The evidence shows that counterspace is an element that is a unilateral theme for BIPOC women who succeed in STEM education. In a study among undergraduate black women in STEM, 100% of them had some form of a counterspace that they had used at least once.[1] A counterspace is defined as a space that operates in cultural opposition to the predominant white-cis-hetero-male-abled culture in STEM spaces. Counterspaces are necessary for marginalized communities for several reason. Marginalized students experience microagressions from all directions in STEM. There are individual accounts in this study of a woman being told she will fail a class by her advisor and asked not to enroll. The predominant culture in the central spaces in STEM open black women to microagressions from students including criticism of their appearance and ability as a scientist.[1] This also came up in an Allen School department wide email including data the Allen School has collected. This study’s data is consistent with data collected by the College of Engineering. “We explored participants’ experiences of STEM education, for example, how social factors at play in their experiences presented challenges to their persistence and success in higher education, and how engaging in counterspaces contributed to participants’ persistence in higher education. We used qualitative methods of data collection and analysis because we were concerned with answering questions about how the experiences happened, unfolded, or were experienced by the women of color; and what the experiences and feelings associated with them meant to the participants.“ [1]
Undergraduate students in this study found a counterspace as a useful place to find study partners, collaborate on assignments, support each other, and provide support to one another. Further, some students were able to form relationships with faculty and build a counterspace within their STEM Department. [1] Black women universally use counterspaces as undergraduates in this study. They rely on a mix of peers, mentors, groups, and STEM faculty to help them succeed. This data shows that STEM Departments are the least reliable counterspace for women of color and that peers are the most reliable counterspace, with mentorship and groups in the middle range of utilization. This data shows that a designated counterspace to facilitate peer to peer and group relationships would be the most effective way to improve DEIA on campus by providing students a space to safely study, build peer to peer, mentor relationships, and groups.

[1] M. Ong, J. M. Smith, and L. T. Ko, “Counterspaces for women of color in STEM higher education: Marginal and central spaces for persistence and success - Wiley Online Library,” Wiley Online Library, 01-Aug-2017. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21417 [Accessed: 21-Apr-2022].