Addressing STEM Culture and Climate to Increase Diversity in STEM Disciplines

• In Event: 35.039 - Campus Climate and STEM Department Climate Must Be Simultaneously Addressed for Underrepresented Minority (URM) Students to Succeed in STEM

Abstract

There are a set of norms and values that predominate science departments and programs, creating a unique culture in STEM fields, which often times is separate from the broader campus-wide experiences of students (Blickenstaff, 2006; Meyers, 2011). This literature review brings light to the existing literature and the gaps to further understand the experiences of STEM URM students.

While there are some distinctions by discipline, scientists generally value objectivity and strive to make determinations about universal truths through experimentation and research (Fuhrmann, Halme, O’Sullivan & Lindstaedt, 2011). Creating opportunities for students to not only develop content knowledge but also to have hands-on experiences and feel a sense of belonging and identity as scientists seem to be particularly important. However, while socializing students into the culture of science can translate to increased representation of minoritized populations, continued investment in and avoidance of a critical assessment of science culture can intensify exclusion in multiple ways. First, scientific norms shape the perceptions of faculty, who are the gatekeepers that identify and train the next generation of scientists. The often-unconscious messages we are sent about what scientists look like, value, and do can form the foundation for biases, leading faculty to miss the talent and potential women and men of color bring to the laboratory. Second, the discomfort many faculty feel in recognizing their students’ identities outside of “scientist” leaves them more vulnerable to perpetuating stereotypes and assumptions about minoritized students’ capabilities (Dorian, Winkle-Wagner & Luedke, 2015). Finally, science norms may be in conflict with the goals, values, and needs many women and men of color articulate, leading them to feel like they do not or cannot fit in science spaces.

Somewhat separate from the discourse on diversity and inclusion in STEM, the experiences and outcomes of minoritized college students are influenced by campus climate, or the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions of community members (including faculty, students, administrators, and staff) as they navigate issues of difference. Early work on climate focused on the experiences of women, noting how persistent encounters with stereotypes rooted in sexist beliefs, harassment, and marginalization translated to diminished quality in their educational experiences, leaving women to perceive the climate as more “chilly” than their male classmates (Harper & Hurtado, 2007). Students of color generally, and black students in particular, rate the campus climates as more hostile than their peers, and women are more likely to perceive a negative racial climate than men.

We must pay close attention to how STEM students are experiencing both academic and non-academic spaces to facilitate achievement and persistence in these fields. An inclusive campus climate may mean that a student feels a sense of belonging institution-wide, but if they feel a lack of fit and alignment with the culture of STEM, they still will be less likely to complete a science degree. Further, science students live and learn in the larger campus community and must feel welcome and supported to stay at the institution and in their field.

Author

• Kimberly Griffin, University of Maryland