Cultivating PhD Aspirations during College

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career barriers persist for individuals from marginalized communities due to financial and educational inequality, unconscious bias, and other disadvantaging factors. To evaluate differences in plans and interests between historically underrepresented (UR) and well-represented (WR) groups, we surveyed more than 3000 undergraduates enrolled in chemistry courses. Survey responses showed all groups arrived on campus with similar interests in learning more about science research. Over the 4 years of college, WR students maintained their interest levels, but UR students did not, creating a widening gap between the groups. Without intervention, UR students participated in lab research at lower rates than their WR peers. A case study pilot program, Biosciences Collaborative for Research Engagement (BioCoRE), encouraged STEM research exploration by undergraduates from marginalized communities. BioCoRE provided mentoring and programming that increased community cohesion and cultivated students' intrinsic scientific mindsets. Our data showed that there was no statistical significant difference between BioCoRE WR and UR students when surveyed about plans for a medical profession, graduate school, and laboratory scientific research. In addition, BioCoRE participants reported higher levels of confidence in conducting research than non-BioCoRE Scholars. We now have the highest annual number of UR students moving into PhD programs in our institution's history.

FIGURE 1.

Undergraduate STEM major completion rates: a comparison of outcomes before (Graduates 2009–2012, N = 6560) and after (Graduates 2013–2016, N = 6743) a major curricular revision in the chemistry department. Low SAT mathematics (SATM) is the group of students who are at the bottom quartile for their matriculating class on the SAT mathematics or corresponding ACT mathematics section.

FIGURE 2.

Illustrative examples of research, financial, and community support for undergraduate BioCoRE Scholars, including intentional interactions with graduate students and faculty.

FIGURE 3.

Fall (F), Spring (Sp) and Summer (S) semester timeline for the BioCoRE program. The graduate student portions of the program have been fully institutionalized; the undergraduate program is partially institutionalized as we seek extramural funding after a small gap.

FIGURE 4.

Scree plot showing distribution of factors by their eigenvalues. An eigenvalue is the variance of the factor. Because this is an unrotated solution, the first factor will account for the most variance, the second will account for the second-highest amount of variance, and so on. The plot displays an “elbow” (shown by the red circle). This point of the curve represents the threshold chosen for retention of the initial factors extracted from the observed variables that maximize the variance accounted for.

FIGURE 5.

Self-reported average level of agreement to survey statements vs. year in college. Well-represented general population group, n = 2204. Underrepresented general population group, n = 851.

FIGURE 6.

Self-reported average level of agreement to survey statements vs. year in college. Study group, n = 31. Comparison group, n = 500.