Tanja Tajmel

Associate Professor, Centre for Engineering in Society
Concordia University Research Chair (Tier 2)
Special Advisor to the Dean, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Contact information

Email:

tanja.tajmel@concordia.ca

Biography

Tanja Tajmel studied Physics (BSc), Meteorology (BSc) and Philosophy (BA) at the Graz University of Technology and the Karl-Franzens University in Graz, Austria as well as the University of Padova, Italy. She received a Master in Physics Education and in Philosophy Education from Karl-Franzens University in Graz and a PhD in Physics Didactics from Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany. Before joining Concordia University in 2018, she was Professor at the University of Education Upper Austria. In 2019 she was Visiting Professor at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a Concordia University Research Chair in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (EDI in STEM).

Teaching

ENCS 691-AI Social Aspects of AI (Winter 2022)
ENCS 691 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in STEM (description)
INDI 898 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in STEM (Summer Instiute 2019)
ENGR 392 Impact of Technology on Society
ENGR 201 Professional Practice and Responsibility

Research and Funding

Dr. Tajmel is an interdisciplinary scholar with a broad research and teaching portfolio. Her main interest lies in investigating the politics of STEM education and how STEM education and STEM discourses impact social (in)equity. She studied linguistic barriers for second language learners in the science classroom and examined the 'diversity'-discourse in the context of STEM education in Germany from a postcolonial perspective. She found that the discourse supports binary thinking and 'othering' of migrants and that neoliberal arguments feed this discourse. Currently she is investigating 'othering' in STEM, exploring decolonizing approaches in STEM, and developing further the meaning and understanding of equity in the STEM fields. She promotes a hegemony-critical attitude towards STEM education and is a long-time advocate for the human right to STEM education (Berlin Declaration 2018: The right to science/STEM education). NSERC CREATE: "A Training Program on the Development, Deployment and Servicing of Artificial Intelligence-based Software Systems (CREATE SE4AI)" (co-applicant; PI: Dr. Emad Shihab) 2021-2026 ($1,554,000)Concordia University: Concordia University Research Chair (Tier 2): "Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" 2020-2025Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC): "L'Autre dans les manuels scolaires de science" 2020-2023 ($44,530)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tanja TajmelTri-Agency New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) - Exploration: "Decolonizing Light - Tracing and Countering Colonialism in Contemporary Physics" 2019-2022 ($178,818)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tanja Tajmel
Co-Investigators: Dr. Louellyn White, Dr. Ingo Salzmann
website
Canadian Federation of Business School Deans: "Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Intersection of STEM and Business Management in Canadian Higher Education" 2019 ($11,500)
Principal Investigators: Dr. Stefanie Ruel, Dr. Tanja TajmelMinistère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur: "Try Concordia - Mentorship program for female CÉGEP students" 2018-2019
websiteEuropean Commission (66%) and Germany’s Employers’ Association in the Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries (33%): "PROMISE - Promotion of Migrants in Science Education". Partners: Humboldt-University Berlin (Dept. of Physics), European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (Graz, Austria), University of Vienna (Dept. of Physics), University of Sarajevo (Dept. of Physics), Yildiz Technical University Istanbul (Dep. of Education). 2005-2007 (€453,500 ($666,000))

Publications

Dr. Tajmel is publishing in English and German. Apart from scientific papers and editions she published textbooks for secondary school STEM education and for teacher trainings.

Job opportunities

Research Assistant position in the EDI Lab

Anticipated start date: 01 November, 2024

End date: April 30, 2025

Salary: $32.00 per hour

Hours per week: 10 hours

Position title: Research Assistant

Immediate supervisor: Dr. Tanja Tajmel, Centre for Engineeringin Society, Director EDI Lab

Job description: In collaboration with national and international researchers involved, the Research Assistant will co-develop and coordinate the study on the usage of Generative AI tools and their implications for Equity, Diversity and Inclusionin the context of higher education.

Responsibilities will include:

· Conduct literature research on theusage of GenAI in the context of higher education, with focus on implications for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

· Report findings to supervisor

· Develop and manage a literature database and draft a comprehensive literature review

· Assist the development of a survey

· Contribute to scientific publications and conference presentations

· Attend meetings with the project group

Qualifications/skills required:

· PhD student with a background in computer science or software engineering.

· Evidence for experience and interest in studying social and ethical aspects of AI (e.g., courses or workshops attended)

· Demonstrated interest and understanding of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as related to new technologies and STEM fields

· Ability to work independently

· Experience as software developer with workexperience in development teams is an asset

How to apply:

Interested applicants should submit by email a cover letterand curriculum vitae to Dr. Tanja Tajmel at tanja.tajmel@concordia.caby the posting end date of October 30, 2024. We thank all theapplicants, but only the selected candidates will be contacted for aninterview.

Employment Equity: Concordia University is strongly committed toemployment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty andstaff. The University encourages applications from all qualified candidates,including women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, members ofsexual minorities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute todiversification; candidates are invited to self-identify in their applications.

Students

Graduate students

Tatiana Gladcheff Zanon Spina (PhD student)
Carlos Mometti (PhD student; co-supervision with Dr. Mauricio Pietrocola, University of Sao Paulo)
Ezgi Ozyonum (PhD student; co-supervision with Dr. Saul Carliner, Dep. of Education)
Riya Dutta (MASc student, co-supervision with Dr. Emad Shihab, CEES)
Anick Jasmin (MSc student)
Amanda Kolopanis (MASc student, co-supervision with Dr. Emad Shihab, CEES)
Sharon Ho (MASc student, co-supervision with Dr. Emad Shihab, CEES)

Postdoctoral Scholars and Research Associates

Mirjam Fines-Neuschild, Ph.D. (Horizon Postdoctoral Fellow)
Gita Ghiasi, Ph.D. (Research Associate)
Yan Liu, MSc (Research Associate, 2020-2021)

Research Assistants

2021-2022:
Wassim Nijaoui (Project "Decolonizing Light")
Danika Zachary (Project "Decolonizing Light")

2019-2020:
Élise Ross-Nadié (Project "Decolonizing Light")
Anick Jasmin (Project "Decolonizing Light")
Melissa Mendes (Project "Decolonizing Light")

Prospective students

If you are interested in EDI in STEM, in decolonizing STEM, and in working in interdisciplinary teams, please contact me. I have funding for graduate students and Research Assistant positions. If you have your own research idea on these topics, please send your motivation letter, the proposal title and research question, an abstract (200 words) and your CV to tanja.tajmel@concordia.ca.