Developing a Framework for Assessing Identity Development, Retention and Success of STEM Social and Behavioral Scientists (STEM-SBS): The Case of Sociology

该项目考察了STEM社会和行为科学家的身份形成，以产生可用于设计项目的结果，以吸引更多、更多样化的学生进入这些学科。该研究调查了影响STEM社会科学家发展的因素，这些社会科学家将从事跨学科奖学金，是否一些项目比其他项目更广泛、更有效，以及以何种方式和原因。它提供了对学生身份叙事的定性关注，以及从事各种STEM社会和行为科学（STEM- sbs）研究职业的实践社会学家的经验。研究STEM-SBS学生和专业人员的认同发展可以为这一学生群体的职业发展模式和实践提供参考。调查人员将探讨以下研究问题：(1)为什么社会学学生和专业人士选择攻读社会学学位和职业？(2)社会学学生和实践社会学家如何概念化他们的专业和科学身份？(3)什么因素有助于或阻碍社会学的保留、成功和身份发展？(4)其他社会身份（如种族、民族、性别等）如何与专业和科学身份的发展和制定相互交叉并产生影响？(5)竞争的需求和机会的差异如何影响不同学生群体进入和保留社会学？他们将通过理论三角测量来调查研究问题，并采用定性横断面研究设计来探索社会学本科生和研究生以及在不同研究环境中工作的社会学家的身份形成。本研究将增进对认同形成的时间性质的认识，并拓宽对STEM-SBS教育和专业实践的制度和社会背景的理解。该项目由EHR核心研究（ECR）计划资助，该计划支持解决STEM学习和学习环境，扩大STEM参与和STEM劳动力发展的基础研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project examines STEM social and behavioral scientists’ identity formation to produce results that can be used in designing programs to attract a larger and more diverse pool of students to these disciplines. The study investigates factors that influence the development of STEM social scientists who will engage in transdisciplinary scholarship, whether some programs do so more extensively and more effectively than others, and in what ways and why. It provides a qualitative focus on student identity narratives and the experiences of practicing sociologists employed in a variety of STEM social and behavioral science (STEM-SBS) research careers. The research on identity development of STEM-SBS students and professionals can inform career development models and practices for this student population.The investigators will explore the following research questions: (1) Why do sociology students and professionals choose to pursue a sociology degree and career? (2) How do sociology students and practicing sociologists conceptualize their professional and science identity? (3) What factors contribute to or hinder retention, success, and identity development in sociology? (4) How do other social identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, etc.,) intersect with and influence the development and enactment of professional and science identities? (5) How do competing demands and differential access to opportunities shape entry and retention of a diverse student population into sociology? They will investigate the research questions through theoretical triangulation and employ a qualitative cross-sectional research design to explore identity formation of sociology undergraduate and graduate students and sociologists employed in diverse research settings. The study will enhance knowledge about the temporal nature of identity formation and broaden understanding of the institutional and societal context of STEM-SBS education and professional practice.This project is funded by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program that supports fundamental research that addresses STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, 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.