STEM Education and Workforce Development: Addressing Equity and Inclusion for Underserved Populations
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Item “I Wish I Could Do More”: Institutional and Systemic Barriers to Effective Community-Engaged Learning for Equity and Inclusion in STEM Disciplines(2025-01-07) Toh, Christine; Grover, AndreaCommunity-Engaged Learning (CEL) has been established as effective method for increasing student engagement, learning, and retention in STEM, The focus on communal goals and demonstrated improvements in students’ sense of belonging can improve inclusion and equity in disciplines such as Computing. However, widespread integration of CEL into the computing curriculum is still limited and not practiced with consistent effectiveness. This interview study seeks to understand what barriers exist for instructors to fully engage in CEL and contribute to broadening participation in STEM. Our results show that a culture of devaluating service, ad-hoc efforts to establish mutually beneficial relationships with partners, and issues of artifact maintainability are significant barriers. From these results, we present a novel framework: the Triangle of Community-Engaged Learning, intended as a tool for educators to systematically evaluate their goals, capabilities, and accountability with CEL, and for researchers to apply in future work in this area.Item Unveiling the Experiences of Racialized Immigrant Women in Cybersecurity - An Intersectional Qualitative Inquiry(2025-01-07) Borzoo, Sepideh; Mashatan, Atefeh (Atty); Banerjee, RupaSkilled immigrant women’s integration in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professions is influenced by the prevalent racial and gendered conditions present in these fields. This study employs qualitative interviews to investigate barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion faced by immigrant women professionals in the cybersecurity sector in Canada. Using an intersectional approach, this paper unveils how racial and gender discourses affect immigrant women’s experiences of exclusion in the workplace. Findings suggest that immigrant women face multiple barriers at the intersection of gender, race, and immigration status to enter the sector and advance in their careers. Drawing on the interview data, this paper demonstrates how workplaces reproduce multiple forms of inequality for racialized immigrant women. These inequalities arise through the division of positions, the perpetuation of stereotypes that hinder upward mobility, work schedules designed for the ideal men employees, and the penalties associated with cultural differences that specifically disadvantage immigrants.Item Prototyping and Evaluating a Support Network for Female STEM Students through Participatory Practices(2025-01-07) Córdova, Karine; Tome Klock, Ana Carolina; Gasparini, IsabelaConsidering the underrepresentation of women in STEM disciplines and the obstacles they encounter at the university level, it is imperative to develop innovative strategies to tackle these systemic problems. Support networks are essential for fostering an environment where minority students may exchange and understand each others' experiences, leading to empowerment and emancipation. This study aimed to identify resources that support networks should include to help women overcome current obstacles. Following participatory design, we gathered input from 85 female students in STEM fields and created prototypes of a digital support network, which had its usability assessed. According to the findings, implementing a support network in real-world situations might offer assistance and a welcoming environment to minority students in STEM. The support network could help these students feel a sense of community and belonging, encouraging them to begin and persist in their studies, ultimately contributing to a more diverse STEM profession.Item Thank You For Your (lip) Service? The Reality of Attracting Military Veterans with Disabilities into the Information Technology Profession(2025-01-07) Joshi, K.D.; Nithithanatchinnapat, Benyawarath; Trauth, EileenThe underrepresentation of veterans with disabilities in the information technology (IT) field is a significant issue despite the increasing number of veterans pursuing higher education. This study explores the barriers and facilitators influencing IT career choices among this population. The study surveyed 699 veterans with disabilities residing in the U.S. Latent Profile Analysis reveals hidden groups, classifying veterans into distinct profiles based on their perceptions of IT role congruity, IT self-efficacy, military identity, disability identity, and IT career choices. Three distinct groups each with unique characteristics and needs were revealed. The findings underscore the need for tailored support and targeted interventions to foster the inclusion and success of veterans with disabilities in the IT field, emphasizing the importance of targeted strategies to address the challenges faced by each distinct group. This research contributes to a better understanding of how to support this underserved population in achieving meaningful careers in IT.Item Psychological Safety and Empathy in Collaborative Learning Environments: A DEI Strategy for Engineering Education(2025-01-07) Devathasan, Kezia; Damian, DanielaThis study explores collaborative learning as a DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) strategy to reduce the attrition of minorities from STEM education through the lens of psychological safety and empathy. We analyzed two years worth of weekly student reflections, and student, and community partner interviews. Our findings reveal that psychological safety is crucial for fostering open communication and creativity within teams, yet establishing it can be challenging within a short time. Empathy towards end-users and team members significantly enhances project development but often competes with the need for efficiency, particularly as deadlines approach. Increased confidence among students, driven by mentorship, social bonds, and skill development, emerged as a key positive outcome. Based on these insights, we recommend that educators implement early team-building activities, empathy training, flexible expectations, and strong mentorship programs to create a supportive and effective collaborative learning environment. These strategies can help improve team experiences and project success, particularly for minority students in engineering programs.Item Introduction to the Minitrack on STEM Education and Workforce Development: Addressing Equity and Inclusion for Underserved Populations(2025-01-07) Akbulut, Asli; Cain, Curtis; Nithithanatchinnapat, Benyawarath