Despite significant efforts to broaden participation in postsecondary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, students from historically minoritized populations continue to face systemic barriers related to access, departmental climate, and institutional practices. Previous research suggests that campus-level STEM diversity programs often serve as a valuable resource for persistence and completion among students from underrepresented populations. However, more knowledge is needed to better understand how students experience STEM diversity programs and identify with their specific practices and activities, how those practices and activities shape students' experiences, and how the practices, activities, and participation influence how students view themselves as members of the STEM community. Increases in the number of underrepresented students completing STEM degrees would result in new innovations to address world problems, more varied representations of scientists, and more individuals who could mentor future generations of learners. This study of 20 underrepresented students, all of whom participated in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, describes the programmatic influences of LSAMP that support students' successful progress within STEM disciplines. Data reveal that: (a) students entered the LSAMP program with self-defined strengths; (b) the LSAMP program provided formal academic support; and (c) students experienced evolving forms of scientific and identity development. This study centers students' voices to inform educational practices, policies, and future research focused on the persistent need to broaden participation in STEM careers.

Within scientific teams, a culture of community (the facilitation of shared values, goals, and an environment where individuals feel valued and want to engage in a team’s work) has implications for members’ learning and participation, and the team’s functioning, cohesion, and productivity. Drawing on 12 focus group interviews conducted over four years with 23 participants, we used an autoethnographic approach to examine how a research team developed a positive culture of community that influences its cohesion and productivity. We present six interconnected cultural practices that can foster a culture of community in settings where team-based learning and collaborations are required.

Background: Research groups are social locations where teaching and learning merge among students and a principal investigator (PI). When joining, some students are able to contribute to groundbreaking research that addresses complex problems, under the direction of their PI. However, there are accounts of students having a wide range of negative experiences, often at the hands of the PI. Despite the important roles that PIs play in the supervision of students, there is no standardized or required training for researchers holding these roles. As a result, some may replicate the practices they experienced—both positive and problematic. More knowledge is needed regarding group supervision for those in PI roles. Purpose: This autoethnographic longitudinal study explores students’ experiences with and perceptions of PI supervision. The findings from this study offer insights into the design of group practices for current PIs and emerging researchers interested in serving as group PIs. Research Design: To better understand the culture of our own research group, and thus students’ experiences with and perceptions of the PI’s role in supervision, this study included 23 student group members in 12 focus group interviews over four years. Basic qualitative analysis techniques were used to document, identify, and examine our group’s nuanced cultural practices and norms. Findings: Findings reveal balanced perspectives on four PI practices: (1) communicating clearly and validating group members works best in person; (2) providing transparency and reducing uncertainty is desired; (3) inclusive group composition is created through intentional recruitment practices; and (4) group size and member transitions need to be managed to maintain stability. Taken together, student group members believed these PI practices to be both beneficial and challenging to the group’s learning, cohesion, and productivity. The findings also show that group members’ desires and expectations may at times be in conflict. Conclusions: Being a PI offers a unique opportunity to develop new approaches that benefit a group’s research and the learning of all of its members. Learning from students’ experiences with and perceptions of their PI in this study, we hope that current and future group PIs will consider how they compose practices for their groups and support student members through research. Creating new approaches to group supervision may create healthier models for current and future researchers to implement in their own research practices.

A growing body of research explores the experiences of students in graduate education and more-particularly, students of color pursuing advanced degrees. However, little research provides information about Black students' aspirations to pursue graduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Even less is known about Black males' aspirations to pursue graduate education in STEM. Knowing why Black males aspire to pursue graduate education would assist stakeholders (e.g., administrators, faculty, advisors, family members, and peers) in better supporting and motivating students while they are in graduate school, or earlier in their educational trajectories. This retrospective study of 50 Black males' aspirations for graduate school aimed to better understand the factors that influenced their aspirations to pursue graduate degrees in engineering. Four themes were most influential: (a) Black male students received messages implying that a bachelor's degree was insufficient, (b) earning a graduate degree in engineering was regarded as a sign of community influence and respect, (c) students' professorial career goals necessitated an advanced degree, and (d) mothers functioned as support systems and role models for earning an advanced degree. Finally, we offer implications for future research and practice. These new findings about aspirations regarding graduate education will assist stakeholders in identifying critical moments and experiences necessary to encourage talented individuals to pursue advanced degrees in STEM fields.