Making Sense of Emerging Racialized STEM (Science) Identities for Students at Minority-Serving Institutions

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: #STEMingWhileBlack (Table 23)

Abstract

This study attends to the lack of research examining the role of the Minority Serving Institution (MSI) context in shaping science identity and how students studying STEM-related fields navigate multiple social identities. HBCU and HSI undergraduate STEM majors completed surveys measuring racial and ethnic identity (REI), racial ethnic self-schemas (RES), and STEM/science identity. Results suggest that while MSI students possess similar RES (e.g., pride in race and nationality) and strong REIs associated with academic achievement, post hoc Tukey HSD analyses, and ANOVA revealed significant differences between participating institutions on the “minoritized” RES in which students are motivated to overcome prejudice to fully engage in society. These analytical findings are presented and posit various hypotheses for measures that merit further study.

Authors

• Karen Benn Marshall, AdventHealth University

• Carmen Bucknor, Oakwood University

• Remy Dou, University of Miami

• Danielle Dickens, Spelman College

• Sylvia Margaret Butterfield, National Science Foundation

• Valeisha Ellis, Spelman College

• Christyn Byrd, Oakwood University