"I Often Feel a Lot of Pressure”: Examining Black Students’ Postsecondary STEM Experiences

• In Event: Equity and Representation in Science Education

Abstract

Research has documented Black students’ experiences across postsecondary STEM pathways; students often encounter hostile campus climates and anti-Blackness. To address this, stakeholders must foster racial equity and justice through research, policies, and practices that attend to Black students’ unique needs. Endeavoring to engage this work in our current sociopolitical climate is both risky and necessary. In this presentation, we analyze qualitative data (e.g., survey responses, focus groups) to first share strategies for conducting research to foster racial justice. Then, we present preliminary findings related to Black undergraduates’ STEM experiences based on their intersecting identities and contextual factors. We offer practical insights while unveiling the complexities of how students navigate anti-Black racism in pursuit of STEM undergraduate degrees.

Authors

• Tia C. Madkins, University of Texas at Austin

• Chandel Burgess, University of Texas at Austin

• Tyra Timm, University of Texas at Austin

• Sidney Renee Holland, University of Texas at Austin

• Nkasano R. Fullerton, University of Texas at Austin

• Yasmiyn Irizarry, University of Texas at Austin

• Briana Owirodu, University of Texas at Austin

• Zainab Kanyinsola Adeniyi, University of Texas at Austin

• Ricardo H. Lowe, University of Texas at Austin