Persistence across undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs is exceptionally low. Recent studies have shown that social support and sense of belonging are particularly important for students who are historically underrepresented in STEM, yet few interventions have directly targeted or investigated these…

The retention disparities in undergraduate degree attainment are a persistent problem within the United States, especially for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), first-generation and low-income students, and women (referred to as marginalized groups in STEM [MGS] hereafter) pursuing STEM degrees. The following exploratory article…

Understanding how to foster belonging and ensure equitable engagement in STEM fields for diverse students is a critical need in education today. Despite substantial growth in the STEM workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023; NSF, 2023a), there remain persistent gender and racial/ethnic gaps in students' access to advanced STEM education,…

Numerous reports focus on why girls and women do not pursue and persist in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) study or careers, and how to influence their Interest. Since human affects, like Interest, are ever-changing, multi-dimensional, and connected constructs, their study is difficult. Some researchers, including myself,…

This dissertation investigated predictors of scientific civic engagement among undergraduate students through a multimethod approach, focusing on how educational experiences shaped students' engagement with their communities using scientific skills. This multipart study addressed gaps in understanding how educational practices, identity, and sense…

Pre-university bridging programs can address the significant under-representation of Indigenous students in Australian universities by providing culturally supported alternative pathways into undergraduate study. However, successful completion of bridging programs does not always correlate with university enrolment for Indigenous students. This…

This study sought to understand how underrepresented racially minoritized and first-generation college students experienced and made sense of the challenges from taking introductory sciences courses in their first year at a small liberal arts college. Metacognition was the theoretical framework in consideration due to its non-disciplinarity and…

Development and use of validated assessments in physics provide insight into student understanding of physics concepts and can be utilized to track student learning across time and instructional strategies. These tools can be used to gauge the efficacy of interventions designed to support students and persistence, and allow instructors to make…