Asian Women in STEM oral history project complete

The Digital Scholarship and Initiatives (DSI) department is pleased to announce the completion of the second phase of the oral history project, Exploring the Journey of Asian Women in STEM at ISU. Mansi Patel, project lead and graduate student in Information Systems, worked with DSI staff throughout the spring semester to enhance her previously conducted oral histories using an open-source framework called Oral History as Data (OHD).

Through this second project phase, Mansi further developed her technical skills using GitHub and Visual Studio Code as well as exploring topic modeling using R. “Through conducting oral history interviews and building a multimedia website, I have developed my skills in research, storytelling, and digital communication. Working with the ISU library team, especially those overseeing the Tracing Race project, has been invaluable, providing me with insights and technical expertise that have enhanced the project's impact,” says Patel, pictured. 

The result is a new website highlighting a series of six oral history interviews with Iowa State faculty members in a variety of STEM disciplines, outlining the paths they took to get to where they are today, and the research that drives their work. The interviews can now be explored by clicking on common themes highlighted throughout the transcripts and synced to the videos for easy navigation. “One of the key features of the project was the integration of OHD, which allowed for the analysis and publication of coded oral history or qualitative interview files. This integration not only made the interviews more accessible but also provided users with a more engaging and immersive experience.”

Read more about Mansi’s work and explore the oral histories on her new project website. Visit the Tracing Race at ISU website for more information and to explore other projects supported by this initiative.