scholarly journals A Call to Action: Lessons Learned from a Book Club about Supporting and Mentoring Underrepresented STEM Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-286
Author(s):  
Natasha N. Ramsay-Jordan ◽  
Christopher C. Jett
Keyword(s):  
Book Club ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Southeastern Part ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Underserved Students ◽  
Underrepresented Groups ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics

The participation rates of historically underserved students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) remains an important concern, as inequitable access in the form of treatment and opportunities within the education system is a constant struggle. To unpack this issue, a book club was organized as an intervention at a university in the southeastern part of the United States. Findings from the book club intervention suggest that university faculty should (a) understand the importance of continuous early exposure to STEM, (b) nurture underrepresented students’ STEM identities, (c) form collaborations and partnerships with STEM professionals from underrepresented groups, and (d) commit to mentoring STEM underrepresented students. In this article, we argue that these objectives can be accomplished through the exposure to STEM professionals from underrepresented groups and the integration of STEM research in undergraduate coursework. Finally, we share the lessons we learned with respect to how the book served as our call to action in our professorial duties.

scholarly journals Integrated and Comprehensive Student Support Programs Aimed at Historically Underserved Students: Creating a Unified Community of Support

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-84
Author(s):  
Adrianna Kezar ◽  
Elizabeth Holcombe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Student Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Support Programs ◽  
Campus Community ◽  
Underserved Students ◽  
Integrated Programs ◽  
Community Of Support ◽  
Integrated Program

AbstractWhile numerous support programs have evolved to support underrepresented students in higher education, these programs are often disconnected from the curriculum and only target one area of student need. Emerging research indicates that integrated programs which combine multiple curricular and co-curricular supports may be a more effective way to support historically underserved students. In this article, we report on one such integrated program in the United States,CSU STEMCollaboratives. We describe how integrated programs benefit students as well as the broader campus community by creating a unified community of support that fosters collaboration and connection.

scholarly journals Principles and Practices Fostering Inclusive Excellence: Lessons from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Capstone Institutions

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. ar44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Marten DiBartolo ◽  
Leslie Gregg-Jolly ◽  
Deborah Gross ◽  
Cathryn A. Manduca ◽  
Ellen Iverson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Research ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Bridge Programs ◽  
Inclusive Excellence ◽  
Student Profiles ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
And Mathematics

Best-practices pedagogy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aims for inclusive excellence that fosters student persistence. This paper describes principles of inclusivity across 11 primarily undergraduate institutions designated as Capstone Awardees in Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) 2012 competition. The Capstones represent a range of institutional missions, student profiles, and geographical locations. Each successfully directed activities toward persistence of STEM students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups, through a set of common elements: mentoring programs to build community; research experiences to strengthen scientific skill/identity; attention to quantitative skills; and outreach/bridge programs to broaden the student pool. This paper grounds these program elements in learning theory, emphasizing their essential principles with examples of how they were implemented within institutional contexts. We also describe common assessment approaches that in many cases informed programming and created traction for stakeholder buy-in. The lessons learned from our shared experiences in pursuit of inclusive excellence, including the resources housed on our companion website, can inform others’ efforts to increase access to and persistence in STEM in higher education.

scholarly journals A Program Aimed toward Inclusive Excellence for Underrepresented Undergraduate Women in the Sciences

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. ar11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Katz ◽  
Kathryn M. Aloisio ◽  
Nicholas J. Horton ◽  
Minh Ly ◽  
Sara Pruss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Undergraduate Women ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
Inclusive Excellence ◽  
Comparison Groups ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics

Created to foster inclusive excellence, Smith College’s Achieving Excellence in Mathematics, Engineering, and Science (AEMES) Scholars program provides early faculty-mentored research opportunities and other programming as a way to foster success in academic outcomes for underrepresented women in science. Using academic record data, we compared Scholars’ outcomes over time with those of underrepresented students before program launch and to relevant peer comparison groups. Since its launch, AEMES Scholars have achieved significantly higher gateway life sciences course grade point averages (GPAs), rates of persistence in life and natural sciences, and participation in natural sciences advanced research relative to baseline. Gains for Scholars in gateway course GPA eliminated the significant gap that previously existed between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-underrepresented and other students, whereas gains in natural sciences persistence now has Scholars continuing in STEM at significantly higher rates than all other students. Many of the gains for AEMES Scholars were echoed in findings of improved outcomes for our STEM students overall since AEMES’ launch. Underrepresented students who were not part of the Scholars program also evidenced increased gateway course GPA over this same period. We discuss potential explanations for these outcomes and ongoing work aimed at achieving further inclusive excellence for women in the sciences.

