Increasing STEM Engagement in Minority Middle School Boys through Making

Abstract

His research interests are in the general area of reconfigurable computing. Current research focuses on the development of a suite of software tools that allow scientists to benefit from the potential order of magnitude speedup in execution time offered by reconfigurable computers over typical desktop computers. Dr. Gloster has also conducted research in the area of technology-based curriculum development, distance education, and VLSI design for testability.Dr. Gloster has taught courses on digital system design, ASIC design, microprocessor system applications, FPGA-based system design, and VLSI design for testability (using VHDL/Verilog). He has served on the program committee and as session chair for several international conferences. He received best paper and presentation awards for a paper presented at the International Conference on Computer Design This presentation will provide evaluation results and lessons learned during the first year of this project, including the effects of strategies, such as mentorship and early exposure to university-based STEM resources. Recommendations for developing a prototypical process for developing programs that broaden participation of underrepresented students will also be discussed.

Women’s career confidence in a fixed, sexist STEM environment

“…Much of the existing literature on STEM engagement has concentrated on earlier stages of the pipeline (e.g., middle school, high school, college), when students tend to be forming their career identities (e.g., Christensen et al, 2015;Kang et al, 2019;Kim et al, 2018;Ladeji-Osias et al, 2016;London et al, 2011;Watters & Diezmann, 2013). While those early timepoints are critical in the initial formation of STEM interests, the mechanisms that predict initial interest in STEM at the K-12 and undergraduate levels may be different from the mechanisms that predict sustained engagement following initial career investment and demonstrated skill at the graduate level.…”

Board 79: Building a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) around Engaging Minority Males in STEM

“…Starting in 2015 a corporate foundation partnered with, and funded, four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to pilot a summer and academic year out-of-school program for middle school males. In the first three months they impacted over 480 participants and 52 teachers, while increasing participants' interest in STEM and STEM careers [14], [15]. As of the summer of 2017, the program has expanded to 16 HBCUs and Hispanic serving institutions and served over 1,400 students [16].…”