In this STEP Type 2 project, the two-phase multi-method study examines the structural and individual factors that contribute to women being less likely to complete STEM majors than men. The study combines both a longitudinal quantitative component and a qualitative component focused on the experiences of the research subjects. The study examines structural/organizational and individual factors and the interactive effects of these factors on women's success in STEM from middle school through colleges in STEM disciplines in which women are traditionally underrepresented. The data from the longitudinal aspect of the study will be combined with data from surveys and in-depth interviews. The research team has unique access to existing longitudinal data sets from the University of North Carolina General Administration (UNC system's 16 campuses) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The study has the support of major educational institutions in the state that have agreed to provide grades 8-16 data for students in both systems. The qualitative aspect of the study provides a rich data source for examining in greater detail the experiences women have had as they make their way through grades 8-12 to becoming STEM majors in and graduates from post-secondary education institutions. The research examines the relationships among gender, ethnicity/race, and socio-economic status with other individual and structural/organizational factors, such as qualification of STEM teachers, gender composition of faculty by campus and by department, and the racial composition of student body by campus and by major. The focus on the experiences of women (completer, avoiders, and leavers) in STEM has the potential to make a major contribution in this area of research. Based on the interest of state educational institutions, the study has the potential to lead to the consideration of its findings by state-level stakeholders.
