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Leading Educational and Academic Directions to Enhance Retention in STEM

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Abstract

The SUCCESS-LEADERS (Leading Educational and Academic Directions to Enhance Retention in STEM) project aims to develop, refine and implement practices that will advance understanding of the factors affecting retention and career pathways of low-income, at-risk populations. The production of academically talented, energetic STEM students with diverse backgrounds trained as leaders capable of propagating transformative mentoring skills will positively impact this nation’s workforce. We aim to produce innovative technological leaders who thrive in a diverse multidisciplinary community. Our institution has a longstanding history of success with NSF STEM education initiatives and has used program assessment to build upon these successes in establishing lasting institutional enterprises based on funded models. The small and supportive nature of a liberal arts college provides significant strength in encouraging at risk students to persist in STEM disciplines through strong mentoring in both curricular and research arenas. As a small liberal arts college offering engineering we are particularly suited to facilitate the development of future leaders of a diverse STEM workforce. This project further broadens our inclusive recruiting strategy by building relationships with small, rural under-resourced public high schools in order to attract and retain talented students to STEM fields. Students originating from rural areas face unique challenges persisting in STEM fields. We aim to address these challenges by providing dedicated mentors and enabling the development of a tight knit, supportive cohort of scholars across disciplines. We focus on professional development activities that build the skills necessary to participate in mentoring activities, both as a mentee and a mentor to others. Connecting scholars with potential mentors, 1) in their peer group; 2) in their discipline as academic advisors; 3) in courses as professors; 4) in research as project advisors; and 5) in the workforce as professional contacts, enables personal growth and professional advancement of both the mentor and mentee. To encourage the students to be proactive in making professional contacts, we stress attendance at seminars within their STEM disciplines. Students are offered an opportunity to participate in the IMPACT program that aims to connect students to STEM professionals in industry. Placing students in the role of mentor, as STEM ambassadors to their community high schools, fosters student leadership and builds capacity for the initiative going forward. The program includes placing STEM students together into general education courses like the “first-year preceptorial” and the “sophomore research seminar” themed with sufficient breadth in order to ask students both to embrace how their discipline can contribute to the emerging concerns within the theme, but also to encourage discourse among the students in different STEM disciplines. In addition to internal assessment conducted as part of the analysis for our current grant, data from a longitudinal retrospective analysis will be presented on the academic and professional pathways of prior NSF-DUE funded students. This will include prior cohorts totaling approximately 90 students who have matriculated over the last decade to compare their academic pathways during their undergraduate years and beyond against similar STEM-oriented students of the same class years in order to critically examine our efforts and identify the most impactful practices in achieving the project goals.
Paper ID #30000
Leading Educational and Academic Directions to Enhance Retention in STEM
Dr. Ronald B. Bucinell, Union College
Dr. Bucinell is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Union College. He is a fellow of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a former fellow of the Kern Family Foundation, a four time
NASA Summer Fellow, and a past awardee of the IBM Faculty Award. He served as Chairman of the
Department of Mechanical Engineering from September 2005 until June 2008, and as Chair of the Union
College Faculty from September 2012 to September 2015. Since joining Union College in September
of 1993, he has taught courses and laboratories in engineering mechanics, design, and entrepreneurship.
His other responsibilities include undergraduate academic advising, senior design project supervision,
undergraduate research supervision, and graduate research supervision. Dr. Bucinell has advised the SAE
Baja, SAE Formula, and projects related to the ASME Human Powered Vehicle project. Dr. Bucinell
has directed the International Virtual Design Studio project that ran in collaboration with the Middle East
Technical University in Ankara, Turkey; Altim University in Ankara, Turkey; and ESIGELEC in Rouen,
France. He also founded a chapter of Engineers Without Boarders at Union College and has traveled
to Boru Village in Ethiopia to develop clean water supplies for the village. Dr. Bucinell supports the
development efforts of many local companies in the areas of advanced materials. Central to these efforts
are his Composites Manufacturing and Experimental Mechanics Laboratories at Union College. Prior
to joining Union College, he spent 10 years in industry and continues to support the development of
technology in local businesses.
Dr. Rebecca Cortez, Union College
Dr. Rebecca Cortez is a materials scientist in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Union Col-
lege. Current research activities include the morphological and electrical characterization of nanoscale
materials and thin films. Interests also include additive manufacturing of metals. Previous research ac-
tivities involved the fabrication and characterization of radio frequency microelectromechanical systems
(MEMS) devices; low-cycle and fretting fatigue testing of metal alloys; and thermal plasma arc processing
for heavy metal immobilization.
Dr. Holli M Frey, Union College
Holli Frey is a professor and department chair of Geology at Union College. Her fields of expertise are
volcanology and igneous petrology, with an emphasis on understanding magma storage conditions and
evolution. She conducts field-based research in Dominica and Oregon and uses a variety of analytical
tools, including bulk and mineral chemistry and zircon geochronology. Holli has been an active member
of the Keck Geology Consortium, which promotes undergraduate research in geology and aims to recruit
underrepresented students into STEM fields.
Prof. Joanne D. Kehlbeck, Union College
Joanne Kehlbeck received her BS in Chemistry from Duquesne University in 1992. She continued her
interest in physical organic chemistry in her doctoral studies with Stuart W. Staley at Carnegie Mellon
University receiving her PhD in 1999. Her multidisciplinary doctoral work combined organic synthe-
sis, ab initio molecular orbital calculations and NMR studies as tools to understand fundamental issues in
charge transfer. In 1999 she moved to Yale University in New Haven, CT to complete postdoctoral studies
under Alanna Schepartz, the Milton Harris ’29 Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Molecular
Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale. While there, Kehlbeck studied the chemical biology of pro-
tein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions and the design of very small, yet well-folded proteins
that inhibit or promote protein-protein interactions with exceptional levels of specificity. In 2002 she took
the position at Union College in Schenectady, NY. She teaches organic chemistry, culinary chemistry and
medicinal chemistry courses. Her research interests span a broad range of topics in chemical biology and
organic chemistry, including design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitors, natural product fractionation and
c
American Society for Engineering Education, 2020
Paper ID #30000
structure determination, synthesis of organic ligands for materials science applications and the study of
evidence based practices in undergraduate education and research that supports inclusivity access, reten-
tion and student success in STEM fields.
Prof. Michael E Hagerman
Dr. David A. Cotter, Union College
David A. Cotter is a sociologist with interests in gender inequality and rural issues. As part of the NSF-
funded (S-STEM) grant (#1742407). ”SUCCESS-LEADERS: Leading Educational and Academic Di-
rections to Enhance Retention in STEM” he has been studying the intersections between gender, race,
class, and place in STEM access and success using both national panel data and data on cohorts of Union
College students.
c
American Society for Engineering Education, 2020
Leading Educational and Academic Directions
to Enhance Retention in STEM
R.B. Bucinell, H.M. Frey, R. Cortez, S. Amanuel, J.D. Kehlbeck, D.A. Cotter, M.E. Hagerman
Union College, Schenectady, NY
This project aims to develop, refine and implement practices that will advance
understanding of the factors affecting retention and career pathways of low-income, at-risk
populations. The production of academically talented, energetic STEM students with diverse
backgrounds trained as leaders capable of propagating transformative mentoring skills will
positively impact this nation’s workforce. We aim to produce innovative technological leaders
who thrive in a diverse multidisciplinary community. Our institution has a longstanding history
of success with NSF STEM education initiatives and has used program assessment to build upon
these successes in establishing lasting institutional enterprises based on funded models. The
small and supportive nature of a liberal arts college provides significant strength in encouraging
at risk students to persist in STEM disciplines through strong mentoring in both curricular and
research arenas. As a small liberal arts college offering engineering we are particularly suited to
facilitate the development of future leaders of a diverse STEM workforce. This project was
funded by NSF DUE-S-STEM Track 2: Design & Development.
Introduction
The need for expanding the STEM workforce in the United States has been well articulated
by the National Academies [1-5]. These reports also identify the importance of a more diverse
STEM workforce and the challenges associated with attracting underrepresented groups to
STEM fields. The SUCCESS-LEADERS (Leading Educational and Academic Directions to
Enhance Retention in STEM) project aims to develop, refine and implement practices that will
advance understanding of the factors affecting retention and career pathways of low-income, at-
risk, and underrepresented populations in rural communities.
The focus of this project on underrepresented groups in rural areas was motivated by the
High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLSO9) [6] that was sponsored by the Department of
Education. This study sampled 23,000+ students across 944 high schools. This study followed
students from 9th grade through approximately three years past high school. This study found
that rural or town males and females were less likely, compared to their suburban and urban
counterparts, to pursue STEM majors (Figure 1), enroll in highly selective four year schools
(Figure 2), perform research projects with faculty members in college (Figure 3), and were more
likely to leave STEM majors (Figure 4).
Figure 1: Results from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS09) [6] showing the
distribution of STEM majors in college by gender and place
Figure 2: Results from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS09) [6] showing
STEM enrollments at highly selective four year schools by gender and place.
Figure 3: Results from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS09) [6] showing
STEM majors that reported working on a research project with faculty members as
undergraduates.
This project further broadens our inclusive recruiting strategy by building relationships with
small, rural under-resourced public high schools in order to attract and retain talented students to
STEM fields. Students originating from rural areas face unique challenges persisting in STEM
fields. We aim to address these challenges by providing dedicated mentors and enabling the
development of a tight knit, supportive cohort of scholars across disciplines. We focus on
professional development activities that build the skills necessary to participate in mentoring
activities, both as a mentee and a mentor to others. Connecting scholars with potential mentors,
1) in their peer group; 2) in their discipline as academic advisors; 3) in courses as professors; 4)
in research as project advisors; and 5) in the workforce as professional contacts, enables personal
growth and professional advancement of both the mentor and mentee. To encourage the students
to be proactive in making professional contacts, we stress attendance at seminars within their
STEM disciplines. Students are offered an opportunity to participate in the IMPACT program
that aims to connect students to STEM professionals in industry. Placing students in the role of
mentor, as STEM ambassadors to their community high schools, fosters student leadership and
builds capacity for the initiative going forward. The program includes placing STEM students
together into general education courses like the “first-year preceptorial” and the “sophomore
research seminar” themed with sufficient breadth in order to ask students both to embrace how
their discipline can contribute to the emerging concerns within the theme, but also to encourage
discourse among the students in different STEM disciplines.
In addition to internal assessment conducted as part of the analysis for our current grant,
data from a longitudinal retrospective analysis will be presented on the academic and
professional pathways of prior NSF-DUE funded students. This will include prior cohorts
totaling approximately 90 students who have matriculated over the last decade to compare their
academic pathways during their undergraduate years and beyond against similar STEM-oriented
students of the same class years in order to critically examine our efforts and identify the most
impactful practices in achieving the project goals.
Figure 4: Results from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS09) [6] showing
STEM majors that reported working on a research project with faculty members as
undergraduates.
The development of this project was informed by four previously supported NSF projects
dating back over a decade.
1. DUE-0324165; 9/1/03-8/31/08; “Helping Promising Students Enhance their Future.” The
CSEM program components were designed to: 1) provide support for students in
introductory STEM courses through supplemental learning in engineering and computer
science courses; 2) enhance opportunities for career exploration; 3) provide internships and
research opportunities earlier in their academic career; 4) provide peer and alumni mentoring;
and 5) enhance communication and study skills through additional assessment and more
individualized programs.
2. DUE-0631082; 1/1/07-12/31/12; “Supporting Scholars in Science and Engineering.” The
goals of this project were to: 1) improve recruitment and retention of academically-talented
students in STEM fields; 2) increase the number of women in engineering, physics, and
computer science, and underrepresented groups in all disciplines; 3) provide students with
opportunities to enhance their education through research, study abroad, internships, and
leadership training; and 4) enable these students to make connections between their major
and other disciplines through pursuit of a minor, interdepartmental, or dual major.
3. DUE-0850242; 9/1/09-8/31/14; “Supporting Scholars in Science and Engineering.” The
goals of this project were to: 1) improve recruitment and retention of academically-talented
students in STEM fields at Union; 2) increase the number of women in engineering, physics,
and computer science, and underrepresented groups in all disciplines; 3) provide students
with opportunities to enhance their education through exposure to summer research
opportunities, internships, study abroad, and leadership training; and 4) enable Scholars to
make connections between their major and other disciplines through pursuit of a dual major,
minor or interdisciplinary major.
4. DUE-1356398; 3/1/14-2/28/19; “SUCCESS: Stimulating Undergraduates: Creating
Contributors in Engineering and Science for Society.” The overall goals of the proposed
project are to: 1) increase the number of applications and admissions from academically-
talented students from under-resourced, rural high schools 2) improve retention and success
of these students in STEM fields by specifically addressing the challenges faced by students
from small, rural high schools with limited academic opportunities; 3) increase the number of
women in engineering, physics, mathematics and computer science, and underrepresented
groups in all disciplines; 4) provide students with early introduction to research
opportunities, connections to industry and internships, study abroad, and leadership training;
and 5) improve undergraduate educational experiences and promote professional
advancement by facilitating fruitful mentoring relationships.
Many the successful program elements implemented under the prior S-STEM projects were
structured to targeted student engagement from identified rural schools. These elements
designed to encourage scholars to achieve their best academic performance and enable them to
enter the workforce or continue studies in their fields support the key program components of:
multi-dimensional mentoring with discipline-specific advising; enhanced academic programming
with active learning communities; critical student support services focused on addressing points
of attrition; and opportunities to develop leadership and mentoring skills.
Project Objectives
The objectives of this project are to: 1) increase the number of applications and
admissions from academically-talented students from under-resourced, rural high schools 2)
improve retention and success of these students in STEM fields by specifically addressing the
challenges faced by students with limited academic opportunities; 3) increase the number of
women in engineering, physics, mathematics and computer science, and underrepresented groups
in all disciplines; 4) provide students with opportunities to enhance their education through early
introduction to research opportunities, connections to industry and internships, study abroad, and
leadership training; 5) improve undergraduate educational experiences and promote professional
advancement by facilitating fruitful mentoring relationships in order to address typical areas of
attrition in STEM; and 6) use evidence from a retrospective longitudinal study to assess the long
range impact of the elements refined through NSF funded initiatives that were designed to retain
at-risk populations in STEM.
Project Description and Participation
The key elements of this project are designed to encourage the scholars to achieve their
best academic performance and enable them to enter the workforce or continue studies in their
fields support the key program components of: multi-dimensional mentoring with discipline-
specific advising; enhanced academic programming with active learning communities; critical
student support services focused on addressing points of attrition; and opportunities to develop
leadership and mentoring skills. Specific objectives include:
1. Weekly cohort luncheon meetings led by the Cohort Mentors that generate a productive
learning community where Scholars with diverse STEM interests gather to share experiences.
Intercohort meetings encourage peer-to-peer mentoring relationships.
2. Faculty research lab crawls allow Scholars early in their academic career to explore
interdisciplinary research endeavors that engage Union faculty and students in active learning
communities.
3. Workshops introducing support services and developing professional skills will highlight the
skills necessary to participate in beneficial mentoring relationships, both as a mentor and a
mentee.
4. Visits and tours hosted by local STEM professionals will enhance Scholars’ exposure to a
wide range of career options and build connections between the liberal education and
workforce learning. Professionals in areas such as semiconductor research and applied
statistics at a local nuclear propulsion laboratory will share their experiences. Scholars will
also engage in outreach by visiting their high schools to connect to their community and
propagate Union’s SUCCESS initiative.
5. Scholar cohort placement in the same class section of introductory STEM courses is aimed to
encourage study groups and enable intracohort mentoring and Common residential housing
encourages bonding in a social learning community taking advantage of Union’s Minerva
House System.
6. Scholar Research Seminar on STEM topics designed to introduce scholars to research skills
in STEM and demonstrate the value of multidisciplinary approaches to address important
research questions.
7. Continuous and sustained research experiences including a summer research opportunity for
scholars after their first year, participation in the Scholars Research Project during their
second year, and continued engagement in research practica thereafter culminating in a
senior thesis research
The first cohort of students entered this project in the Fall of 2018. The cohort consisted
of 9 females and 1 male. The initial cohort is still persisting in STEM in majors in Engineering,
computer science, and the physical sciences. The second cohort of students was admitted in the
Fall 2019. In this cohort there are 6 females and 4 males. These students are still first year
students, so it is too early to identify them by major.
Conclusions
The weekly meetings with the students have had the desired effect of building a tight
bond between the members of the cohort. The lab crawls have made it much easier for the
students to identify opportunities within faculty laboratories for research experiences. Several of
the students are now working in faculty labs. The common Scholar Research Seminar helped to
build a strong academic bond between the students, even though they are in different majors.
This project also was identified by Insight into Diversity magazine as one of the 2019 Inspiring
Programs in STEM.
Acknowledgement
This research partially supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM) grant (#1742407). “SUCCESS-
LEADERS: Leading Educational and Academic Directions to Enhance Retention in STEM”
References
[1] Sargent, J.F.; “The U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce: Recent, Current, and Projected
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[3] National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine; “Promising Practices for
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[4] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; “Developing a National STEM
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[6] Radford, A.W., Fritch, L.B., Leu, K., and Duprey, M. (2018). High School Longitudinal
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(NCES 2018-139). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for
Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
The U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce: Recent, Current, and Projected Employment, Wages, and Unemployment
  • J F Sargent
Sargent, J.F.; "The U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce: Recent, Current, and Projected Employment, Wages, and Unemployment;" Congressional Research Service; 7-5700; R43061 (2017).
Convergence: Facilitating Transdisciplinary Integration of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Beyond
  • National Research
  • Council
National Research Council; "Convergence: Facilitating Transdisciplinary Integration of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Beyond;" Washington, DC: The National Academies Press (2014);
High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) Second Follow-Up: A First Look at Fall 2009 Ninth-Graders in 2016 (NCES 2018-139). U.S. Department of Education
  • A W Radford
  • L B Fritch
  • K Leu
  • M Duprey
Radford, A.W., Fritch, L.B., Leu, K., and Duprey, M. (2018). High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) Second Follow-Up: A First Look at Fall 2009 Ninth-Graders in 2016 (NCES 2018-139). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.