Dissertation Institute

摘要：工程学院师资缺乏多元化，对老龄化工程学院的更替、少数族裔学生的保留、多元化劳动力的发展以及国家的福祉构成严重威胁。虽然有许多举措来增加代表性不足的少数民族教师的代表性，但没有系统的努力来解决这一人口中完成博士学位的问题。数据显示，由于通往毕业的道路漫长、艰辛、不确定，学生们，尤其是那些代表性不足的学生，在获得学位之前就离开了。这些数据还表明，个人、研究生院和社会都将从减少获得学位的时间和学位完成率的努力中受益。因此，该项目的主要目标是提供一个实用和及时的经验，特别是为代表性不足的工程博士生（非洲裔美国人，美洲原住民，太平洋岛屿和西班牙裔美国人），以解决与缩短学位时间和学位完成率相关的问题。具体目标是：1)进行研究，以了解促进和减少学位进展的动机因素，2)发展和提供论文研究所（研究所），为工程领域代表性不足的博士生提供激励，有用的策略，以避免延长完成时间的陷阱，特别是那些在论文提案准备和论文完成阶段。目前支持代表性不足的博士生的努力往往是在特定的项目或大学里为当地提供机会。这个项目与现有的努力不同，因为它将系统地检查并积极影响促进跨多个站点完成论文的动机因素，以考虑和纳入与环境相关的因素，使研究所可以跨环境转移，而不仅仅局限于当地实施。这种可转移性对于制定可持续的未来计划以支持代表性不足的学生至关重要。本项目解决了美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的战略目标和国家对提高全球竞争力和改善国民经济的关键需求。本项目以动机的期望值理论为基础，将产生两组结果：研究成果和参与者的直接利益。采用定量和定性研究方法，研究成果将包括：1)上下文相关和全国代表性的基于研究的数据，我们可以用来告知研究所的设计，关于成功信念和价值观，这些信念和价值观有助于或损害学生的论文成功；2)根据参与者对成功和完成论文价值的增加信念来衡量研究所的有效性；3)在设计研究所的可转让版本时，学者应该注意的变量列表。为了达到我们的研究结果，我们设计了一个多方法、多阶段的研究。我们将审查并借鉴利益相关者的需求，以建立一个与文献建议和有效实践相一致的研究所，同时也与参与者的背景相关。最后，我们将比较分析各站点的数据，以便确定在考虑将研究所转移到其他站点和/或通过在线手段时应重点关注的关键因素。这项研究将直接影响约170名代表性不足的博士生，并将有助于其他研究所模式的长期可持续性。除了提高基本的写作习惯和技能，研究所的参与者将获得实用的策略：1)区分促进或阻碍成功的行为，2)增加积极行为的参与，消除破坏性行为，3)制定计划，通过论文阶段从选择主题到完成论文，以及4)建立现实的项目完成目标和实施这些目标的计划。作为参与的结果，学生将获得具体的技能，综合和评估从文献的发现，以帮助开发论文提案或撰写论文。他们将学习如何识别有用的、可信的资源（人、实体的和在线的），以及如何有效地利用它们。参与者还将学习如何从论文中开发和撰写会议论文和可发表的手稿，这是为未来就业做好准备的重要组成部分。综合起来，项目成果将对参与者产生直接影响，同时为长期利益奠定基础。

ABSTRACTDissertation InstituteThe lack of diversification of engineering faculty poses serious threats to the replacement of an aging engineering faculty, the retention of underrepresented minority students, the development of a diverse workforce, and the well-being of the nation. While there have been many initiatives to increase the representation of underrepresented minority faculty, systematic efforts have not been designed to address the completion of doctoral degrees amongst this population. Data show that students, particularly underrepresented students, are leaving before obtaining a degree because of the long, arduous, and uncertain road to graduation. These data also suggest that individuals, graduate schools, and society would benefit from efforts to reduce time-to-degree and degree completion rates. Therefore, the primary goal of this project is to offer a practical and timely experience particularly for underrepresented doctoral students in engineering (African American, Native American, Pacific Island and Hispanic American) to address issues germane to shortening time-to-degree and degree completion rates. The specific aims are to: 1) conduct research to understand the motivational factors that promote and detract from degree progress and 2) to develop and offer the Dissertation Institute (Institute) to provide underrepresented doctoral students in engineering with motivating, helpful strategies for avoiding pitfalls that prolong completion times, particularly those at the dissertation proposal preparation and dissertation completion stages. Current efforts to support underrepresented doctoral students have tended to be local opportunities within specific programs or universities. This project is different from existing efforts because it will systematically examine and positively impact the motivational factors that promote dissertation completion across multiple sites to consider and incorporate contextually relevant factors such that the Institute is transferable across contexts and not limited to local implementation. This transferability is critical to developing a sustainable future program to support underrepresented students. This project addresses strategic goals of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and critical needs of the nation related to enhanced global competitiveness and an improved national economy.This project is grounded in the expectancy-value theory of motivation and will result in two sets of outcomes: research outcomes and direct benefits to participants. Using quantitative and qualitative research methods, the research outcomes will include: 1) contextually relevant and nationally representative research-based data we can use to inform the Institute's design regarding the success beliefs and values that contribute to and detract from students' dissertation success, 2) measures of Institute effectiveness in terms of participant's increased beliefs about succeeding in and the value of completing a dissertation, and 3) a list of variables to which academics should pay attention when designing transferable versions of the Institute. To achieve the outcomes of our study, we have designed a multi-method, multi-phased study. We will examine and draw on stakeholder needs to develop an Institute that is consistent with literature suggestions and effective practices but also contextually relevant for participants. Finally, we will comparatively analyze the data across sites to allow us to identify the key elements on which we should focus in considering transferability of the Institute to additional sites and/or through online means. The research will directly impact approximately 170 underrepresented doctoral students and will contribute to the long-term sustainability of other Institute models. In addition to improving basic writing habits and skills, Institute participants will gain practical strategies for: 1) distinguishing between behaviors that foster or hinder success, 2) increasing engagement in positive behaviors and eliminating destructive behaviors, 3) developing plans to maneuver through the dissertation phase from selecting a topic to completing the dissertation, and 4) establishing realistic program completion goals and plans for implementing those goals. As a result of participation, students will gain specific skills in synthesizing and evaluating findings from the literature to aid in developing a dissertation proposal or for writing a dissertation. They will learn how to identify helpful, credible resources (people, physical and online) and how to use them effectively. Participants will also learn about developing and writing conference papers and publishable manuscripts from the dissertation, an important part of being ready for future employment. In combination, the project outcomes will have immediate impacts on participants while setting the stage for longer-term benefits.