Misinterpretation of why black students do not pursue studies in the biological sciences

Kelsey L. Glennon; Joseph White; Chevonne Reynolds; Ida Risenga; Neville Pillay; Sally Archibald; Kevin Balkwill; Marcus Byrne; Glynis Cron; Hanlie Engelbrecht; Jolene Fisher; David Furniss; Kim Madikiza; Mapula Matimolane; Francesca Parrini; Martie Sanders; Robert Scholes; Sivu Situngu; Stuart Sym; Wayne Twine; Isabel Weiersbye; Vivienne Williams; Ed T.F. Witkowski; Darragh Woodford

doi:10.17159/sajs.2020/8584

Authors

Kelsey L. Glennon School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0538-7916
Joseph White School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Chevonne Reynolds School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ida Risenga School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Neville Pillay School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sally Archibald School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Kevin Balkwill School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Marcus Byrne School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Glynis Cron School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Hanlie Engelbrecht School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Jolene Fisher School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
David Furniss School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Kim Madikiza School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mapula Matimolane School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Francesca Parrini School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Martie Sanders School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Robert Scholes School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sivu Situngu School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Stuart Sym School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Wayne Twine School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Isabel Weiersbye School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Vivienne Williams School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ed T.F. Witkowski School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Darragh Woodford School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2020/8584

Keywords:

biological sciences, conservation, data analysis, undergraduate studies

Abstract

This Commentary is a response to a Commentary published in the May/June 2020 issue:

Nattrass N. Why are black South African students less likely to consider studying biological sciences? S Afr J Sci. 2020;116(5/6), Art. #7864, 2 pages. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2020/7864

Responses to the Commentary in the May/June 2020 issue have been published collectively in a special issue of Volume 116.