scholarly journals The Ethical Imperative of Equity in Oncology: Lessons Learned From 2020 and a Path Forward

2021 ◽  
pp. e13-e19
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Marron ◽  
Marjory Charlot ◽  
Jacquelyne Gaddy ◽  
Abby R. Rosenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Ethical Responsibility ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Ethical Imperative ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Shed Light

The COVID-19 pandemic and the simultaneous increased focus on structural racism and racial/ethnic disparities across the United States have shed light on glaring inequities in U.S. health care, both in oncology and more generally. In this article, we describe how, through the lens of fundamental ethical principles, an ethical imperative exists for the oncology community to overcome these inequities in cancer care, research, and the oncology workforce. We first explain why this is an ethical imperative, centering the discussion on lessons learned during 2020. We continue by describing ongoing equity-focused efforts by ASCO and other related professional medical organizations. We end with a call to action—all members of the oncology community have an ethical responsibility to take steps to address inequities in their clinical and academic work—and with guidance to practicing oncologists looking to optimize equity in their research and clinical practice.

scholarly journals From protest to progress through partnership with students: Being human in STEM (HSTEM)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-56
Author(s):  
Sarah Bunnell ◽  
Megan Lyster ◽  
Kristen Greenland ◽  
Gabrielle Mayer ◽  
Kristen Gardner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
College Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Student Protests ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Faculty And Staff ◽  
And Mathematics

In Fall 2015, Amherst College students held a four-day sit-in in unity with student protests occurring all over the United States highlighting barriers to inclusion of underrepresented and marginalized students.Following appeals for action, students partnered with faculty and staff in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to develop the Being Human in STEM (HSTEM) Initiative. HSTEM involves exploring past diversity and inclusion efforts in STEM, sharing one’s own experiences in STEM with others, and developing student-driven projects to improve belonging in STEM. In this student, faculty, and staff co-authored paper, we describe the origin of HSTEM; share student, faculty and staff reflections on our experiences with HSTEM; and present two inquiry projects examining HSTEM impact. We discuss lessons learned and recommendations for diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education, both in and beyond STEM, emphasizing the power of an initiative that was originated by and remains driven by student partners.

scholarly journals Estimating the Number of Chinese STEM Students in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Feldgoise ◽  
Remco Zwetsloot
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Chinese Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Degree Level

In recent years, concern has grown about the risks of Chinese nationals studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at U.S. universities. This data brief estimates the number of Chinese students in the United States in detail, according to their fields of study and degree level. Among its findings: Chinese nationals comprise 16 percent of all graduate STEM students and 2 percent of undergraduate STEM students, lower proportions than were previously suggested in U.S. government reports.

Undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry majors' perceptions of careers in chemistry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Marie Ribble ◽  
Megan Grunert Kowalske
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
The United States ◽  
Vocational Identity ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Career Options ◽  
Future Work

In recent years there has been an increased emphasis on recruiting and retaining STEM students in order for the United States to retain its position as a leader in STEM fields (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, (2012), Report to the president, engage to excel: Producing one million additional college graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; Chen, X. (2013), STEM attrition: College students’ paths into and out of STEM fields). Knowing that choice of major and choice of career are closely related (Negru-Subtirica O. and Pop E. I., (2018), Reciprocal associations between educational identity and vocational identity in adolescence: a three-wave longitudinal investigation, J. Youth Adolesc., 47, 703–716; Negru-Subtirica et al. (2018), Good omens? The intricate relations between educational and vocational identity in adolescence, Eur. J. Dev. Psychol., 15(1), 83–98), it is important that we understand what students know about careers available in the field of chemistry as well as what they know about what those careers are like. In this study, qualitative methodology was utilized using narrative inquiry and case study analysis methods in order to capture the lived experiences of six senior-status chemistry and biochemistry majors at a mid-sized, Midwestern university. Participants were interviewed, narratives were constructed from their interview transcripts, and the narratives were used as case studies that were compared to one another. It was found that students are not fully aware of the careers available to them with a degree in chemistry or biochemistry or what the career options they did identify were like on a day-to-day basis. It was also noted that resources are not distributed evenly to all students and that there were resources that were missing that students would have liked to have access to. Suggestions for improvement in chemistry career education are discussed along with limitations of the study and ideas for future work.

