Paper Summary
Share...

Direct link:

Latinas' Pathways Through the STEM Pipeline

Sat, April 29, 10:35am to 12:05pm, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 221 C

Abstract

Objective
The objective of this study is to describe Latinas’ pathways through the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline. This study describes how Latinas initially became involved in STEM activities and how this interest was sustained through college.
Theoretical Framework
Latinas remain underrepresented in STEM fields. In 2012, Latinas received less than three percent of all of the bachelor’s degrees awarded in STEM fields (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013). This study uses a framework of academic resilience to examine Latinas’ pathways through STEM. Academic resilience is defined as succeeding in an academic environment despite facing significant challenges or risk factors (Gonzalez & Padilla, 1997). Protective factors are positive experiences that help individuals overcome these negative circumstances (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000). By successfully pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM fields, the participants in this study exhibited patterns of resilient behaviors.
Methods
There were thirty-two participants in this study – twenty graduate students and twelve professional women. All of the participants self-identified as Latina. At the time of the study, the students were enrolled in graduate programs in science and engineering. The professional women had earned doctoral degrees and were employed in STEM fields.
Data Sources
Participants completed an online survey and a one-on-one interview. The online survey asked participants about their educational and family backgrounds. During the interviews, participants described their trajectories through STEM and identified challenges and sources of support. The interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 1995; Glaser & Strauss, 1967).
Results
There were three major themes that were connected to participants’ interest in STEM: family involvement in STEM activities, college research experiences, and giving back to their communities.
When asked about their first experiences with STEM, many participants described engaging in STEM activities with their family members. Erika, an engineering doctoral student, described how her father worked on projects around the house and would explain everything he was doing. Erika considered her father to be “a mechanical engineer without the degree.” Only two participants reported becoming interested in STEM through school activities.
Participants reported that being involved in research during college was a strong protective factor. Research experiences allowed participants to interact with professors and oftentimes provided them with access to informal mentorship from graduate students. Jackie, who earned her doctorate in engineering, remembered that her graduate student mentor during college was the reason she decided to apply to graduate school.
All of the participants had been active in service activities during undergraduate and graduate school. These experiences served as protective factors which reinforced their community values. However, there was also a risk of experiencing cultural taxation, or the imposition of tasks on scholars of color (Padilla, 1994). Due to the lack of support systems, participants often had to form their own support groups while earning their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Scientific Significance
In contrast to studies that focus on negative factors that can lead to Latinas leaving STEM, this study describes participants’ experiences as they successfully navigated the STEM pipeline.

Author