Dissertation Institute

论述学院工程学教师队伍缺乏多元化，严重威胁到老化的工程学教师的更替、少数族裔学生的留住、多元化劳动力的发展以及国家的福祉。虽然已经采取了许多举措来增加任职人数不足的少数族裔教师的比例，但还没有设计出系统的努力来解决这一群体中博士学位的完成问题。数据显示，由于毕业之路漫长、艰辛和不确定，学生，特别是代表性不足的学生，在获得学位之前就离开了。这些数据还表明，个人、研究生院和社会将从降低学位完成时间和学位完成率的努力中受益。因此，这个项目的主要目标是提供一种实用和及时的经验，特别是为工程学方面代表性不足的博士生(非裔美国人、土著美国人、太平洋岛屿人和拉美裔美国人)提供经验，以解决与缩短获得学位所需时间和学位完成率密切相关的问题。其具体目的是：1)开展研究，了解促进和阻碍学位进步的动机因素；2)发展并向学位论文研究所(学院)提供激励的、有用的策略，以避免延长完成时间的陷阱，特别是在学位论文提案准备和学位论文完成阶段。目前支持代表性不足的博士生的努力往往是在特定项目或大学内提供当地机会。这一项目不同于现有的努力，因为它将系统地审查并积极影响促进在多个地点完成论文的激励因素，以考虑和纳入与背景相关的因素，从而使研究所可以跨背景转移，而不限于在当地实施。这种可转让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。该项目针对国家科学基金会(NSF)的战略目标和国家与增强全球竞争力和改善国民经济相关的迫切需求。该项目基于激励的预期价值理论，将产生两套结果：研究成果和对参与者的直接好处。使用定量和定性的研究方法，研究结果将包括：1)与背景相关的、具有全国代表性的基于研究的数据，我们可以使用这些数据来指导学院关于成功信念和价值观的设计，这些信念和价值观有助于或削弱学生的论文成功；2)根据参与者对成功和完成论文的价值增加的信念来衡量学院的有效性；以及3)在设计学院的可转移版本时，学者应该注意的变量清单。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。我们将审查和借鉴利益攸关方的需求，以建立一个与文献、建议和有效做法相一致，但也与参与者相关的研究所。最后，我们将对不同地点的数据进行比较分析，以确定我们在考虑将研究所转移到更多地点和/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到约170名人数不足的博士生，并将有助于研究所其他模式的长期可持续性。除了改善基本的写作习惯和技能，研究所的参与者还将获得以下实用策略：1)区分促进或阻碍成功的行为，2)增加积极行为的参与度和消除破坏性行为，3)制定计划，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现这些目标的计划。作为参与的结果，学生将获得从文献中综合和评估发现的特定技能，以帮助制定论文提案或撰写论文。他们将学习如何识别有帮助的、可信的资源(人员、实物和在线)以及如何有效地使用这些资源。与会者还将从论文中学习如何开发和撰写会议论文和可发表的手稿，这是为未来就业做准备的重要部分。综合起来，项目成果将对参与者产生立竿见影的影响，同时为更长期的利益奠定基础。

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.