Maria Madison, Sc.D.

Lecturer, Associate Dean of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, and Director Institute for Economic and Racial Equity
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Brandeis University
(September 25, 2020)

Bias in Science: Race, Origin, & Impact from Dubois (1906) to Venter (21st century). The legacy of Enlightenment.

Dr. Madison is the Associate Dean for Inclusion, Equity and Diversity at the Heller School, and she has an extensive career centered on public health and civic engagement. In this talk, Dr. Madison draws from the seminal works of W.E.B. Dubois to contemporary scholars such as Bertland and Duflo, and connects it to public health, science and research. The talk opens with addressing the historical roots of racism, and how it has informed and directed scientific inquiry and healthcare. It then connects to social science and anthropological research that can help us introspect and reflect on our biases, both in our workplace and personal lives, to overcome these deeply ingrained prejudices and behaviors.