• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

NAVIGATING THE DOUBLE BIND: BELONGING, IDENTITY AS A SCIENTIST, AND CONSISTENCY OF INTEREST AMONG BLACK COLLEGE WOMEN IN STEM AT HBCUs

Undergraduate #113
Discipline: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics
Session: 1
Room: Park Tower 8216

Cheyane Mitchell - Spelman College
Co-Author(s): Danielle Dickens, Ph.D., Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; Zharia Thomas, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; Maria Jones, Ph.D., Spelman College, Atlanta, GA



Despite being underrepresented and marginalized, Black women have demonstrated consistent interest in pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), especially at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). However, few empirical studies have investigated psychological factors that contribute to Black college women?s persistence in the STEM field. Using the theoretical frameworks of intersectionality and phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), the current study examined the relationship between identity as a scientist, sense of belonging, and consistency of interest among 554 Black college women majoring in STEM at ten HBCUs. Through the distribution of an online Qualtrics survey, the results demonstrate that sense of belonging and science identity predicted consistency of interest in STEM. More specifically, the findings suggest that Black women are interested in STEM despite lacking a sense of belonging. The study’s findings can be used to develop an educational program to increase the retention rates, which can counteract the leaky pipeline which has historically resulted in inadequate representation of Black women in STEM.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): This research project was funded by the NSF through the HBCU-UP grant to the HBCU Identity Research Center for STEM, Award #1818458.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Danielle Dickens, ddickens@spelman.edu

Role: Drafted 3 sections of literature review (sense of belonging, grit, and part of introduction), methods section, and conclusion section that compared the findings to existing literature for inconsistencies and support.

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science