Why Race Matters in Physics Class

by Rachel D. Godsil

UCLA Law Review Discourse (2016)

This article directly responds to quandary put forth by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts during oral arguments in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case: why does racial diversity matter in a physics class? Godsil argues that racial diversity in academia enhances innovation and problem-solving, then demonstrates how lack of diversity exacerbates the impact of implicit bias, racial anxiety, and stereotype threat on academic performance of black and Latino students.