From Graduate School to the STEM Workforce: An Entropic Approach to Career Identity Development for STEM Women of Color

Mack, Kelly M.; Rankins, Claudia M.; Woodson, Kamilah M.

doi:10.1002/he.20062

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…The nuanced role of an effective mentor includes scientific as well as psychosocial support (Lechuga, 2011). Effective mentorship has been empirically shown to be vital to graduate student success, particularly for under-represented groups (Riffle et al, 2013;Mack et al, 2013; San Miguel and Kim, 2015; for review see Makarem and Wang, 2020). The presence of a person the student considers a mentor who provides encouragement can counteract feelings of isolation experienced by women and under-represented minorities, as well as increase selfefficacy, job satisfaction, and work engagement (Tenenbaum et al, 2001;Handelsman et al, 2005;Meschitti and Lawton Smith, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When diverse perspectives are lost from the academic system, the quality, scholarship, and innovation of the institution is diminished (Østergaard et al, 2011;Díaz-García et al, 2013;Adams, 2013;Freeman and Huang, 2014;AlShebli et al, 2018). The loss of competitive colleagues and the dampening of academic aspirations occurs, not for scientific reasons, but due to a lack of salient support for the types, and disproportionate number, of barriers experienced by women and under-represented minorities (Handelsman et al, 2005;Riffle et al, 2013;Ong et al, 2011;Mack et al, 2013). Pushing back on these inequities by supporting graduate student trainees is vital to generating a more just scientific enterprise.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During graduate school, most PhD students first experience and internalize the academic lifestyle, and the majority choose another career path (Joseph, 2012;Mack et al, 2013). While a successful PhD program prepares students for the myriad careers doctorate holders in biology eventually pursue (Turk-Bicakci et al, 2014), those leaving academia are disproportionately women (Martinez et al, 2007;Shaw and Stanton, 2012;Glass et al, 2013) and underrepresented minorities (Allen-Ramdial & Campbell, 2014;Li and Koedel, 2017; Figure 1A); this must change.…”

Section: General Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Systems Change Framework for Evaluating Academic Equity and Inclusion in an Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program

Wallace

York

2019

Preprint

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Manuscript Purpose/Abstract:Statistics on representation in graduate programs show that, while academia is moving forward in terms of generating diverse cohorts of students and faculty, representation still has not reached parity. These discrepancies in representation are seen at the graduate student level and intensify as academic rank increases. While there have been strides to improve representation through more thoughtful recruitment, a new discussion is emerging around inclusion and retention of under-represented minorities. Inclusive programs are that which center and prioritize support for diverse experiences, identities, career goals, and perspectives actively and continuously from recruitment through graduation. An emerging area of focus for inclusion efforts is graduate student programs. Graduate education programs provide significant opportunities for inclusive programming, and conversely, a program that does not take efforts to improve both diversity and inclusion can often contribute to further disparity in representation. While there are many efforts across programs to address inclusion, there is room for improvement on developing cohesive and effective programming that targets the many areas of needed change in order to improve institutional inclusivity.Here, we argue that graduate education programs should utilize a systems change framework to evaluate areas of progress and need in their program as it relates to inclusion. A systems-change approach emphasizes three levels of changes: explicit change (e.g. policies), semi-explicit change (e.g. power dynamics), and implicit change (e.g. biases). We use the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) PhD Program at the University of Texas at Austin in an exercise to (1) identify areas of concern regarding inclusive programming voiced by graduate students and (2) categorize efforts to address these concerns about inclusive programming into a systems change frame, and finish by (3) integrating and evaluating which areas of the systems change framework show the greatest progress and greatest need for the UT EEB graduate program.We acknowledge that the specific examples here are of particular relevance to other EEB programs, as they may see similar patterns in graduate student needs and efforts to address them. But, the exercise itself is certainly not limited to EEB programs. We encourage any graduate program, as well as any departments or even larger institution, to consider undergoing this exercise in order to more effectively address inequity in their own domains.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: General Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Systems Change Framework for Evaluating Academic Equity and Inclusion in an Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program

