Impacts of Undergraduate Research Programs Focused on Underrepresented Minorities: Twenty Years of Gradual Progress and Practices That Contributed to It (original) (raw)
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Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 2009
The current study examines the outcomes, processes, and individual predictors of pursuit of a STEM PhD among African-American students in the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program. Meyerhoff students were nearly five times more likely than comparison students to pursue a STEM PhD. Program components consistently rated as important were financial scholarship, being part of the Meyerhoff Program community, the Summer Bridge program, study groups, staff academic advising, and summer research opportunities. Furthermore, focus group findings revealed student internalization of key Meyerhoff Program values, including a commitment to excellence, accountability, group success, and giving back. In terms of individual predictors, multinomial logit regression analyses revealed that Meyerhoff students with higher levels of research excitement at college entry were more likely to pursue a STEM PhD. The underrepresentation of African-American, Native American and Latino/a students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields has been a persistent issue for some time now. In 2005, for example, about 9% of doctorates in biological sciences were awarded to underrepresented minorities (URM), even though they comprise more than 25% of the U.S. population (Olson & Fagen, 2007). The problem can be attributed in part to the reality that significantly more URM students than Asian American and White students drop out of STEM disciplines as they proceed academically. For instance, although large percentages of African-American (18.6%) and Latino/a (22.7%) students entering college in 1995 were interested in majoring in STEM fields, only 7% of STEM bachelor's degrees were awarded to each of these groups (Anderson & Kim, 2006). The disproportionately low participation of URMs in STEM fields has created fears of a shortfall of scientists and engineers in our country in the years ahead (Chubin, May, & Babco, 2005). Research on the "leaky pipeline" phenomenon has suggested several factors that serve as barriers to persistence for many African-American, Native American, and Latino/a students in the sciences. These include cultural (social expectations for different groups), structural (historical regulations and laws that barred the entry of minorities into education and employment), and institutional (discriminatory policies and practices) barriers (Tsui, 2007). The problem of underrepresentation and the understanding of its presumed causes have led to the development and evolution of STEM-related intervention programs in the last two decades.
Undergraduate research participation and STEM graduate degree aspirations among students of color
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2010
Increasing the number of students who complete advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a compelling national interest. Although college science and engineering degree completion rates have improved considerably over the past few decades, significant gaps persist among women and students of color. In 2002, women earned more than 50 percent of all bachelor' s degrees in science and engineering, although major variations emerge when we disaggregate these data by field of study. For instance, women represented 75 percent of degrees in psychology, 59 percent in biological and agricultural sciences, and 55 percent in social sciences; but only 21 percent in engineering and computer science (National Science Board, 2006). Similarly, only 24 percent of underrepresented racial minorities (URMs: African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians/Alaskan Natives) complete a bachelor' s degree in science and engineering-related fields within six years of initial enrollment, compared to 40 percent of White students (Center for Institutional Data Exchange and Analysis, 2000), representing a large and persistent racialized attainment gap. Other national statistics show a precipitous drop in the number of students who express initial plans to major in a STEM fi eld and those who The importance of undergraduate research experiences and the extent to which engagement in such activities influences underrepresented minority students' graduate degree aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields is the focus of this chapter.
2010
Analysis of data collected from 108 respondents to the Survey of Summer Research Programs were conducted using descriptive and multivariate statistics to measure students' satisfaction with their SURE program, their level of engagement in the research project, and learning gains achieved as a result of participating in the program. Results suggest that SURE participants are generally satisfied with the program, despite some relative dissatisfaction with one's mentor. Several learning outcomes are associated with participating in a SURE, and participation also seems to sustain or increase students' interest rather than initiate new interest in graduate education. Background traits and learning gains were positive predictors of research self-efficacy, explaining approximately 52% of the variance in students' confidence in their research skills.
2006
This paper presents part of the results of a completed study entitled A Longitudinal Study of Minority Ph.D.s from 1980-1990: Progress and Outcomes in Science and Engineering at the University of California during Graduate School and Professional Life. It focuses particularly on the graduate school experience and degree of preparation for the professoriate of African American doctoral students in the sciences and engineering, and presents the results of a survey of 33 African American STEM Ph.D.s from the University of California earned between 1980-1990. Relationships with thesis advisors and principal investigators are evaluated by the study participants in fifteen specific areas from highly-ranked intellectual development to low-ranked training in grant writing. Deficits in training and socialization are discussed along with the tension between being both an African American and a graduate student. Career choices and outcomes are presented. These findings, in conjunction with cur...
Center for Studies in Higher Education, 2006
This paper presents part of the results of a completed study entitled A Longitudinal Study of Minority Ph.D.s from 1980-1990: Progress and Outcomes in Science and Engineering at the University of California during Graduate School and Professional Life. It focuses particularly on the graduate school experience and degree of preparation for the professoriate of African American doctoral students in the sciences and engineering, and presents the results of a survey of 33 African American STEM Ph.D.s from the University of California earned between 1980-1990. Relationships with thesis advisors and principal investigators are evaluated by the study participants in fifteen specific areas from highly-ranked intellectual development to low-ranked training in grant writing. Deficits in training and socialization are discussed along with the tension between being both an African American and a graduate student. Career choices and outcomes are presented. These findings, in conjunction with cur...
Graduating Underrepresented African American, Latino, and American Indian Students in Science
Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and …, 2007
African American, Latino and American Indian students are less likely to graduate in science than comparable White and Asian students . Logistic regression modeling of data from the University of Colorado, Boulder, confirmed this, after controlling for preparation and need (p<.05). However, students in the University of Colorado Minority Arts and Sciences Program (MASP) were more likely to graduate in science than White and Asian students (p<.05). MASP students valued the program's financial support, academic community, and relationships with professors, but not, notably, academic enrichment workshops. This finding provides insight into factors that increase retention of well prepared African American, Latino and American Indian students, and calls for further research and theory.
A scholar-practitioner perspective to promoting minority success in STEM
Journal for Multicultural Education, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this conceptual paper is to present the existing research on already effective programmatic efforts designed to increase diversity in STEM fields and to subsequently encourage researchers and practitioners to more intentionally build upon and design effective interventions around this issue. Design/methodology/approach Previous research findings accredit this success to various forms of support, such as mentors, study groups, student programs and student organizations (Hurtado et al., 2012; Maton et al., 2000; May and Chubin, 2003). Findings Higher education professionals have experienced a rise in concern regarding the alarming disparities of minority students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors and careers. Because of this, researchers are interested in exploring and addressing some of the reasons. Originality/value Through the discussion of ideas for action and the proposing of a theoretical foundation from the field of s...