For many years, studies have shown that undergraduate research experiences have numerous positive effects on students. This study seeks to determine if students get more benefit from having multiple undergraduate research experiences. Specifically, this study considered how students' self-efficacy and STEM belonging changed as a result of multiple…

Given its ongoing struggles at attaining demographic diversity and its key role in nations' economies, the engineering workforce receives considerable attention from researchers and policymakers. Yet, prior studies and STEM recruitment initiatives have often underemphasized the variety among available engineering jobs and careers. It therefore…

As higher education institutions look to educate and graduate degree earners that have the skills and knowledge necessary to design, communicate, and collaborate in ways that allow for innovative solutions to complex socio-technical challenges, new approaches to educational efforts are being considered and implemented. Institutional responses have…

Racial and ethnic disparities in STEM achievement are associated with weaker economic growth, greater social inequalities, and narrower parameters of scientific inquiry. Extant research suggests that undergraduate research experiences (URE) can reduce those disparities by enhancing perceptions of belonging and scientific self-efficacy among…

This article reports on a multi-method study of a high school course in data science, finding that students who take data science take more mathematics courses than those who do not, there are more under-represented students in data science than is typical for other advanced mathematics courses; that the students who take data science are more…

As federal strategic plans prioritize increasing diversity within the biomedical workforce, and STEM training and outreach programs seek to recruit and retain students from historically underrepresented populations, there is a need for interrogation of traditional demographic descriptors and careful consideration of best practices for obtaining…

In this article, we draw from our collaboration across a diverse cadre of colleagues who have focused on different aspects of teaching, higher education, and carcerality. In particular, our research team, known as STEM-OPS (STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings), studied higher education in prison with a specific focus on science, technology,…

It appears that a disconnect may exist between the taught curriculum in middle school and the real-world applications of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts, leaving students underprepared to envision themselves in future STEM roles. This two-cycle action research study investigated the connection between middle school…

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) continues administering its five-year grant, "Promoting Excellence in Graduate Education and Increasing Hispanic STEM Related Degree Completion," that began in the Fall of 2019 to strengthen the STEM program support for students of Latino origin and develop a Graduate School-Going culture…

People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States. While nothing about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, jobs, or workplaces would seem to inherently exclude people with disabilities, in practice, stigma and discrimination continue to limit opportunities for disabled people to fully…

The "chilly" science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) climate in undergraduate settings has been widely documented, as women in STEM majors frequently face discrimination, microaggressions, and implicit bias from their professors and peers. While undergraduate research experiences can help women in STEM overcome some of…

Solar eclipses are a rare phenomenon that everyone should have the opportunity to explore in depth. This article describes two programs developed by a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach center with the goal of bringing the excitement of eclipses to all learners. The STEM outreach center collaborated with local…

General Chemistry I is known as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) gatekeeper, often playing a role in determining students' STEM college pathways and their career prospects. However, there have been recent efforts to transform General Chemistry I from a gatekeeper course into a gateway course by implementing equity approaches.…

Attracting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics majors, particularly those who are underrepresented, is a national concern. While undergraduate research experiences have been shown to increase retention and engagement, inequities in access exacerbate disparities. Understanding what hinders or facilitates the…

Background/Context: As students increasingly enroll in online postsecondary courses, instructors and students need new strategies to maintain engagement, motivation, and sense of belonging to have academic success, particularly for historically disadvantaged students. This study focuses on improving student success in online postsecondary STEM…