This article presents results from a Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) grant from the National Science Foundation that supported students from three majors and funded the development of cocurricular activities designed to increase the workforce development of first-generation and underrepresented students. Scholar cohorts were interdisciplinary, with…

Improving the rate at which individuals enter STEM careers remains a national concern, and there is a critical need for additional research examining the impact of career development programs for undergraduate STEM majors. Most career development studies are grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), which states that students progressing…

The immediate benefits of research experiences for undergraduates have been documented. However, little has appeared about the long-term impacts of these experiences on participants' career trajectories and their level of career satisfaction. In addition, many studies of undergraduate research lack a comparison group. This article reports a…

One-day professional development workshops for graduate students and postdocs were held at top National Research Council--ranked chemistry research departments. Attendees intend to pursue academic careers, yet their experience and knowledge about teaching and learning were small. Postsurveys indicated that despite the short duration, the workshop…

Career development is an important issue, and there are aspects of finding the right position that are particular to science faculty. This article offers a checklist of questions to ask in an academic job interview. Some queries are more appropriate for the chairperson and other administrators; others are better asked of faculty or students. With…

The United States faces the critical task of graduating large numbers of individuals in mathematics, science, technical, and engineering fields. The first-year orientation course described uses female-friendly practices to provide support, promote academic success, promote major and career development in an MSTE field, and facilitate consideration…

A gender gap in academic science continues despite persistent efforts at multiple levels to attract and retain talented women. Thus, impediments to women pursuing careers in science, and particularly in academia, continue to exist. To learn more about how the barriers women in science face can be eased or circumvented, the authors examined how an…

Describes the major challenges of accommodating dual-career couples in academic science and some of the current responses to those challenges from institutions of higher learning. Discusses prevailing perceptions concerning household responsibility, the science work ethic, job procurement, continued discrimination against women, and future…

Explains the emphasis, requirements, and involvements of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration's Minority Access to Research Careers Program (ADAMHA-MARC). This program aims to increase the number of minority professionals in mental health fields. Reviews the operations and accomplishments of two representative programs. (ML)

This three-year survey of undergraduates (n=330) in science, mathematics, and engineering (SME) majors indicates that a large proportion of those who switch from SME majors acknowledge difficulties that arise from structural and cultural sources rather than from personal inadequacy. Those who persevere make effective use of situational resources…