This study was designed to test how well a commercial intervention with a highly feminized role model (Barbie) worked to improve pre-adolescent girls' interest and performance in computer science. Concurrently, this study examined how overtly feminist texts and images of real women would impact girls compared to the traditional highly feminized…

Similar-identity role models, including instructors, can benefit science undergraduates by enhancing their self-efficacy and sense of belonging. However, for students to have similar-identity role models based on identities that can be hidden, instructors need to disclose their identities. For concealable stigmatized identities (CSIs) - identities…

This phenomenological research study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American male in roles of educational leadership. The study was guided by four research questions. The data was collected from 10 African-American males in roles of educational leadership. Data collection occurred through participants' interviews, which…

Globally, a significant gender gap is reported in the enrolment of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Bangladesh reports one of the lowest female stakeholder percentages in STEM but has increased demand for skilled STEM professionals. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the experiences of undergraduate women…

This case study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an online science enhancement program in retaining ethnic minority students in science by providing them with opportunities to interact with cultural role-models of scientists and engineers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study draws on foundational theories of identity formation and…

Attempting to encourage and retain male primary school teachers can lead to the 'glass escalator' phenomenon, the fast-tracked advancement that men receive in gender-atypical work. Currently, in primary schools, males are disproportionately represented in management positions making up 35% of senior staff, while conversely only making up 15% of…

It has been projected that the U.S. economy will have a surplus of computer science jobs in the future to keep up with innovation and the evolution of the digital world, and more computer science professionals will be needed to fill these jobs. In the past 15-20 years, efforts have been underway that focus on the recruitment and retention of…

The underrepresentation of women and minorities in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a major concern for researchers, policymakers, and educators. Many causes of this issue have been identified over the years. However, effective methods for increasing minorities' and women's participation in STEM may still be…

Research suggests that, to narrow the gender gap in engineering, we should focus on helping young girls identify with engineering both because gendered attitudes emerge around kindergarten and because identity is more predictive than performance on persistence in the field. This qualitative study sought to understand the impact of collaborative…

Despite the growing research that outlines the experiences of Blacks and women undergraduates in engineering, little is known about Black women in this field. The purpose of this qualitative study was to uncover how eight Black undergraduate women in engineering understood their race and gender identities in a culture that can be oppressive to…

While African Americans are overrepresented in Minnesota police shootings and officer-involved fatalities, they are underrepresented in Minnesota law enforcement. The reasons are complex, interconnected, grounded in historical racial barriers and racist practices, and reinforced by current obstacles such as career awareness, concerns about the…

This work focused on the "Psycho-social Determinants of Gender Prejudice in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)". The females were found to be underrepresented in STEM fields. The under-representation results from gender stereotype, differences in spatial skills, hierarchical and territorial segregations and…

This article looks broadly at the critical aspects involved in the "struggle" on different phases of one's academic life in order to observe how underrepresented girls take a variety of experiences with scientists and internalize them into their personal science identities. Some of the central struggles discussed are perceptions of…

This article synthesizes sociopsychological theories and empirical research to establish a framework for exploring causal pathways and targeted interventions for the low representation of women in post-secondary physics. The rationale for this article is based upon disproportionate representation among undergraduate physics majors in the United…

The National Science Foundation recently recognized that career-life balance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) may present some unique challenges for women of color compared with their White and/or male counterparts, thus negatively impacting retention and advancement for a minority demographic that has long been…