Importance of Faculty Kindness and Affirmations in Underrepresented Students' Persistence in STEM

• In Event: Mentoring in STEM

Abstract

Students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds remain underrepresented in STEM. Initiatives have targeted URM retention, yet URM students express additional barriers, leading to attrition. Current research explores STEM faculty led research labs as important contributors to engagement in STEM, however little is understood about students’ perspective. Our study investigated 75 university students, who participated in a focus group and survey sharing experiences in research labs. We found students whose faculty mentors expressed affirmations and kindness, viewed STEM as more welcoming and showed greater interest in persistence in the field. One step toward dismantling racial injustice and constructing educational possibilities for URM students in STEM is for faculty mentors to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment in STEM research labs.

Authors

• Dalia R. Tabibian, San Diego State University

• Oliva Elizabeth Mota Segura, San Diego State University

• Feion Villodas, San Diego State University

• Dustin Thoman, San Diego State University

• Miguel Villodas, San Diego State University