The federal government and a number of nonprofit, non-governmental agencies have invested heavily in programs designed to provide research opportunities, financial support, and mentorship to undergraduates in science-related fields. These efforts are aimed at supporting students' matriculation in science majors and into science-related careers.…

In 2014, the NIH Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) launched an initiative to implement and evaluate novel interventions at a variety of academic institutions across the country to engage undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in biomedically-related research. The local intervention examined in the current study provides Critical Race…

This study examined the effects of science and engineering (S & E) inquiry on preschool and kindergarten children's academic outcomes using a randomized control-group design. Participants were divided into three groups: a classroom-only group (C-only) receiving NGSS-aligned S & E inquiry; a classroom plus family engagement group (C + F)…

There is a need to address disparities in the underrepresented minority (URM) STEM students' degree attainment and retention, vs. non-URM students. A literature review suggests that URM STEM students face barriers related to demographic, academic, and social-cognitive factors. The Louis Stokes North Star STEM Alliance (LS-NSSA) seeks to address…

Preparing K-12 students for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields is an ongoing challenge confronting state policymakers. We examine the implementation of a science graduation testing requirement for high-school students in Massachusetts, beginning with the graduating class of 2010. We find that the design of…

Chemistry is a vital and highly relevant field of science that is under-represented in science centers and museums. Amidst concerns that the public is ambivalent about the chemistry field, the "Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry" project sought to understand how to design hands-on activities that could increase the feelings of interest,…

Informal outreach programs can provide authentic science experiences for elementary school students, who may not have these experiences in formal school settings. Research indicates that students lose interest in science in middle school, so it's important to reach them early. To address this need, we designed a summer camp focused on exposing…

This study assessed the extent to which an adapted robotics programme fostered interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among children with disabilities. This study included pre- and post-programme surveys. The sample involved 57 children with disabilities who participated in an adapted robotics programme held in a…

While the impact of authentic research experiences in STEM on student engagement and interest in science has been documented, less is known about the role of peer communities in fostering this interest and engagement. This research explores the idea that a strong peer community can catalyze deep learning and engagement in scientific research among…

We describe a space industry work experience program and report on the design, implementation, and evaluation of this program, including its purposes, organisation, participants -- hosts and students -- and its outcomes. The program was a collaboration between the South Australian Department for Education, the South Australian Space Industry…

Citizen science projects are an increasingly popular way to engage the public in the process of science. However, few studies have evaluated learning outcomes beyond knowledge gains in formal learning settings with youth. This study evaluated the effects of a classroom-based citizen science project in which middle and high school students…

The "Playground Physics" program combines informal, play-based, embodied learning experiences to support middle school students' engagement with and motivation to learn about complex and abstract physics concepts. This experimental design study examines the impact of "Playground Physics" on students' science motivation,…