Factors Influencing African American Students’ Decision to Pursue the Ph.D. in the Natural Sciences

• In Event: Roundtable Session 73
  In Roundtable Session: Contextual and Psychological Factors Influencing STEM Success for Black Students

Abstract

Matriculation into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) doctoral programs continues to be stratified by race/ethnicity. The current study examined the perceptions of African Americans currently enrolled in doctoral programs in the natural sciences in order to identify factors that influenced their decision to pursue the Ph.D. Interviews were conducted with male and female students attending a large and predominately-White southeastern research university. Findings reflect the following three major themes that influenced participants’ decision: 1) scholarly interests, 2) goals of empowering self and community, and 3) spiritual influences and personal values.

Authors

• Nicole Lewis, University of Hawaii - Manoa

• Karyl Jacqueline Shand Askew, University of North Carolina