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.

scholarly journals “Looking at Myself in the Future”: how mentoring shapes scientific identity for STEM students from underrepresented groups

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn Atkins ◽  
Bryan M. Dougan ◽  
Michelle S. Dromgold-Sermen ◽  
Hannah Potter ◽  
Viji Sathy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Career Pathways ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Research Mentorship ◽  
Demographic Similarity ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Scientific Identity ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Mentorship has been well-established in the literature as fostering scientific identity and career pathways for underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Mentorship is prioritized by programs that aim to increase diversity and support future leadership in STEM fields, but in-depth understanding of mentorship in these contexts remains limited. Drawing on qualitative interview data, we sought to understand the relationship between mentoring and scientific identity among a diverse sample of 24 students in one such program, in order to inform program development. Results Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that mentorship, especially research mentorship, was common and played a role in formation of scientific identity. Students with research mentors tended to say they strongly identified as scientists, whereas those who lacked research mentorship varied in their level of scientific identity. In interviews, research-mentored students described mentors as colleagues who gave them opportunities to grow and as examples to look up to. Students valued mentors with whom they identified on the basis of demographic similarity or shared values, as well as those who challenged them in their academic and research endeavors. Conclusions Our analysis highlights how different mentoring experiences can contribute to development of future STEM leadership. We discuss implications for practice, including the need for tailored mentoring approaches and research-focused mentoring, and offer several recommendations for research and programming.

Grace under Fire

2016 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ursula Thomas ◽  
Jill Drake
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Social Experiences ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Industrialized Nations ◽  
The World ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
And Mathematics

Understanding why women are underrepresented in various Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields remains an important area of research. In the United States and in many industrialized nations around the world, STEM professions remain male dominated. Explanations for why women are not participating STEM professions are many and diverse. The Ecology Systems Theory (EST) presents a lens through which the causes for the continued underrepresentation of women in STEM fields may be examined. EST is widely accepted theoretical framework for exploring the influences that contribute to the development of an individual. The study presented in this chapter explored the familial, educational, economic, and social experiences of 125 female participants working in a STEM field. Findings suggest there are influences at specific levels in EST that can and do affect the educational and career aspirations of women in relationship to STEM fields.

The Effect of Undergraduate Major Choices on the Earnings of Sub-Saharan African Immigrant and Native-Born College Graduates

2020 ◽  
pp. 056943452093688
Author(s):  
Michael Seeborg ◽  
Ene Ikpebe
Keyword(s):  
College Graduates ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Pay Equity ◽  
Undergraduate Major ◽  
College Degrees ◽  
Earnings Functions ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Mathematics

A very high percentage of sub-Saharan African college-graduate immigrants in the United States have college degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines compared with native-born college graduates. This study uses a pooled cross-section (2013–2018) from the American Community Survey to compare the distribution of undergraduate majors of sub-Saharan African immigrants and native-born college graduates. We estimate ordinary least square (OLS) earnings functions that include detailed college major variables. We find that undergraduate major area of study is a significant predictor of earnings and that there is an overrepresentation of sub-Saharan African immigrants with high-paying undergraduate majors. However, after controlling for human capital differences, college-educated African immigrants have not achieved pay equity with their native-born counterparts. JEL Classifications: J61, J15, J26, I21

Minority STEM Students' Perspectives on Their Persistence in College

2020 ◽  
pp. 198-217
Author(s):  
Stacey A. Williams-Watson
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Minority Population ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Persistence In Stem

The United States needs to increase the number of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates to remain competitive in the global market and maintain national security. Minority students, specifically African American and Hispanic, are underrepresented in STEM fields. As the minority population continues to grow, it is essential that higher education institutions improve minority students' persistence in STEM education. This chapter addresses existing research focused on student retention and obstacles and barriers related to minority students. However, there is little evidence that researches have actually addressed the issue by uncovering the minority students' perspectives. Consequently, the aim of this chapter is to provide a window into the minority student's persistence in STEM programs through a theoretical framework of student retention and the students' experiences.

Educational Policy and Practice From the Perspective of Institutional Theory: Crafting a Wider Lens

2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Burch
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Schooling ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Future Work

Institutional analyses of public education have increased in number in recent years. However, studies in education drawing on institutional analyses have not fully incorporated recent contributions from institutional theory, particularly relative to other domains such as law and health policy. The author sketches a framework that integrates recent institutional theorizing to guide scholarship on these and other issues in K–12 public education in the United States. The author argues that although concepts such as “loose coupling” have been widely used, education researchers have not fully tapped institutional theories that have emerged more recently. The author introduces three interrelated constructs and applies them to a case study of district reading and mathematics reform. In the final section, the author considers how current developments in the governance of public schooling increase the utility of institutional perspectives and identify critical issues that need to be addressed in future work.

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.

Are Female STEM Majors Academic Risk Takers?

2016 ◽  
pp. 144-152
Author(s):  
Tara L. R. Beziat ◽  
Kristin M. McCombs ◽  
Brooke A. Burks ◽  
Jennifer Byrom
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Academic Risk ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Academic Choices ◽  
Risk Takers ◽  
And Mathematics

The existing literature does not focus on risk-taking differences within females and how these differences may influence academic choices in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The current project examined differences in academic risk-taking between STEM and non-STEM female students. A total of 272 undergraduates from 3 universities in the United States participated in a total of 2 studies. Results from the first and second studies indicated differences between STEM and non-STEM females in academic risk-taking. Future studies should explore these academic risk-taking differences between STEM and non-STEM female students.

STEM Outreach with the Boe-Bot®

2012 ◽  
pp. 245-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronda K. Cole
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Standards ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Interest And Motivation

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has come to the forefront as national and state leaders look for ways to foster innovation in the United States. Innovation is the key to maintaining economic and national security, and it is through the application of math and science concepts that scientific and technological innovations are developed. By increasing student interest and motivation to pursue studies in STEM fields, the odds of developing and sustaining a workforce capable of creating the innovations of tomorrow increase. Students need opportunities to explore STEM concepts in contexts that demonstrate the relevance of those concepts in the world around them. This chapter describes the rationale, development, implementation, and outcomes of a STEM outreach robotics activity that uses the Parallax Inc. Boe-Bot® kit as a platform. It is intended to provide an example of how robotics and STEM concepts can be integrated into a project that engages students in problem solving and teamwork, while addressing content standards through student-centered learning. Systems engineering principles were used both in the development and the implementation of this robotics STEM outreach activity.

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.

scholarly journals We need to address ableism in science

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 507-510
Author(s):  
Raven J. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Science ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Unique Problem ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics

In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, disabled people remain a significantly underrepresented part of the workforce. Recent data suggests that about 20% of undergraduates in the United States have disabilities, but representation in STEM fields is consistently lower than in the general population. Of those earning STEM degrees, only about 10% of undergraduates, 6% of graduate students, and 2% of doctoral students identify as disabled. This suggests that STEM fields have difficulty recruiting and retaining disabled students, which ultimately hurts the field, because disabled scientists bring unique problem-solving perspectives and input. This essay briefly explores the ways in which ableism—prejudice against disabled people based on the assumption that they are “less than” their nondisabled peers—in research contributes to the exclusion of disabled scientists and suggests ways in which the scientific community can improve accessibility and promote the inclusion of disabled scientists in academic science.

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