RUI, SBP, Collaborative Research: Exploring the unique effects of shared past adversity for enhancing social connection and identify-safety in STEM

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Representation matters for promoting students’ interest and belonging in STEM. Research has not clearly identified who counts as representation for different groups of students? Which scientists act as role models to spark students’ engagement with STEM? For a scientist to be a role model, it is important that students feel similar to that scientist, and students often feel similar to a person who has a matching identity, such as a female scientist for female students or a Black scientist for Black students. It is less clear, however, who would be a role model for Black female students who have multiple important identities (i.e. both Black, female, and STEM). This research will test the prediction that Black female students feel similar to scientists when they believe the scientist has had comparable experiences with discrimination (i.e., has faced similar types of racism or sexism). This is a critical question to explore because Black women are severely underrepresented in STEM, and as a result, the current work aims to provide practical techniques for recruiting and retaining Black women in these fields. This research tests how and when representation matters for Black women.This research will test how the context influences identification with various role-model types. This research contrasts whether having similar encounters with bias due to one’s identity (i.e., race or gender) versus having a common struggle is better for fostering feelings of similarity with a potential role model. The research tests the hypothesis that race tends to be more salient than gender in most situations for Black women. Thus, Black women are more likely to feel similar to a scientist matching their race than their gender because of the continuing racism permeating US society. That is, the primary hypothesis is that Black women will believe that a Black scientist has had more similar experiences with discrimination when compared to a White female scientist. However, context matters. In STEM fields where women are particularly under-represented, White female scientists may act as role models for Black women majors. Finally, we will investigate when and why Black female students might identify with a Latino male scientist who also faces race-based discrimination. All three studies will examine important outcomes related to feeling similar to the scientist including belonging, confidence, interest, and engagement in STEM. This research has direct applications to broadening participation for students in STEM fields and to models of identity.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.