The Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess Epistemic Exclusion in Minoritized and Non-Minoritized STEM Faculty

Sep 26, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah

This document details the development and validation of the Faculty Epistemic Exclusion Scale (FEES), designed to assess scholarly devaluation within STEM fields. Epistemic exclusion is defined as a combination of disciplinary and identity-based biases, manifesting in both formal evaluation processes and informal colleague interactions. The research involved a validation survey of 526 tenure-track faculty, revealing significant disparities in experiences based on race and gender, with women of color reporting higher levels of exclusion.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Understanding Epistemic Exclusion

Defining Disciplinary and Identity-Based Bias

Formal vs. Informal Exclusion

Scale Development and Validation Process

Item Generation and Testing

Participant Demographics

Key Findings and Challenges

Differences by Race-Gender

Implementation Challenges in STEM

FAQs

What is the Faculty Epistemic Exclusion Scale (FEES)?

FEES is a research instrument developed to measure scholarly devaluation that faculty members experience based on disciplinary norms and identity-based stereotypes.

How does epistemic exclusion manifest for faculty?

It occurs through both formal processes, such as annual or promotion reviews, and informal interactions with colleagues, where scholarly work is treated as non-interpretable or less valuable.

What did the validation survey reveal about STEM faculty experiences?

The study of 526 STEM faculty members found that experiences of exclusion vary significantly by race and gender, with women of color reporting higher incidences of such bias.

Sep 26, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah