ECR Projects

Explore past and current fundamental STEM education research projects across the three research areas that NSF's EDU Core Research (ECR) program funds, as well as across ECR funding types. Other search filters draw from both NSF's data and the ECR Hub's hand coding of award abstracts.

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Broadening Participation in STEM Broadening Participation in STEM

Examining the Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities on Persistence of African American Women in STEM

Effective Years: 2019-2021

The project examines factors that influence the persistence of African American women in STEM that graduated from an Historically Black College or University (HBCU) by exploring National Center for Education Statistics datasets. The research project will use an intersectionality approach to study gender and race to better understand the experiences of underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines at HBCUs. The investigator used the National Postdoctoral Association guidelines to identify gaps in discipline-specific conceptual knowledge and STEM education research skills that would be needed to complete the research project and advance a STEM education research career. The investigator will implement a professional development plan to improve research skills in intersectionality research and mixed-methods research methodologies. Research skills will be enhanced through a mixed-methods research certificate program, institutes and workshops, mentoring from an advisory board, and conferences. The proposed project will contribute knowledge about how the HBCU learning environment impacts STEM persistence among African American women and position the PI to become an active STEM education researcher.

The investigator will complete an exploratory project that examines patterns among African American women who completed a STEM degree at an HBCU using the two Postsecondary Education Transcript Studies. Use of the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study and the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study will allow data mining to conduct the analyses to answer he overarching research question: To what extent does HBCU attendance impact STEM persistence for African American women? The research will examine academic factors and financial variables that influence persistence. The study also will consider relevant policies to contextualize the study findings. The research will contribute to advancing knowledge of how the HBCU experience impacts STEM persistence and pathways to graduate education and the workforce for African American women.

The project is supported through the EHR Core Research Building Capacity in STEM Education research competition that is designed to build individuals' capacity to carry out high quality fundamental STEM education research in STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.