What might it mean to suggest that race is socially constructed? How does thinking of race in terms of social construction compare with the logic of biological determinism that we've begun to discuss? In scientific, medical, and other (e.g. legal) contexts, folks are often categorized on the basis of race. What do racial classification or categorization schema do? In particular, what scientific purpose(s) do they serve? Do forms of classification based on race serve beneficial ends? Harmful ends? Both? Neither? It depends? In what sense(s) are understandings of race significant in medical settings? Does attention to race in medical settings help or hinder research and care? How might attending to multiple intersecting variables (i.e. race/gender/class) inform particular STEM research projects and/or practical applications/interventions?

What might it mean to suggest that race is socially constructed? Again, race is a social construction, where societies generate informal or formal rules about what we see (i.e., perception) and how to act and treat others (i.e., discrimination). They thus came to believe that race itself is a social construct, a concept that was believed to correspond to an objective reality but which was believed in because of its social functions. 

How does thinking of race in terms of social construction compare with the logic of biological determinism that we've begun to discuss? That's why we say race is a social construct: it's a human-invented classification system. It was invented as a way to define physical differences between people, but has more often been used as a tool for oppression and violence. Scientists Argue Racial categories are weak proxies for genetic diversity and need to be phased out By Megan Gannon . 

In scientific, medical, and other (e.g. legal) contexts, folks are often categorized on the basis of race. What do racial classification or categorization schema do? The term race refers to the concept of dividing people into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of characteristics. The most widely used human racial categories are based on visible traits (especially skin color, cranial or facial features and hair texture), and self-identification. In other words, the federally mandated racial and ethnic categories are intended to be interpreted and applied in administrative and legal contexts, not scientific and biomedical contexts. Sociologist Steve Epstein examined these and other recent changes in U.S. biomedical research policies and practices in the mid-1990s regarding the inclusion of racial and ethnic groups. 

In particular, what scientific purpose(s) do they serve? Do forms of classification based on race serve beneficial ends? Harmful ends? Both? Neither? It depends? In what sense(s) are understandings of race significant in medical settings? Societies use race to establish and justify systems of power, privilege, disenfranchisement, and oppression. The notion of race is a social construct designed to divide people into groups ranked as superior and inferior. The scientific consensus is that race, in this sense, has no biological basis - we are all one race, the human race. In addition, Scientific classifications of race In publications issued from 1735 to 1759, Linnaeus classified all the then-known animal forms. He included humans with the primates and established the use of both genus and species terms for identification of all animals. For the human species, he introduced the still-current scientific name Homo sapiens. 

Does attention to race in medical settings help or hinder research and care?  Doctors take an oath to treat all patients equally, and yet not all patients are treated equally well. Racial and ethnic discrimination has been postulated as a multidimensional environmental stressor at the societal and individual levels. That is, there are physiological consequences of chronic exposure to fluctuating or heightened neural or neuroendocrine response that results from repeated or chronic stress. Racial inequality in the health care context is most often indirect and systemic. Because hospitals tend to have information systems for data collection and reporting, staff who are used to collecting registration and admissions data, and an organizational culture that is familiar with the tools of quality improvement, they are relatively well positioned to collect patients' demographic data. In addition, hospitals have a history of collecting race data. Thus, Reducing health disparities and achieving equitable health care remains an important goal for the U.S. healthcare system. Cultural competence is widely seen as a foundational pillar for reducing disparities through culturally sensitive and unbiased quality care.

 How might attending to multiple intersecting variables (i.e. race/gender/class) inform particular STEM research projects and/or practical applications/interventions? The issue of race, as it informs critical interactions at a majority research university, is explored in terms of its effects on identity formation. Research on race, gender, and laboratory life among minority women at various levels of their educational career in STEM disciplines was conceived as a preliminary foray into this terribly understudied domain with significant potential for positive interventions. Gaps in the STEM sense of belonging literature include the relative absence of research that addresses the intersection of gender with race. Research has shown that women struggle to maintain a positive sense of belonging in STEM class environments and that this lower sense of belonging in STEM is often associated with their loss of interest. Therefore, Women and students of color are widely underrepresented in the majority of STEM fields.