Positionality and Power Within a Highly Selective STEM Program: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Navigating Identity, Inclusion, and Equity in STEM

Abstract

This study explores how power dynamics and positionality shape lived experiences in STEM doctoral training environments, centering experiences of historically minoritized students and faculty in a highly selective STEM program. In this mixed-methods study, we used surveys and interviews with doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty members to explore how conceptions of one’s environment vary within a single highly selective program. Participants offered valuable insights into power structures that shape their department culture in light of their positionalities. Findings point to implications for developing more equitable graduate training spaces for historically minoritized students in STEM disciplines.

Authors

• Rachel Dean Divaker, University of Florida

• Jennifer M. Blaney, University of Georgia

• Frank Fernandez, University of Wisconsin - Madison