Exploring the Gap: A Mixed Method Study on the Effects of Racial and Gender Underrepresentation among Female College Students of Color in the STEM field
Kristina Spencer
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Major: Biotechnology/Molecular Biology - STEM 5 Year B.S./M.S.
Faculty Research Mentor: Eunice Nkansah
Abstract:
The STEM field is famously under-diverse both in a gender and racial context. It is this lack of representation that often deters young girls and women from having an interest in STEM. Therefore, the current study sought to explore and understand the effects of racial and gender underrepresentation among female college students of color in the STEM field. The study adopted a mixed method approach to best encapsulate not only the attitudes of college students through an online survey but also the lived experiences of participants through a focus group interview. The focus group interview targeted five female college students of color who were all STEM majors at Kean University. While the online survey was sent out to a broader population of 40 participants from different majors and backgrounds, at Kean University. The results of the focus group interview revealed that the lack of representation these students face has served as an obstacle that has often affected the participants' self-efficacy. In addition to this, it was also found that mentorship does make a significant difference in increasing the mental and academic fortitude of female college students in STEM as it allows the students to gain more applicable skills and better insight into their perspective careers. The results from this study showed that universities could better aid their students by offering mentorship programs.