Professorial Advancement Initiative: A Cross-Institutional Collaboration to Increase Faculty Diversity in STEM

In this paper, we describe the model for faculty diversity developed as part of the Professorial Advancement Initiative (PAI) funded under the NSF AGEP program. The PAI, consisting of 12 of the 14 Big Ten Academic Alliance universities,1 had the goal of doubling the rate at which the universities hired tenure-track minoritized faculty, defined by National Science Foundation as African Americans, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. This paper reviews the key programmatic elements of the PAI and discusses lessons learned and the practices developed that helped the Alliance achieve its faculty diversity goal.

Diversity in STEM: A Look at STEM Choices Amongst Black and Latinx High School Students

The calls for increased diversity and participation of persons from historically underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have gained increasing prominence within education in recent years, yet Black and Latinx students continue to have unequal opportunities to pursue STEM. This research investigates the disparity of Blacks and Latinx students' participation within high school STEM. Specifically, systemic influences and teacher impact are discussed. The research identifies teacher-student relationships, student recruitment methods, teachers' perceptions about STEM, inadequate preparation of teachers, and lack of resources as stimuli that inhibit student participation within STEM courses and programs. The examination of these stimuli could help school leaders and educators implement appropriate strategies to increase participation rates of Blacks and Latinx in STEM.

Margaret-Ann Armour & WISEST – An Incredible Legacy in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in STEM and the Work Still To Do

Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour was a visionary and leader in addressing the issue of gender discrimination in STEM. She was instrumental in creating WISEST – Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology – in 1982 which was one of the first programs in Canada intentionally designed to increase the participation of women and girls in STEM career paths. Since then, this innovative organization has designed several programs featuring hands-on learning and mentoring that reduce barriers and empower people from underrepresented and marginalized groups to pursue education and careers in STEM fields. This review provides a template for WISEST programs, discusses their impact on diversity in STEM, and highlights the work still to be done.

“It’s Never Too Late”: High School Counselors’ Support of Underrepresented Students’ Interest in STEM

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature surrounding school counselors and their support of underrepresented high school students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The influence of context on school counseling was also explored, in particular practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this phenomenological study, nine high school counselors were individually interviewed, and four themes emerged. These themes were: (a) professional knowledge surrounding issues of diversity in STEM, (b) training related to the needs of underrepresented students in STEM, (c) active engagement in supporting underrepresented students’ STEM career interests, and (d) barriers related to supporting underrepresented students’ STEM interests. This article includes implications for (a) how school counselors can support underrepresented students’ STEM interests, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) how counselor educators can contribute to STEM-related research and training; and (c) how school administrators can support school counselors’ STEM initiatives.

Embedding Activism in a STEM EdD Program

This article shares an example of how one STEM EdD program embeds activism throughout their program. The authors share examples of readings and assignments across the program geared towards helping students think about and enact activism within the STEM disciplines. The STEM EdD mission offers insight into the foundations of the program. Then, specific examples from the following courses or course sequences are given: Action Research, Project-Based Learning, Research Methods in STEM Education, Advanced Readings in Mathematics Education, and Principles of Engineering in STEM Education. A conclusion offers some final thoughts about the ongoing development of the STEM EdD program to help our students grow as graduates who focus on equity and diversity in STEM education.