Latinx STEM Doctoral Students: On the Path to Teaching at Community Colleges

• In Event: Teaching and Faculty Workload at Community Colleges

Abstract

Hispanic students are gravely underrepresented in STEM fields despite their continuing population growth. Additionally, Hispanic students are much more likely to attend community colleges, where the presence of Hispanic STEM professors, who could potentially increase student engagement in STEM, are rare. In response to this, two partner institutions were awarded an NSF grant with the goal of increasing the number of Hispanic STEM doctoral students who teach at the community college level. This research study looked at the career decision-making of these grant Fellows as they considered the option of teaching at the community college level.

Authors

• Dawn M. Horton, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Irma Torres Catanach, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Yajaira Mejia, City College of New York

• Ivonne Santiago, The University of Texas - El Paso