Gendered Dilemma in the Field of Meritocracy: International Female Students in STEM Graduate Programs

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Identity and Difference

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the acculturation experiences of 21 international female students in STEM graduate programs in a U.S. public university. Themes identified through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis showed that international female students tended to discount the presence of gender inequity in STEM and focused exclusively on academic success with a strong conviction in meritocracy. They invested great effort to adapt to the U.S. higher education context; however, their acculturation was uneven and segmented, meaning that it only occurred in their professional domain while social domain largely remained unchanged. The findings also reveal that participants experienced a lack of recognition, power, and authority reflecting their fragile status in the male-dominated fields. Significance of the study is discussed.

Authors

• Tong Wu, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Jae Hoon Lim, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Ting Sun, Northwestern University

• Yi Wang, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Zhi Li, University of North Carolina - Charlotte