Intellectual Merit: California State University Long Beach and the University of California Los Angeles are studying interdisciplinary collaborative research models (ICRM) and the impact of ICRM experiences on undergraduate women in computer science and engineering (CSE). The central objective of the study is to investigate how ICRM experiences in CSE departments shape undergraduate women's educational and vocational trajectories (persistence in major, graduation, intention to pursue graduate degrees and/or careers in computing) to generate data relevant for improving CSE curricula/programs. The theoretical approach incorporates the intersection of personal and organizational variables: organizational culture theory allows for close analysis of the departmental cultures in which students experience ICRM, and vocational choice theory includes background and societal impact and allows for individual agency in career decisions. The study will include six pre-selected case study institutions and incorporates a multi-phased approach in which the cases and research subjects are studied in-depth over three years involving in-person observations and interviews with students, faculty and academic leaders.
Broader Impacts: ICRM activities are increasing in colleges and universities, and understanding their impact is important for enhancing the enrollment, persistence, and graduation of women CSE majors who pursue computing professions. The results of this study, disseminated through multiple venues to both practitioners and researchers, will provide an understanding of how ICRM activities may positively impact women's educational and vocational trajectories in computing fields. Moreover, the study has the potential to build networks of practitioners and researchers who have an interest in improving the experiences and retention of women in CSE departments and professions.
