Collaborative Research: Research Initiation: Factors Affecting Latina Engineering Student Decisions to Enter Graduate School or Engineering Career Pathways

该项目旨在通过提高对影响拉美裔工程专业研究生入学资格的社会、文化、教育和体制参数的了解，为国家利益服务。这项工作将提高人们对导致拉丁裔和西班牙裔学生在STEM领域的代表性持续偏低以及存在比一般人口更大的性别差距的复杂心理社会过程的理解。STEM的拉丁裔和西班牙裔学生来自美国增长最快的少数民族。然而，他们在STEM学位方面的代表性极低，特别是在研究生一级。这项研究通过提供迫切需要的见解来帮助纠正这种情况，以吸引更多的拉美学生进入STEM研究生课程并最终进入教授排名。本项目将提高对影响拉美裔工程专业学生职业决定和他们进入工程学研究生学习可能性的复杂因素的理解。提出了两个研究问题：RQ1：拉丁裔工程专业学生如何描述与他们的决定、决策过程或进入研究生院和/或工程职业道路的意图相关的因素？RQ2：拉丁工科学生如何描述影响他们进入研究生院和/或工程职业道路的决定、决策过程或意图的社会、文化、教育和机构经历？将采用解释性的顺序混合方法方法。第一阶段是量化的，重点是使用修改后的大学成就模型进行机构整合。第一阶段的结果被用来通知定性第二阶段，该阶段将理论框架转移到社区文化财富模型，以集中参与者生活经验的复杂性和资产。这样做的目的是为了提供更广泛、更丰富的见解，以了解影响拉美裔工程专业学生研究生学习和职业道路决定的因素和经验背后的机构整合问题和文化和社会视角。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 aims to serve the national interest by improving understanding of the social, cultural, educational, and institutional parameters affecting matriculation of Latina engineering students into graduate engineering programs. The work will improve understanding of the complex psycho-social processes contributing to the persistent underrepresentation of Latinx and Hispanic students across STEM fields and the existence of a gender gap that is larger than found in the general population. Latinx and Hispanic students in STEM come from the fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States. However, they are extremely underrepresented in terms of STEM degrees, especially at the graduate level. This research helps correct this situation, by providing critically needed insights to draw more Latina students into STEM graduate programs and eventually into the professorial ranks.This project will improve understanding of the complex factors affecting the career decisions of Latina engineering students and their likelihood to enter graduate engineering study. Two research questions are posed: RQ1: How do Latina engineering students describe the factors related to their decision, decision processes, or intentions to enter graduate school and/or engineering career pathways? RQ2: How do Latina engineering students describe the social, cultural, educational, and institutional experiences that impact their decision, decision process, or intentions to enter graduate school and/or engineering career pathways? An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach will be employed. Phase 1 is quantitative with an emphasis on institutional integration using the modified Collegiate Achievement Model. Results from phase 1 are used to inform the qualitative phase 2 which shifts the theoretical framework to the Community Cultural Wealth Model to center the complexities and assets of the participants’ lived experiences. This is done specifically to provide broader, richer insights into both the institutional integration issues and the cultural and social perspectives behind the factors and experiences impacting Latina engineering student graduate study and career pathway decisions.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.