Background: Despite a well-documented underrepresentation of women in STEM majors and occupations, empirical evidence on whether there really is a "leaky STEM pipeline" is mixed due to a lack of methodological consistency. Studies vary by (1) the definition of STEM, (2) the decision to measure choices alone or to also include…

Programs in bioinformatics, offered in many academic institutes, are assumed to expand women's representation in computer science (CS). Women's enrolment in these programs is high. Our questions are: Do these programs attract different women from those attracted to CS programs? What factors underlie women's decision to enroll in bioinformatics…

It is important to consider the cultural and community assets that influence Black girls' intentions to pursue higher education, such as parental messages on degree attainment and college success. The present qualitative study explored how high-achieving Black women perceived and internalized the college preparation socialization they received…

Finland is known worldwide for their strong K-12 education system and robust gender equality across their nation. However, these facts have not translated into strong representation of women in physics degree attainment and the workforce. This study seeks to understand the motivations and consideration to leave of university physics students in…

Background: Women and under-represented minority (URM) students continue to be under-represented in STEM and earn the lowest proportion of undergraduate engineering degrees. We employed a mixed methods research approach grounded in social capital theory to investigate "when" they first consider pursuing engineering as a college degree…

Past research has established educational aspiration as an important factor leading to future planning and academic attainment, but there is a lack of scholarly attention to the role of educational aspiration in the pursuit of graduate education. Using a recent nationally representative sample of college graduates, this study examines educational…

Hispanics, and women in particular, continue to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this study was to analyze cognitive and motivational factors that inspired Hispanic female college students to major in STEM programs and aspire to academic success. This mixed methods study…

The current work examines whether a brief exposure to a computer science role model who fits stereotypes of computer scientists has a lasting influence on women's interest in the field. One-hundred undergraduate women who were not computer science majors met a female or male peer role model who embodied computer science stereotypes in appearance…

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at all levels of higher education, which has become a concern in the competitive global marketplace. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, this dissertation sought to learn more about how the campus climate and self-concept influence the degree…

The purpose of this study was to determine how and to what extent single gender science classes affect motivation to learn scientific concepts, interest in science, and college major intent among high school and middle school girls. This study was designed to determine whether students' motivation to learn science changes when they are placed in a…

Community colleges are a critical resource for women seeking to achieve economic security and stability, yet many women who are community college students face challenges that make it difficult to persist in their education and complete their degrees. To understand the circumstances and experiences of female community college students in…

Female participation in engineering has never topped 20% nationally for the proportion of bachelor's degrees earned by women. Research on this topic, as well as related self-esteem literature, suggest that women may be more likely than men to leave engineering if they have unmet grade expectations. Additionally, the presence of more women in…

Increasing the number of students who complete advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a compelling national interest. Although college science and engineering degree completion rates have improved considerably over the past few decades, significant gaps persist among women and students of color. Gaps…

Examines the relationship among sex-role attitudes, curriculum choice, and levels of educational and occupational aspirations and expectations of college students enrolled in home economics and agricultural curriculums. Results show that sex-role ideology is only weakly associated with curriculum choice but is related to career ambitions for…

This study tested a partial version of R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, and G. Hackett's (1994) social-cognitive career theory model. Among 204 high school girls who attended science, math, and engineering (SME) career conferences, the authors used a 4-year longitudinal design to predict the choice of an SME college major and SME self-efficacy and outcome…