This research extends the investigator's prior NSF supported work to develop theoretical and empirical understanding of the double bind faced by women of color in STEM fields. That is, their race and gender present dual dilemmas as they move through STEM educational and career paths. The proposed study will identify gaps in our understanding, and identify some of the methodological problems associated with answering outstanding questions about the double bind. The major research question is: What strategies work to enable women of color to achieve higher levels of advancement in STEM academia and professions? The goal is to bring a clearer understanding of the issues which confront women of color as they pursue study of science and engineering, and what factors influence whether they leave or remain in STEM.
The work will employ a highly structured narrative analysis process to identify and quantify factors that have been successful in broadening the participation of minority women in STEM. The research design involves two separate tracks of work: 1) to conduct narrative analysis of primary documents associated with women of color in science; and 2) to conduct site visits and interviews to understand features of programs associated with successful support of women of color in undergraduate and graduate education. The first part is designed to inform the second, with the narrative analysis helping to identify features to look for in site visits and to use in development of interview protocols.
This research will focus on individual and programmatic factors that sustain women of color as they confront barriers to their career goals. It examines institutional strategies and support structures that help women of color ultimately to succeed, and social and pedagogic elements that influence their educational experiences. Although women of color have made some progress over the last three decades towards more equitable participation in STEM fields, the major efforts made to address this issue have not produced the desired outcomes; minority women continue to be underrepresented relative to white women and non-minority men. The factors that account for continued lower participation rates are not yet fully understood.
Beyond the Double Bind is designed to transform the intellectual basis for building future programs that will better enable women of color to be successful in STEM. While focused on women of color, the results will ultimately inform strategies and programs to expand the presence of all women and minorities in STEM.
(BDB) research project pursued the research question: What strategies work to enable women of color to achieve higher levels of advancement in science and engineering academia and professions? To address the research question, the project collected, coded, and analyzed 31 interview transcripts and 194 written texts about 80 women of color (women who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latina, Native American, and mixed race) in physics, astronomy, computer science, and engineering. The BDB team, led by PIs Dr. Maria Ong and Dr. Apriel Hodari, published six papers based on project data, four of which were peer-reviewed, and one of which was recognized with the 2012 PERC (Physics Education Research Conference) Proceedings Paper Award. It is in the process of producing two more manuscripts. In addition, the team presented project findings at 24 regional, national, and international conferences; two of the presentations were keynote addresses, and eight were invited or plenary talks. Dr. Ong also discussed project findings during two appearances on Swedish National Public Radio. The BDB project advanced the current knowledge base by analyzing written and oral narratives of women of color in physics, astronomy, computer science, and engineering, and the higher education programs that supported their success. The project identified and described factors that posed challenges to women of color in these fields. For example, with regard to career-life balance, the following issues were especially salient in disadvantaging women of color: the assumption that the scientist or engineer will prioritize work over all other facets of life; a dearth of mentors and culturally competent advisory support; social exclusion by peers; the assumption that one’s family’s financial status will not interfere with the pursuit of science or engineering; a strong emphasis on in-office visibility as a standard of work ethic; implicit discouragement of family leave policies; and a questioning of competence and dedication to science or engineering based on race, gender, and/or parental status. The BDB project also identified individual factors that promoted and sustained women of color in science and engineering fields, and programmatic and institutional strategies and support structures that helped them to succeed. For instance, strategies that women of color in physics and astronomy used to help them succeed included: seeking a supportive environment; circumventing unsupportive advisors; combating isolation by utilizing peer networks; consciously demonstrating their professional abilities to counteract self-doubt and others’ doubt; finding safe spaces for their "whole" cultural and professional selves; temporarily leaving science to pursue outside interests; recalling their passion for science; and engaging in outreach and activism. The project team developed and published a parallel list of action steps that science departments and employers could take to support these individual actions and further promote and retain women of color. There is widespread agreement that, if the United States is to maintain its preeminence in science and engineering research and education, participation by persons of all races, ethnicities, and genders needs to be improved. Through its extensive dissemination efforts in terms of publications, conference papers, and public radio appearances, the Beyond the Double Bind project helped to produce an expanded knowledge base about challenges and success factors for retaining women of color in physics, astronomy, computer science, and engineering, thus transforming public understanding about the experiences of women of color in these fields. The project has also illuminated strategies that individuals, programs, and institutions can implement that would enable women of color to participate more fully and in greater numbers in their chosen fields. Through these efforts, the research will, ultimately, broaden the overall participation rates of women of color in the science and engineering professions, thus diversifying the U.S. STEM workforce.
