Facilitating Pathways to Success for High-Achieving Pre-Collegiate African American Males in STEM

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Research about broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a significant priority for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Compared to their White male counterparts, African American males are commonly underrepresented in STEM. With increasing American workforce needs in STEM, more research is needed that focuses on broadening participation in STEM among historically underrepresented populations, including African American males. Much of the current research on African American male students' STEM experiences tends to focus on college students and those who are low achieving or underachieving in STEM. This research project is both timely and significant. The investigators at The Ohio State University and University of South Florida outline a comprehensive research project that examines how participation in high school career academies may help to promote viable STEM pathways for high-achieving (students with a 3.5 GPA or higher), low-income African American male students. The investigators seek to document the experiences of low-income, high-achieving African American male high school students focusing on: (a) their experiences in high school STEM academies; (b) factors (e.g., school supports) that influenced their motivation to participate and persist in STEM academies; and (c) their family support systems contributing to their success. Potential research findings are likely to help the STEM community pinpoint the different positive and negative challenges that low-income, African American males experience in high school, especially those who are high achieving. This project is supported by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, which supports work that advances fundamental research on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development. Using a funds of knowledge approach and mixed research methods, the investigators plan to study the school supports, schooling experiences, academic engagement, course-taking patterns, and family support systems of high-achieving African American male students. In addition to providing narratives of how African American male students succeed in high school and in STEM, the research project will help to pinpoint those factors that support the STEM participation and success of high-achieving, low-income African American males participating in high school STEM academies. Findings from this research will be shared through academic publications as well as through podcasts, webcasts and research briefs. These findings can inform the development innovative high school strategies and programs that encourage and promote the academic and career success of high-achieving, African American males, who are interested in STEM. Additionally, the findings have implications beyond the African American males in the study; they have applicability to other African American males, as well as other groups underrepresented in STEM.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.