Vanessa Johnson - PostDoctoral Fellow in Frey STEM Education Research Group

Vanessa (she/her/ella) is a research scientist in the Frey STEM Education Research group at the University of Utah. Her professional background is in higher education assessment and evaluation, focusing on building surveys using scale development theory that measures various aspects of campus racial climates. Her scholarly background includes working on several research projects focused on transfer students' pathways and college climate experiences and has conducted experimental designs to measure the impact of metacognitive homework assignments called "Scientist Spotlight" on students' science identity, specifically on women, first-generation, and Black and Brown undergraduate students. Utilizing QuantCrit and scale development theory, she has built and validated constructs to measure how racist political rhetoric and state-sanctioned violence emotionally and behaviorally impact Black and Brown students on a predominately white campus. Because postsecondary institutions do not exist in a vacuum, her research helps connect the relationship between societal and campus racism and aids in helping institutions examine policies and practices that further marginalize Black and Brown students on their campuses and explore ways in which institutions can better support students holistically. Before joining the Frey STEM Education Research Group, Vanessa was a graduate researcher in the David Eccles School of Business and College of Education at the University of Utah. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Utah College of Education. Among other honors, Vanessa received the Deans College of Education Research Fellowship and was chosen to be a UCEA Barbara L. Jackson Scholar (2019). Outside the lab, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her husband, visiting family, traveling, duplicating her mother’s Peruvian recipes, and taking care of her rescue dog Paco.

Tell us about your work in the Department of Chemistry

My work in the Department of Chemistry focuses on performing quantitative analysis on the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP), an NSF-sponsored grant that has served over 6,000 STEM faculty, staff, and graduate students since its first course in 2019. The ISTP educates participants on creating sustaining inclusive learning environments through online course modules, affinity groups, and learning communities.  I work with colleagues from across the country on several research questions that look at the impact the ISTP has had on its participants. I absolutely love the work I do and the supportive environment I have found in Chemistry.

What motivates and inspires you?

I am motivated and inspired by continuous learning and group work. In my role, I am constantly learning new skills and teaching myself and others in the Frey Group about quantitative or qualitative analyses. Together, we answer hard questions and teach one another how to be better qualitative and quantitative researchers. I feel that the time I have spent in Chemistry has pushed me to become a better researcher. Lastly, I really enjoy working with the graduate students in our group who push me to be better and who I love to see reaching their doctoral milestones. I could not have asked for a better post-doctoral position at the U of U.

What interests you most about your research?

What interests me most about my personal research is to be able to demonstrate the importance that faculty, staff, and administrators play in creating healthy classroom climates. They can help create healthy classroom environments by addressing how large-scale events like viral political statements that are discriminatory, police brutality, or the many forms of violence students can experience in their daily lives is brought in with students into the classroom. These events can impact students in several ways including how they interact with faculty, their peers, and their ability to complete schoolwork. Faculty, staff, and administrators play a vital role in creating environments where students feel seen. Something as simple as saying, “This [event] happened and although I [may/may not] be impacted by it, there are those in this class who are, and I want you to know that I support you and there are offices on this campus that are here to support you that I would be happy to connect you with.” An affirming statement such as this can go a long way for historically marginalized student populations to feel that they belong and that we, as campus representatives (i.e., faculty, staff, administrators) see and value their presence here at the U of U. So, I am most excited about sharing my work and sharing what I learned through my research with campus administrators, faculty, and staff, about the power of words and creating inclusive and welcoming classrooms, which research has shown to increase persistence, retention, and academic outcomes.

What do you wish you had known when you first came to Utah?

I was born and raised in Utah, however, for folks who are coming from out of state, I would say be ready for 1) constantly changing weather, 2) the cold, 3) January-March inversion, and 4) beautiful mountains and outdoor activities. There is so much to explore all over the state of Utah, and it is one of the most beautiful states in my opinion.

Your favorite University of Utah experience?

One of my favorite University of Utah experiences was 1) when I defended my dissertation, and my faculty chair called me back in as Dra. Johnson and 2) right after I was called officially Dra. Johnson my husband surprised me with a mariachi band who came into the room playing guitars, trumpets, violins, and singing. It was the first time in the College of Education that a mariachi band had ever played after a defense. I was surrounded by so many friends and family, and even the Dean of the College of Education came to watch them play songs for me and my loved ones. It was a moment that I will never forget.

What do you do for fun outside the lab? How do you handle stress?

As a post-doc, I am still trying to get re-acquainted with hobbies. As a doctoral student, it often feels like you don’t have time for “fun.” However, now that I am a post-doc, I have enjoyed reconnecting with friends who I have not seen in a long time and going to concerts. Also, I am reading for fun again and started a book club with fellow Chemistry graduate students.

What advice do you have for prospective postdocs?

The biggest advice would be to find a position and supervisor that will support you, your research, and continued learning. The learning never ends and as a postdoc, you are in a unique position to spend this time learning new skills and contributing to interesting research. Hopefully, your future postdoc position has the support you need to help you progress in your research interests and prepare you for the career in which you are interested. Also, make sure to sign up for the Postdoc Academy. The Postdoc Academy is a professional development organization for postdocs and offers online courses and mentorship.

What is the most significant difference between life as a grad student and a postdoc researcher?

Interestingly, I have been incredibly busy since I defended my dissertation, so that has not changed. However, I suppose the biggest difference is not having that constant guilty feeling that “I should be writing.” Although I might feel a little guilty with current writing projects, the biggest writing project of my life (my dissertation) is complete, and it feels good to have weekends where I do not feel bad for not working on my dissertation.

What do you plan to do after your postdoc?

That is a great question. I am still figuring that out. There are not a lot of tenure-track positions, and I am bound to Utah for the time-being so that limits my options even further. However, I know that I love the work I do and would love to stay within the field of STEM educational research as a researcher and evaluator. I am hoping to find funding that would allow me to continue to work I am doing through NSF-sponsored grants and University of Utah seed grants.

December 2023