Improving STEM Career Aspirations in Underrepresented Populations

The United States preK-12 educational system is uniquely positioned to assist elementary students, especially girls and minorities, in experiencing achievement and developing a self-efficacy in STEM, and consequently producing students who pursue STEM degrees in college and STEM careers. Thus, this chapter uses Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy to identify barriers to STEM career aspirations that girls and minorities face in urban settings. These theories and research are also used to identify strategies for urban teachers and professional school counselors to improve elementary girls and minorities' STEM career aspiration.

Improving STEM Career Aspirations in Underrepresented Populations

The United States preK-12 educational system is uniquely positioned to assist elementary students, especially girls and minorities, in experiencing achievement and developing a self-efficacy in STEM, and consequently producing students who pursue STEM degrees in college and STEM careers. Thus, this chapter uses Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy to identify barriers to STEM career aspirations that girls and minorities face in urban settings. These theories and research are also used to identify strategies for urban teachers and professional school counselors to improve elementary girls and minorities' STEM career aspiration.

Helping and Hindering Undergraduate Women’s STEM Motivation: Experiences With STEM Encouragement, STEM-Related Gender Bias, and Sexual Harassment

Prior research indicates many women either leave or pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees because the social climate undermined or strengthened their motivation and career aspirations. We investigated whether women’s experiences of sexual harassment and STEM-related gender bias negatively predicted their STEM motivation (task value, competence beliefs, and perceived costs) and STEM career aspirations. We also tested whether STEM encouragement from friends and family positively predicted motivation and aspirations. To consider domain-specific effects, we also tested the predictors in relation to non-STEM motivation and career aspirations. Students’ grade point average was controlled in all analyses. The sample was undergraduate women enrolled in gateway biology courses for majors ( N = 685; M = 19.67 years of age; 35% Asian, 31% White, and 27% Latinx). A majority experienced gender bias (60.9%) or sexual harassment (78.1%) at least once in the past year. STEM-related gender bias from classmates and sexual harassment from instructors (faculty, teaching assistants, or graduate students) were negatively related to STEM motivation and career aspirations. Perceived STEM encouragement from friends was positively related to motivation, and STEM encouragement from friends and family predicted STEM career aspirations. Finally, domain-specific effects were indicated. Our research highlights the need for programs that increase awareness of discrimination, combat bias and harassment, and affirm students’ STEM interest. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684318806302

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Disparities in STEM Career Aspirations at the Intersection of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status

Analyzing the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal disparities in STEM career aspirations at the intersection of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). Results indicated that female, Black, Hispanic, and low SES students were less likely to show, maintain, and develop an interest in STEM careers during high school years. Compared with White boys from higher SES background, girls from all racial/ethnic and SES groups, as well as Black and Hispanic boys from lower SES groups, consistently had lower rates of interest, persistence, and developing an interest in STEM fields.