This study examined the success and persistence of Latina students in the complex environment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at a Tier 1 Research higher education institution in Texas. For this qualitative study, 10 Latina students pursuing STEM majors were interviewed within a framework focusing on Greene’s resilience theory. Results of this study suggest a strong likelihood for Latinas to succeed in STEM fields because of their development of resilience.
Despite the nation's critical need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college graduates, the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I student-athletes represent a small portion of STEM majors. Student-athletes pursuing STEM disciplines benefit from the assistance of academic and athletic advisors; this study explored student-athletes' experiences with such dual advising. Building on Terenzini and Reason's (2005) comprehensive model of influences on student learning and persistence, our findings highlighted STEM athletes' need for individualized advising, support engagement in STEM, and options and flexibility in the curriculum. The study also exposed uncertainty about the different roles of academic and athletic advising units and the ways limited communication diminishes the effectiveness of the advising units' collaborative efforts.
The transfer of knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across countries is a common practice in academia, which is both timely and useful to achieve research collaborations. Through a qualitative research approach, using interviews and observations, five STEM Mexican professors shared their experiences and expectations in leading the research collaborations where professors and students participated. This qualitative inquiry utilized Sargent and Water’s (2004) academic research collaborations framework, which highlights the interactive phases for achieving successful collaborations. The findings revealed that: 1) institutional support through department chairs’ encouragement along with professors’ leadership to expand research collaborations in both countries are favorable and 2) more resources to fund students’ participation in international research collaborations and better climate that help students feel socially included and academically integrated to a new setting seem necessary. The article concludes with perspectives and implications for strengthening the research exchanges between the United States (U.S.) and Mexico. Among them, highlighting the positive impact that international research collaborations have for universities in both countries, the need to expand the funding for students’ mobility overseas, and the improvement of English language training to strengthen students’ connections, and, consequently, collaboration.
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