This project examines the underlying factors behind the under-representation of girls and women in STEM and in systems' interaction with individuals by systematically examining and comparing the multiple spheres of influence ("social ecology") on urban girls' and boys' educational experiences and aspirations related to STEM study and career development. The new knowledge generated by this study will increase understanding of girls' and other under-represented groups' (racial and ethnic minorities, low-income youth) retention in and attrition from the STEM "pipeline" during the high school years. The study will be conducted by the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, in collaboration with Tufts University and the Boston Museum of Science, and the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Science Department. Study participants will be drawn from students at exam schools and/or science-themed schools within BPS, a large and diverse school system in which 45% of students are Black, 32% Hispanic, 14% White, and 8% Asian; 74% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Research questions for the study include: (1) How do the extent and type of STEM-relevant support provided by relationships in students' lives influence educational experiences and aspirations related to STEM study and career development; (2) Do patterns of STEM influence differ by gender and race/ethnicity for urban public high school students; and (3) What typologies of support and influence best predict STEM persistence in high school? This is a mixed-methods study featuring integrated qualitative and quantitative data collection and data analysis.

Intellectual Merit--The study will add to existing knowledge on girls' retention in and attrition from STEM by examining gender-based differences in girls' and boys' formal and informal science education experiences, including interest, choice, achievement and use of STEM-related resources. The field has lacked theory-driven, prospective studies of persistence in STEM fields that examine students' lives in their multiple contexts. The original contribution of this research is that it will draw from and synthesize three theoretical traditions to increase understanding of girls' access to and persistence in the STEM pipeline: the social-ecological tradition (which examines multiple levels of influence in students' lives, ranging from proximal (e.g., family and school) to more distal (e.g., availability of post-secondary STEM programs, cultural-level beliefs about gender roles); the trilogy model of STEM success (engagement, capacity, and continuity); and relationship science (which examines relationships, their specific characteristics, and the specific functions they perform). The three theoretical approaches will complement each other for a more differentiated understanding of variability in girls' persistence in STEM fields.

Broader Impact--The increased knowledge generated by this study will inform ways to increase the participation of girls and other under-represented groups (e.g., racial and ethnic minorities, low-income youth) in sustained STEM study and subsequent employment, in the interest of broadening and diversifying the future STEM workforce. The investigators will work with science educators and outreach program directors to integrate the knowledge into their programs. Dissemination venues include local science education associations as well as national groups such as the Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network, the American Society of Engineering Education, and the National Science Teachers Association.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Human Resource Development (HRD)
Application #
0624507
Program Officer
Jolene K. Jesse
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2006-10-01
Budget End
2010-09-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$498,256
Indirect Cost
Name
Wellesley College
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Wellesley
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02481