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

在STEM中促进学生兴趣和归属感的代表性问题。研究还没有明确确定谁是不同学生群体的代表？哪些科学家是激发学生参与STEM的榜样？科学家要成为榜样，重要的是让学生感觉自己与这位科学家相似，而且学生往往会觉得自己与拥有匹配身份的人相似，比如女学生是女科学家，黑人学生是黑人科学家。然而，谁会成为拥有多种重要身份(即黑人、女性和STEM)的黑人女性学生的榜样还不太清楚。这项研究将检验这样一种预测，即当黑人女学生认为科学家有类似的歧视经历(即面临类似类型的种族主义或性别歧视)时，她们会感觉自己与科学家相似。这是一个需要探讨的关键问题，因为黑人妇女在STEM中的代表性严重不足，因此，目前的工作旨在为在这些领域招聘和留住黑人妇女提供实用技术。这项研究测试了表征对黑人女性的重要性。这项研究将测试背景如何影响对不同角色模型类型的认同。这项研究比较了由于个人身份(即种族或性别)而遇到类似偏见的经历与有共同奋斗的经历是否更有利于培养与潜在榜样的相似性。这项研究测试了这一假设，即在大多数情况下，黑人女性的种族倾向于比性别更突出。因此，由于美国社会中持续存在的种族主义，黑人女性更有可能感觉自己更像是与他们的种族匹配的科学家，而不是他们的性别。也就是说，主要的假设是，黑人女性会认为，与白人女性科学家相比，黑人科学家有更多类似的歧视经历。然而，背景很重要。在女性比例特别低的STEM领域，白人女性科学家可能会成为黑人女性专业的榜样。最后，我们将调查黑人女学生何时以及为什么会认同同样面临种族歧视的拉丁裔男科学家。这三项研究都将考察与科学家相似的感觉相关的重要结果，包括归属感、信心、兴趣和对STEM的投入。这项研究直接应用于扩大学生在STEM领域的参与和身份模型。这一奖项反映了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。

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.