Forming Science Identity in Personal Networks: A Quantitative Study of Social Support for Latine Students

• In Event: Understanding Latinx/e Students' Pathways to and Through Higher Education

Abstract

Although Latine students have high aspirations for achievement in STEM, they remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Social support is key to science identity formation and sense of belonging, two important predictors of STEM persistence for Students of Color. Unfortunately, little research has documented the link between Latine students’ social networks, science identity, and sense of belonging in ways that can help educators better support their STEM success. We used the Community Cultural Wealth framework (CCW; Yosso, 2005) to design a survey of Latine STEM majors across the University of Texas System (N=408). We measured important features of students’ social networks (e.g. density, strength of ties) and the relationship between these features, students’ science identity, sense of belonging, and CCW.

Authors

• Nidia Bañuelos, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Kyoungjin Jang-Tucci, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Ross J. Benbow, University of Wisconsin - Madison