The underrepresentation of African Americans in STEM careers is no new phenomenon. In fact, 2018 statistics posit that African American representation in STEM careers sits around 9%. Both current literature and researchers recognize the need to increase Black representation in STEM fields and have therefore explored academic and professional…

Citizen science, a field and practice that commonly involves 'non experts' engaging in scientific activities, is an avenue of science engagement that commonly results in increased scientific knowledge, literacy, and skills for the volunteers that participate. In recent years there have been increasing efforts to better understand the myriad…

Despite their high performance in STEM disciplines and earning top grades in math and science classes, many academically talented girls often leave STEM majors or shy away from careers in STEM. Understanding why bright and talented girls leave STEM majors requires an in-depth understanding of the factors that predict their success and retention in…

Background: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics is an international, extra-curricular program that fosters young students' interpersonal skills and career choices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). FIRST teams are guided by mentors, about half of whom are also mentees. Purpose: To…

In this dissertation study, I aimed to 1) investigate gender patterns in students' career aspirations, in both STEM and non-STEM fields, and 2) identify factors contributing to persistent gender differences within specific STEM disciplines. Drawing on Gottfredson's (1983) model of circumscription and compromise, I examined gender patterns and…

Hispanic/Latinx young adults remain significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, yet the role families play in these young adults' trajectories in STEM is still underexamined. The purpose of this study was to examine the relational supports and constraints that Hispanic/Latinx college students…

Using a mixed-method approach, researchers examined college instructors' use of a virtual lab simulation library, Labster, students' perceptions of the simulations on their learning and future STEM plans, as well as data from the library to explore patterns of lab use and quiz scores. A detailed look at Contemporary Biology I and Biology II quiz…

This small-scale exploratory qualitative study examined the career decision-making process of six talented engineering university graduates in Hong Kong. The aim was to investigate major influential factors and barriers that impact their career aspirations and their persistence in remaining in that career. Semi-structured interviews were conducted…

The characteristics of early-age children, such as curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, align with the essential attributes of STEM education. Consequently, it is important to examine the perspectives of children's picture books regarding STEM professions (gender, field of study, inferred action, etc.). Children's picture books tailored for…

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) was awarded a two-year NSF grant, "ADVANCE Catalyst: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions", that began in Fall 2022 to examine potential systemic barriers against female faculty of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in recruitment,…

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that students and educators are able to interact in higher education settings, and timely investigations into its impact on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students are of critical importance. In a continued effort to provide student data to chemistry educators, we offer a…

Using data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, this paper compares the earnings premium and employment share of jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) across 11 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The results reveal that the STEM wage premium…

Using data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, this paper compares the earnings premium and employment share of jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) across 11 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The results reveal that the STEM wage premium…

Background: Despite the significant relationship between life satisfaction and education, less is known about the connection between life satisfaction and informal learning in the context of training and apprenticeship programs. This paper examines the influence of the LaunchCode program, a novel training and apprentice program in STEM, on…

Advances in online geospatial technologies (GST) have expanded access to K-12 classrooms which has implications for the support teachers require to effectively integrate GSTs to promote learning. Previous studies have shown the impact of GST-integrated lessons on student engagement, spatial thinking skills, and/or content knowledge; however, most…