Wallace

York

2019

Preprint

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“…Literatürdeki ilgili araştırmalar incelendiğinde; kadınların kariyer gelişimlerini etkileyen pek çok bireysel, ekonomik, sistemsel, politik, kültürel ve sosyal faktörlerin bulunduğu görülmektedir (Lent, Brown ve Hackett, 2000). Aile desteği (Blustein ve ark, 2013;Buschor, Berweger, Frei ve Kappler, 2014), aile rehberliği (Saucerman ve Vasquez, 2014), rol modelleri (O'Neill, 2002), etnik köken (Mack, Rankins ve Woodson, 2013), cinsiyetleştirilmiş beklentiler (Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez ve Levine, 2010), arkadaş desteği (Leaper, Farkas ve Brown, 2011) gibi pek çok faktör FeTeMM alanlarındaki kariyer gelişimini şekillendirebilmekte, kadınların bu alanları kariyer olarak seçmelerinde ve / veya bu alanlarda kariyerlerini sürdürmelerinde rol oynamaktadır.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Sosyal Bi̇li̇şsel Kari̇yer Kurami Açisindan Bi̇li̇m, Teknoloji̇, Mühendi̇sli̇k Ve Matemati̇k Alanlarindaki̇ Kadinlar

Mutlu

Owen

2017

Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi

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The number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields is still less than men. Previous studies focusing on women who are underrepresented in the STEM fields have historically enhanced the implementation of policies that created based on research findings in many countries. Despite this research, there are only a limited number of Turkish investigations which have focused on the career development of women in STEM areas. In an attempt to close this gap the current study applied Social Cognitive Career Theory to women in Turkey to examine their perspectives on career in STEM fields and identify the perceived barriers and supports to their career development. In this investigation the sample included 16 women who chose STEM majors and are currently working in STEM fields. Participants were selected by using purposeful sampling and were interviewed to solicit their observations and perceptions regarding STEM area careers for women. Interview questions were designed to explore perceived barriers and supports in three stages (college major choice, undergraduate education and working life) of career development. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the responses of the participants. The findings of the study indicated that women in STEM fields perceived their friends as supporting influences in both college major selection and in their working life, while the Student Selection and Placement System was seen as a barrier. The effects of parental influence were mixed. Socioeconomic circumstances and curriculum of STEM fields were perceived barriers for women in STEM fields during their undergraduate degree preparation. Women in STEM areas, as in other fields, often reported difficulties balancing work and family responsibilities.

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“…This is not something that occurs only in specific fields of study. Women of color are underrepresented in most fields of study and they are especially underrepresented in STEM (Mack, Rankins, & Woodson, 2013). Math, physical sciences, and other topics are not exempt from (re)producing the White/male center.…”

Section: Politics Of the White/male Centermentioning

confidence: 99%

Keep Your Voice to Yourself: The Experiences of Women of Color in Higher Education

Hagenah¹

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This thesis is dedicated to the participants of this study. Their strength and courage blows me away. Their trust in agreeing to be a part of this project is humbling. They are the future and they are going to make it a bright one. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, thank you to my advisor and committee chair Dr. John McClellan. You believed in me from day one. You kept me going and helped me stay positive every single time I thought I was messing it all up. You were there to ask questions, work ideas out with, and you trusted me even when I was afraid to trust myself. I could never thank you enough for being in my corner throughout this entire process.

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From Graduate School to the STEM Workforce: An Entropic Approach to Career Identity Development for STEM Women of Color

Abstract: Career development programs for graduate students should acknowledge the multiple and often conflicting demands placed on underrepresented scholars.

Cited by 20 publications

References 10 publications

A Systems Change Framework for Evaluating Academic Equity and Inclusion in an Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program

A Systems Change Framework for Evaluating Academic Equity and Inclusion in an Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program

Sosyal Bi̇li̇şsel Kari̇yer Kurami Açisindan Bi̇li̇m, Teknoloji̇, Mühendi̇sli̇k Ve Matemati̇k Alanlarindaki̇ Kadinlar

Keep Your Voice to Yourself: The Experiences of Women of Color in Higher Education

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