Increasing Diversity in STEM through Professional Development Activities

Jonathan M. Holland, Debra A. Major, Valerie J. Morganson, & Karin A. Orvis

Old Dominion University

This research was supported by a SEED grant from Old Dominion University.

Difficult to retain women and minorities in STEM

◦Fewer of these underrepresented groups enter and persist (Varma, 2007)

Why? Differential preparation outside of classroom?

◦STEM fields have a “chilly” climate (Morganson et al., in press)

Capitalization = Proactive participation in voluntary professional development activities

◦ Builds professional identity in the workplace (Ibarra, 1999)

Influenced by environmental supports and barriers (Maurer et al., 2003)

◦ Differences in these factors between men and women (Lent et al., 2008)

Capitalization has been relatively unexplored in an academic setting

1. How do engineering and computer science students capitalize?

2. Why do they capitalize?

3. What factors support or discourage capitalization?

4. What are the similarities and differences in capitalization, its supports, and its barriers, across gender, major, and university environment?

8 focus groups consisted of:

◦Men and women

◦Computer Science and Engineering students

◦Students from a primarily white institution (PWI) and a historically black institution (HBI)

(1) How do students capitalize?

Formal Activities◦Student organizations◦Tutoring programs◦Career-building services◦ Internships and work opportunities

Informal Activities◦Networking with peers and alumni◦Forming study groups with classmates◦Seeking out mentoring from faculty◦ Independent research

Intrinsic Incentives◦Personal interest in the field◦Peers provide emotional support and a “break” from

coursework

Extrinsic Incentives◦Resume building◦ Immediate payment◦Enhancing skills to become more marketable

(2) Why do students capitalize?

(3a) What factors support capitalization?

Role models Advisor and faculty encouragement Active information about activities

(3b) What factors prevent capitalization?

Time Lack of information about events Underrepresentation in the activity

Women preferred formal activities◦Student organizations

Men preferred informal activities◦Networking◦Opportunities for applied experience

Women often expressed discomfort at participating in predominantly male activities

Engineering majors prioritized forging professional contacts for career positioning

◦Peer and alumni networks◦Participating in internships and work opportunities

Computer Science majors prioritized attaining technical skills

◦Keeping “ahead of the curve” by learning programming skills above and beyond their coursework

The HBI seemed to offer a more supportive environment than the PWI

◦Advisors were more often described as proactive

◦Students were better informed about opportunities

◦Organizations targeting underrepresented groups had more presence

◦Gender was not discussed as often as a barrier

STEM education is a pipeline for the workforce

Capitalization continues in the workplace (Maurer et al., 2003)

Programs should actively disseminate information about opportunities

Advisors should take a proactive role in encouraging capitalization

More experienced students who have capitalized should share their experiences with other students

Offer formal activities to attract/retain female talent

Empirical research investigating antecedents and outcomes of capitalization in an academic context

Differences in university type