Black men doctoral scientists and engineers persisting: Peer support and racism in science and engineering

Abstract

Drawing on racial battle fatigue as theoretical framing and critical race methodology, we offer the counterstories of 16 Black men doctoral scientists and engineers who relied on same race peer support to successfully persist in their science and engineering (S&E) doctoral programs. Our analysis of narratives and interviews yielded three themes that illustrate the men's engagement with Black peers and how racism influences the types of peer relationships they formed in their S&E doctoral programs. Further, we describe three types of same race peer relationships that support Black men as they pursue S&E doctoral degrees. We underscore the salience of racism and recommend expanding research in S&E by:(1) including the lived experiences of Black men scientists and engineers in the scholarly literature, and (2) highlighting the importance of same race peer networks as academic, emotional, and social structures for Black men persisting in S&E. Within, we offer implications for science education, higher education, and S&E researchers interested in creating supportive S&E environments for Black men.

Isolation, resilience, and faith: Experiences of Black Christian students in biology graduate programs

“…Symptoms of underrepresentation of Black Christians in the biology community included increased feelings of isolation and often a self‐diagnosis of imposter syndrome. Students commonly reflected on being the only Black and/or Christian person in their biology program which in some ways motivated them to excel, while in other ways it left them emotionally and intellectually isolated (Truong et al, 2016; Watkins & McGowan, 2022), due to limited opportunities to externally integrate their ethnic or religious identities with science. Miles et al (2020) refers to this lack of representation or inclusion as environmental microaggressions, which occurs when students do not see themselves represented in the student/faculty population, course materials, decorations, or in the case of several graduate students, the research produced from their labs.…”

"Born Into the Wrong Family": Navigating Being a Black Male in Stem

“…Like the other men, Bobby's interactions within his work environment required a continual deployment of resilience as he persisted toward his goal of becoming vice president. Displays of resilience, however, come at a cost for Black men, as racial battle fatigue negatively impacts their STEM experiences and navigation (Watkins and McGowan, 2022b).…”

Leveraging the Expertise of the Community: A Case for Expansion of a Peer Workforce in Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health

“…The scope of services offered by PPs is great and includes the promotion of positive attitudes and beliefs through psychoeducation and emotional support (e.g., empowering families, stigma reduction, reducing families' sense of isolation and self-blame), motivation enhancement through motivational interviewing techniques (e.g., empathic listening, enhancing parent self-efficacy), and addressing environmental obstacles through instrumental support (e.g., coordination of care, assistance with resources such as respite and transportation) [77][78][79]. Peer support interventions have been effective across racial/ethnic groups and health diagnoses (see [80][81][82] for examples). For groups such as refugees and immigrants who are likely to face financial, insurance, or language barriers to receiving care, peer support has been demonstrated to be culturally acceptable and to facilitate mental wellness [83,84].…”