The Pathways Undergraduate Researchers Program is a paid, nine-week summer internship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. It targets rising first-, second-, and third-year college students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research. This paper describes how the internship impacted students' awareness of biomedical careers,…

Purpose: Research internships are integral components of undergraduate programs that nurture students' skill sets. However, the current trend of these internships adopting a direct apprenticeship model, often termed "cookbook" laboratory sessions, falls short of cultivating 21st-century skills. Therefore, this study proposes an…

The shortage of STEM workers, particularly in computer science, is compounded by the underrepresentation of women and certain minoritized racial/ethnic groups in these fields. Efforts to address worker shortages and broaden participation include improving traditional STEM education pathways and creating alternative pathways. While persistence has…

Underestimating the important role that disability plays in our growing world, the environment, and our inter-dependent economies is no longer acceptable. Far from being placed in a subaltern position, disability plays a significant role in theory and research development in the most recent waves of initiatives addressing work, resources, and the…

In this study, we explored (a) how Latina undergraduate students negotiated their multiple identities while participating in a research internship designed to create spaces that counter master narratives, and the forms of cultural wealth that were implicated in these identity negotiations, and (b) ways in which the various elements of the research…

Internships are considered "high-impact practices" offering students transformative opportunities to develop new skills and professional identities while immersed in workplace culture. They have also been pinpointed as key to improving student success and employment within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.…

Recent years have seen an explosion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research leading to myriad practical applications. This backdrop serves as a powerful motivator for students. George Mason University hosts an annual Aspiring Students Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) for students to participate as interns in ongoing…

In this dissertation, I present readers with three studies about the ways in which science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research experiences impact undergraduate learning, perspectives, and academic/career activities. In the first two studies I focus on this topic by investigating the ways in which undergraduates were impacted…

Designing a lesson plan for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an important skill in STEM teaching. It requires systematic training that begins at the pre-service stage. It is particularly difficult to help pre-service teachers (PSTs) develop their ability to design an integrated STEM learning unit that features…

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center Academy (Hillman Academy) has the primary goal of reaching high school students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds and guiding them through a cutting-edge research and professional development experience that positions them for success in STEM. With this focus, the…

This study examined opportunities for enhancing transfer outcomes for community college students through summer research opportunities at a university. It emphasizes the significance of academic capital, derived from Bourdieu's cultural capital theory, in facilitating successful transfers. By offering ten-week paid summer research opportunities at…

The nation's need for a diverse and competent Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce contributing to economic growth, global competitiveness, and innovation is a primary policy driver for broadening participation in STEM. Yet, social justice and ethics policies dating as far back as the civil rights movement and earlier…

There are concerns that teacher shortages in the STEM field will lead to a downfall in the U.S. economy and security of the nation. The internship program was created to provide the STEM majors in Texas A & M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) and its partner community colleges an opportunity to observe and participate in STEM education and…

There is currently a heavy emphasis on career-connected learning for high school students in New York City. ExpandED Schools' science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Options (ES Options) program predates the newest of these initiatives. Launched in 2019, ES Options combines a credit-bearing STEM apprenticeship in the spring with a…

The focus of this research is on Native American students participating in science internships in tribal college and university settings. Drawing on data collected through annual evaluations of two Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) internship programs over a number of years, one at a tribal college and one at a university, the research…