environment has the same resources, opportunities, treatment, and experience
Evidence-based practices: Strategies having a demonstrated efficacy and outcomes backed by empirical data
Harassment: To inflict hostile, prejudice, or intimidating behaviors on another individual
Inclusion: Ensuring that all individuals have access to a space or opportunity.
Micro-aggression: subtle verbal, behavioral, or environmental instances that are directly or indirectly intended to be degrading, dismissive, intimidating, belittling, or contemptuous towards an individual or group, particularly those from a marginalized or disadvantaged group.
Prejudice: A judgment or opinion about an individual or group that seeks to marginalize or cast aspersions on that individual or group based on their identity or other characteristics (e.g., academic pedigree or marital status).
Respect: A positive or esteemed disposition towards another individual.
Stereotype threat: An individual’s fear of confirming a negative belief about their identity regardless of if the belief is founded. Such fear often manifests through low performance, despite the person’s ability, and isolating behaviors.
Underrepresented groups: A subset of the population whose presence or participation in a space is significantly smaller than the whole.
