Listening With a Third Ear: Advancing Promising Practices to Promote Black Men's Persistence in Engineering

• In Event: 21.041 - Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Issues in Graduate Education

Abstract

Black men, a critical population needed to help contribute to the global knowledge economy, remain underrepresented in engineering. As valuable resources of experiential knowledge, how do Black men describe their own experiences in engineering, and what practices do they recommend to broaden participation in engineering fields? This study explores the experiences of 44 Black men in engineering graduate programs. Participants recommend several promising practices: increase students' sense of belonging by decreasing their isolation; encourage caring relationships between advisors and students; and, offer Black men specific programming and resources. We conclude with implications for future research and professional practice that will improve the experiences of current and future Black men in STEM.

Authors

• Brian A. Burt, Iowa State University

• Gordon J. M. Palmer, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Korey Kollasch

• Emily Logan