Discipline: Science and Mathematics Education
Subcategory: Education
Shabnam Etemadi Brady - Tennessee State University
Co-Author(s): Germysha Little, T'Shana Carter, and Lydia Davis, Tennessee State University
Researchers from the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE’), Tennessee State University (TSU), Florida A&M University, and Prairie View A&M University are working with STEM graduate students to perform a descriptive research investigation aimed at identifying best practices and lessons learned strategies that can be employed within STEM graduate programs to broaden participation while ensuring student success. This team of research scholars is working with graduate programs nationwide to produce research findings that delineate which practices, procedures, and policies are most effective{i.e. best} in ensuring that students successfully complete their graduate degrees. Methods: The institution’s policies, procedures and practices are being explored through survey instruments, focus group discussions, document content review analysis, historical records, and other sources of information. A comprehensive multi-faceted Descriptive Research Approach has been utilized. Some examples of key areas being investigated are as follows: Which factors of your program and institution are helping or have helped to ensure your success in your program? Which factors are hindrances to you while in graduate school? Describe the program elements and program activities for scholars in your program. What institutional level and program level practices, procedures, and policies are followed in your program? Results: Current significant findings from the pilot round of collected student surveys include high satisfaction of student participants in STEM graduate programs. For example, 94% of students rated the quality of their respective program as either ‘excellent, very good,’ or ‘good.’ The largest ethnic groups surveyed were Hispanics with 49% and African Americans with 44% participation. Additional findings include 80% of surveyors’ reports that the most beneficial factor at their current institution is faculty or student mentoring for graduate level women or underrepresented minority STEM students. Eight-five percent of students reported having a mentor in their respective programs. Similarly in regards to mentoring, student reports reveal that the top two factors that support success in the graduate program are mentoring and financial support. A blueprint for designing and implementing various practices, procedures, and policies proven to ensure the success of broadening participation in STEM graduate education programs will be created from this research and to guide future research.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation EHR HRD: LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Program
Faculty Advisor: Lesia Crumpton-Young, dryoung@tnstate.edu
Role: In this research project I have helped input and analyze data. I have primarily focused on writing the research findings.