Understanding Who Stays in a STEM Scholar Program for Underrepresented Students: High-Achieving Scholars and Short-Term Program Retention

2020 ◽  
pp. 152102512095069
Author(s):  
Leticia Oseguera ◽  
Javiera De Los Rios ◽  
Hyun Ju Park ◽  
Elyzza M. Aparicio ◽  
Sridevi Rao
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Program ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
High Achieving Students ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
High Achieving ◽  
Multicomponent Program ◽  
Program Retention ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Stem Engagement ◽  
Scientific Identity

This study highlights program retention among Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students in a STEM Intervention Program (SIP) aimed at increasing the representation of underrepresented students in STEM fields. We applied London et al.’s STEM Engagement Framework to determine factors that distinguish who stays in a SIP and who leaves within the first two years of the program. Our sample was comprised of 129 high-achieving students enrolled in a multicomponent program at a large, research-intensive university in the mid-Atlantic. Our results suggest that identifying as a woman or gender non-conforming scholar, having a strong scientific identity, or reporting lower depressive symptoms, increase the likelihood of remaining in the SIP.

scholarly journals The Role of Faculty Mentoring in Improving Retention and Completion Rates for Historically Underrepresented STEM Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelli Chelberg ◽  
Lisa Bosman
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Photo Elicitation ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics

There is a growing recognition of the need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers who provide diverse perspectives enabling companies to keep up with the demands of the 21st-century workforce. Creating a diverse workforce requires improving access to STEM education for historically underrepresented students, including low-income students and first-generation students. However, significant challenges and barriers exist. The purpose of this paper is to showcase an innovative approach to mentoring historically underrepresented STEM students which integrates photovoice and photo-elicitation. This new approach in mentoring takes student participation one step further by asking students to document and share their lived experiences through photographs (e.g., photovoice). Then, photo-elicitation is used to further engage students in discussing what led to their subsequent empowerment in leveraging successes or overcoming barriers. The study was conducted with 19 participants who were primarily American Indian students attending a small college in Wisconsin, USA. The findings suggest students benefited from the mentoring program and perceived it as an enriching learning experience which aided in goal development, accountability, and an opportunity to learn more about strategies for student success. The implementation of this new approach and the results gathered from this study are important as they may inform educational leaders and postsecondary institutions serving historically underrepresented STEM students on supports and strategies that could be carried out on their campuses. 

Responding to the needs of survivors of sexual violence: Do we know what works?

2014 ◽  
Vol 96 (894) ◽  
pp. 585-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris Schopper
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
International Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Concrete Action ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level

During the past twelve months, the issue of sexual violence in conflict and emergencies has received an unprecedented amount of attention at the highest political and institutional levels. In 2013, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) launched a Call to Action to mobilize donors, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders on protecting women and girls in humanitarian emergencies, culminating in the high-level event “Protecting Girls and Women in Emergencies” in November 2013. As of August 2014, over forty partners (including governments, United Nations (UN) agencies and NGOs) had made commitments to the Call to Action. Furthermore, in June 2014 the “Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict”, co-chaired by the UK Foreign Secretary and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), gathered 1,700 delegates and 129 country delegations. In his summary, the chair of the Global Summit states: “We must apply the lessons we have learned and move from condemnation to concrete action. We must all live up to the commitments we have made.”1In September 2014, the United States organized a Call to Action event in New York during the UN General Assembly with the purpose of sharing progress on commitments made in November 2013. It thus seems that efforts to raise awareness about sexual violence in conflict and emergencies and advocate for a much stronger commitment to action are well under way. But is this enough? Is there enough evidence from lessons learned to allow us to increase and improve our response?

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