Influential Networks for Women of Color in STEM Community College Pathways

该项目调查了在两年制公共机构开始接受STEM教育的有色人种妇女的STEM轨迹。目标是利用国家和社会网络数据：1)了解流动模式、学生特征、大学经历和机构的整合，以支持STEM有色人种女性的职业坚持性；2)确定学生和机构层面的网络对她们的科学思维、STEM的坚持性和成功有哪些影响。为了实现研究目标，研究人员将深化她在生物科学教育、定性和定量研究设计和方法以及数据分析方面的知识。在她的顾问和导师的指导下，具体的职业发展活动包括追求数据分析证书，参加网络分析/软件研讨会和STEM会议。这项研究将促进对成功的第一代彩色STEM专业女性的了解，她们在社区大学开始了她们的职业生涯，以及使她们能够坚持下去的因素。这项研究有可能为其他学术机构中代表性不足群体的保留计划提供信息。调查者将使用社会网络分析和混合方法来了解顾问、同龄人和亲属如何影响社区大学有色人种女性的坚持性和STEM职业发展轨迹。研究问题将通过两个阶段的分析来回答，包括描述性统计和多成员随机建模。调查员将：1)绘制为学生参与者提供导航资本的网络图；2)量化学生在穿越STEM道路时所遇到的帮助和阻碍因素的阻力矩阵；3)了解有影响力的网络如何帮助学生克服个人和机构方面的挑战。该矩阵结合了复杂系统和社会生态理论，以跟踪非线性、适应性和紧急相互作用。纵向和网络数据将通过国家教育统计中心、初级中学学生纵向研究和综合中学后教育数据系统、问卷调查和定性访谈提供。这些发现将对绘制有色人种STEM专业女性的复杂路径具有重要意义，并向机构提供关于如何改善学术服务和对这一被忽视群体的支持的信息。该项目由NSF的STEM教育研究竞赛中的EHR核心研究能力建设支持，该竞赛旨在培养个人在STEM学习和学习环境中开展高质量基础STEM教育研究的能力，扩大对STEM领域的参与，以及STEM劳动力发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project examines STEM trajectories of women of color who start their STEM education at two-year public institutions. The goal is to use national and social network data: to 1) understand the integration of mobility patterns, student characteristics, college experiences, and institutions to support career persistence in STEM women of color; and 2) identify what influential networks at the student- and institutional-level have affected their scientific thinking, and persistence and success in STEM. To accomplish the research goals, the investigator will deepen her knowledge of biological sciences education, qualitative and quantitative research design and methods, and data analysis. Guided by working with her advisors and mentor, specific professional development activities include pursuit of a data analytics certificate and attending network analysis/ softare workshops and STEM conferences. The study will advance knowledge about successful, first-generation women of color STEM majors who started their careers in community colleges and the factors that enabled them to persist. This research has the potential to inform retention initiatives for underrepresented groups at other academic institutions.The investigator will use Social Network Analysis and a mixed methods approach to understand how advisors, peers, and relatives influence the persistence and STEM career trajectories of women of color who attend community colleges. The research questions will be answered through two stages of analysis, including descriptive statistics and multiple membership random modeling. The investigator will: 1) map the networks that provide navigational capital to the student participants; 2) quantify a matrix of resistance for what aids and deters students as they navigate STEM pathways; and 3) contextualize how influential networks enable students to overcome personal and institutional challenges. The matrix combines complex systems and socio-ecological theory to track non-linear, adaptive, and emergent interactions. The longitudinal and network data will be provided through the National Center for Education Statistics, Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, and the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System, questionnaires, and qualitative interviews. The findings will be significant in mapping the complex pathways of women of color STEM majors and informing institutions about ways to improve academic services and support for this understudied group.The project is supported through NSF's EHR Core Research Building Capacity in STEM Education Research competition that is designed to build individuals' capacity to carry out high quality fundamental STEM education research in STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.