  This study investigates how faculty acquire contextual information about
students, examining mechanisms and motivations used when sharing their identity
to facilitate empathy. Empathy is "the ability and tendency to share and
understand others' internal state" (Zaki and Ochsner, 2012), and is a critical
factor in both motivating faculty to enact large scale change and take
immediate, smaller actions. This study explores the impact identity sharing has
on obtaining contextual information that motivates empathetic action. Nineteen
semi structured interviews with physics faculty explored participant identities
and interactions across various contexts. Employing emergent thematic coding,
we crafted four personas around faculty sharing, teaching values, and student
reciprocity. Brooke, the Trust Builder, prioritizes creating an environment of
trust by openly discussing their identity, aiming to foster student openness.
Nour, the Identity Navigator, shares personal experiences to assist others in
navigating their own identities, acknowledging the challenges of college years.
Brooke and Nour had more students approaching them with personal issues,
indicating a correlation between faculty identity sharing and student openness.
Casey, the Cautious Sharer, expresses concerns about potential alienation or
backlash, approaching personal sharing with caution. Wray, adopting a Walled
Off approach, separates personal and professional life due to past negative
experiences or a belief in the importance of that division. Among the faculty
interviewed, 15 who were explicitly open about their identities reported that
students approached them with personal issues. This study outlines mechanisms
influencing when and what faculty share about themselves in different contexts.
Our findings underscore the significance of fostering dialogue as the initial
step in empathy development.
