Implementation of a Biomedical Engineering Research Experience for African–American High School Students at a Tier One Research University

Abstract

Enriching science experiences and competencies for underrepresented students during high school years is crucial to increasing their entry into the science pipeline and to improving their preparedness for success in college and STEM careers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of project ENGAGES, a high school STEM year-long research program for African–American students, mentored by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at Georgia Tech. It aims to provide an authentic research experience and expose student to the possibility and benefits of attaining an advanced degree and careers in STEM fields. Initial program outcomes include student reported satisfaction with research experience, improved technical skill development, and increased curiosity and interest in STEM careers. Additionally, students indicated increases in college readiness, research skill development, and exposure to STEM careers as a result of interactions with faculty advisors and graduate student mentors, along with laboratory assignments. Lessons learned and potential pitfalls and barriers to acceptance are also discussed.

From Precollege to Career: Barriers Facing Historically Marginalized Students and Evidence‐Based Solutions

“…Programs like this often take place during several weeks in the summer when students are not in school and have available time to commit to the program. Typically, these programs involve faculty‐supervised hands‐on research experiences, often in STEM fields (Avent et al., 2018; Phelan et al., 2017; Salto et al., 2014; Witzel et al., 2020), and some programs recruit faculty from historically marginalized groups to serve as research mentors (Phelan et al., 2017). Programs sometimes also include structured coursework (Kabacoff et al., 2013), research‐ or course‐related field trips (Knox et al., 2003; Markowitz, 2004), career exploration activities (Phelan et al., 2017), meetings with college counselors (Phelan et al., 2017; Witzel et al., 2020), and meetings focused on community‐building and professional development (Kabacoff et al., 2013; Witzel et al., 2020).…”

“…Some programs also invite students to stay in the campus dorms, providing a window into residential life. Many of these programs proactively recruit students form historically underrepresented groups in higher education, including underrepresented racial minorities and low‐income students (Avent et al., 2018; Kabacoff et al., 2013; Salto et al., 2014; Witzel et al., 2020), and some focus on recruiting high school girls with the goal of increasing female participation in STEM (Dasgupta & Stout, 2014; Phelan et al., 2017).…”

“…By addressing several of the barriers identified earlier in this article, these immersive on‐campus summer programs serve as powerful interventions combining many elements to promote the kind of psychological fit described by the stereotype inoculation model that fosters feelings of belonging and legitimacy in higher education. Students gain information‐related social capital through exposure to the campus environment, orientation to research lab and campus norms, and interactions with faculty or graduate student mentors (Avent et al., 2018; Witzel et al., 2020). Indeed, students reported that participation in campus research experiences increased their knowledge of the college admissions process and college selection criteria and increased their college application skills (Phelan et al., 2017; Witzel et al., 2020).…”

“…The psychological effects of summer programs can have long‐term implications as well, including high rates of college matriculation and graduation. For instance, 28 out of 29 participants in the ENGAGES high school program at the Georgia Institute of Technology matriculated into college (Avent et al., 2018), and college matriculation and graduation rates among participants in the High School Intern Program at the University of California San Francisco were higher than the national average matriculation and graduation rates (Witzel et al., 2020). Specifically, 99% of High School Intern Program participants attended college (exceeding the expected 60% based on the national average) and 71% graduated from college (exceeding the expected 59% based on the national average).…”

“…Additionally, participation in on‐campus summer research experiences fosters students’ interest and mastery in the subject matter and falsifies negative stereotypes casting doubt on their ability. For example, through post‐program surveys administered to students who participated in STEM‐focused summer programs, students reported increased confidence (Avent et al., 2018; Knox et al., 2003; Salto et al., 2014; Witzel et al., 2020) and increased ability to conduct scientific research (Salto et al., 2014). Importantly, these studies primarily examined the experiences of students facing negative academic stereotypes, including Black and Latine students, low‐income students, and women.…”