AGEP-BPR: A Study of the Cultural Factors Affecting Underrepresented Minority STEM Doctoral Students and Academic Pathway and Transition Programs

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This project is supported by the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program and is a Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education (AGEP-BPR) award. The AGEP-BPR awards target investigator initiated empirical research projects that seek to study theory-driven models and innovations related to the participation and success of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education. This award funds a qualitative research study to advance foundational knowledge about the extent to which bridging and pathways programs for doctoral STEM students impact cultural change within underrepresented minority students and their universities, and how the cultural contexts relate to student retention and successful pursuit of doctoral degrees. The results of this investigation are expected to inform the field about future research, both basic and applied, that will increase the understanding of the barriers, practices and policies URM doctoral students experience when they participate in academic STEM bridge programs that are designed to increase student retention and degree completion. Findings will also inform university administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the public about the key features of programs intersecting with the cultural contexts in which the pathway programs operate; and such information has the potential to ultimately improve the experiences, retention and successes of URM STEM doctoral students in our nation?s schools.The researchers conducting this study will explore the following questions: What criteria are STEM doctoral pathway programs using to recruit and admit URM students? What interventions or supports do STEM doctoral pathway programs use to promote URM students' social and academic preparation and integration for success in STEM doctoral programs? What cultural factors of the STEM department and the larger institution affect URM students' experiences in the doctoral pathway programs? Basing their work on Tierney's model of higher education organizational culture, the investigators will use document reviews, interviews with administrators, faculty, staff and students, and observation techniques to gather a collection of qualitative data to analyze and interpret to address the research questions. There is an external evaluator and a group of external advisory board members who will work together to provide formative and summative project assessment. Products are expected to include publications in peer-reviewed journals.