Dawn Johnson

Dawn R. Johnson is Associate Professor of Higher Education. Her scholarly work focuses on equity in STEM education through examining the effects of the campus racial climate and classroom climate on the persistence and sense of belonging of students of color in STEM, particularly for women of color. Johnson has collaborated with campus partners to fulfill her scholarly agenda, including serving as:

• Co-Principal Investigator for the Upstate NY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program grant “Upstate New York LSAMP: Strengthening the Pipeline between Two- and Four-Year Institutions”. Johnson is one of the lead researchers examining students’ perceptions of the classroom environment, the impact of undergraduate research experiences, and sense of belonging and STEM identity.
• Lead Faculty Advisor for WiSE Women of Color in STEM, a program to empower women of color in STEM through building community, fostering a sense of belonging and identity in STEM, and promoting and supporting academic, personal, and professional development. Johnson also was Co-Principal Investigator for the project “Fostering resiliency in undergraduate women of color in STEM. Johnson and colleagues published a book chapter on the success of the program in Intersectionality and Higher Education: Theory, Research, and Practice (2nd ed.)

Johnson also partnered with the former Office of Institutional Research & Assessment in a study of the experiences of students of color on campus. This collaboration resulted in the Syracuse University (SU) Student Experience Survey that focused on the perceptions students had of the environment in the classroom, residence hall, and campus overall. The findings from their work was published in Review of Higher Education. The project is a model for bringing together faculty expertise with administrative resources to help an institution address issues related to student success.

Johnson has also previously served as an instructor for research in the Summer Academy for the McNair Scholars Program.

Education

• Ph.D. University of Maryland, Counseling and Personnel Services, College Student Personnel Administration
• M.Ed. Springfield College, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Personnel Administration
• B.A. Bowdoin College, Anthropology

Research & Scholarship

Johnson’s research focuses on students of color in science and engineering, with special attention to the experiences of women of color. This research interest came from her work in multicultural affairs at a science and engineering university, where she developed and implemented recruitment and retention programs for Black/African American, Latino, and Native American students. Johnson is currently involved in a collaborative research project with the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) at Syracuse University, which examined the experiences of students of color on campus.

This collaboration resulted in the Syracuse University (SU) Student Experience Survey that focused on the perceptions students had of the environment in the classroom, residence hall, and campus overall. The survey also gathered data on interactions with peers and faculty, sources of stress, and students’ reasons for choosing the University and their reasons for staying or leaving. Dawn is paying particular attention to how students of color in science and engineering report their perceptions and experiences of their classes and major. Johnson and her colleagues from OIRA have presented findings from the project to key stakeholders on campus and at national conferences.

The project is a model for bringing together faculty expertise with administrative resources to help an institution address issues related to student success.

Johnson has presented her research in a variety of forums, including the American Chemical Association’s symposium on women of color in science, the Association for Institutional Research, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and the National Science Foundation’s STEP grantees meeting.

Honors

Johnson is serving out a five-year term as one of 13 Senior Scholars for ACPA-College Student Educators International. She also was previously honored by ACPA as a Senior Scholar in Residence for the Coalition of Women’s Identities, Emerging Scholar, Diamond Honoree, and Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professional.

She most recently concluded service as an Associate Editor for the Journal of College Student Development. Johnson was recognized for Excellence in Graduate Education by Syracuse University.