Davis Integrates STEM Culture and Community in Education

Dr. Dannielle Joy Davis’s work in St. Louis encompasses university teaching, community initiatives, and conversations with families regarding their children’s education. Her scholarship has also created opportunities for students on an international scale. Colleagues describe her as a strong connector, facilitating introductions and collaborations among various individuals.

Scholarship and Community Engagement

Dr. Dannielle Joy Davis, a professor of higher education at Saint Louis University, has built her career at the intersection of scholarship, community engagement, and cultural responsibility. Her work is guided by a global understanding of Black experiences, which she views through a diasporic lens. This perspective informs her leadership in the community and her scholarship.

The Circle of Excellence Network

A visible example of Davis’s work is the Circle of Excellence Network, a series of STEM-related programs designed to support underrepresented youth in grades 6-12, including homeschooled students. Through this network, Davis consults with over 200 homeschooling families in the St. Louis region. Approximately 3% of K-12 students in the U.S. are homeschooled, with 12% of those households identifying as Black, according to U.S. Census data. Many families choose homeschooling to ensure their children learn history, identity, and cultural narratives that may be underrepresented in traditional curricula, and to intentionally incorporate spirituality, ethics, and cultural traditions. Davis herself homeschools her own son and recalls her own African-centered education during childhood as a positive experience.

International Research and Collaboration

Davis’s service through the Circle of Excellence Network extends beyond St. Louis. She assisted students from the African-centered Aya Education Institute in Atlanta in presenting ethnographic research in Havana, focusing on the decolonization of institutions and Black communities. At the 2018 Caribbean Studies Association conference, these students, among the youngest participants, presented their research to a standing-room-only audience.

Research and Academic Achievements

Dr. Davis’s interdisciplinary research examines the experiences of marginalized groups, research ethics, STEM education, community engagement, AI use in pedagogy, home education, and spirituality in learning environments. A St. Louis native, she studied psychology at Webster University before earning a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She later earned a second master’s degree in higher education, which sparked her interest in developing STEM curricula for middle and high school students.

Davis completed her Ph.D. in educational policy studies on full scholarship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, following encouragement from her mentor, the late Dr. Carolyn Thompson. She is believed to be the first African American woman to earn tenure and full professor rank in the history of Saint Louis University’s School of Education. Davis has published more than 70 refereed journal articles, book chapters, and academic volumes, including edited volumes such as Black Women in Leadership and Social Justice Issues and Race in the College Classroom.

Global Perspective and Mentorship

Davis’s research and collaborations have taken her to South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Togo, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Cuba, and Ghana. She emphasizes the importance of learning from African communities. Former students describe Davis as a dedicated mentor who encourages them to realize their potential and pursue research. Hannah Rose, a 2023 Saint Louis University graduate, credits Davis with fostering her confidence in professional spaces.

Davis views her role as a faculty member as encompassing teaching, research, and service, emphasizing the responsibility to improve opportunities for future generations. She encourages high school students to consider how science can address community needs.