Race and gender differences in how sense of belonging influences decisions to major in STEM

Abstract

BackgroundWomen and students of color are widely underrepresented in most STEM fields. In order to investigate this underrepresentation, we interviewed 201 college seniors, primarily women and people of color, who either majored in STEM or started but dropped a STEM major. Here we discuss one section of the longer interview that focused on students’ sense of belonging, which has been found to be related to retention. In our analysis, we examine the intersections of race and gender with students’ sense of belonging, a topic largely absent from the current literature.ResultsWe found that white men were most likely to report a sense of belonging whereas women of color were the least likely. Further, we found that representation within one’s STEM sub-discipline, namely biology versus the physical sciences, impacts sense of belonging for women. Four key factors were found to contribute to sense of belonging for all students interviewed: interpersonal relationships, perceived competence, personal interest, and science identity.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that students who remain in STEM majors report a greater sense of belonging than those who leave STEM. Additionally, we found that students from underrepresented groups are less likely to feel they belong. These findings highlight structural and cultural features of universities, as well as STEM curricula and pedagogy, that continue to privilege white males.

Factors influencing participation of underrepresented students in STEM fields: matched mentors and mindsets

“…Prior research has shown that a sense of belonging and a positive STEM identity can be associated with interest and retention in STEM (Rainey, Dancy, Mickelson, Stearns, & Moller, 2018;Kim & Sinatra, 2018). We surveyed participants regarding their academic mindsets, based on previously used instruments which included measures of STEM belonging (Lewis et al, 2017), growth mindset (Rattan et al, 2015;Leslie et al, 2015), and science identity (Vincent-Ruz & Schunn, 2018).…”

Twenty‐First‐Century Climate Education: Developing Diverse, Confident, and Competent Leaders in Environmental Sustainability

“…Participating students engage in research pursuits alongside other students and faculty serving to amplify the value of the experience. This social component embedded in the educational strategy has shown to be a valuable aspect of the experience and highlight a sense of belonging (Halliwell 2019, Rainey et al 2018, Walton and Cohen 2011.…”

“…This social component embedded in the educational strategy has shown to be a valuable aspect of the experience and highlight a sense of belonging (Halliwell , Rainey et al. , Walton and Cohen ).…”

Students as ecologists: Strategies for successful mentorship of undergraduate researchers

“…As a mentor, it is incredibly important to build an environment where students feel empowered to ask questions and contribute their ideas (Matthews & Rosa, 2018). Through good mentorship, students gain confidence in their research abilities and develop an identity as a scientist (Davis & Jones, 2017;Linn et al, 2015;Roberts & Seaman, 2018), notably an important component in the retention of underrepresented student groups in science, technology, engineering, and math fields (STEM; Strayhorn, 2012, Wilson et al, 2012, Rainey, Dancy, Mickelson, Stearns, & Moller, 2018. Research experience also yields value to students who do not pursue careers in research, as it gives them first-hand experience with the process of generating scientific knowledge.…”