Examination of student-faculty interaction in STEM research projects among transfer students of color

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of transfer students of color participating in a STEM research program. This examination focused specifically on student-faculty interactions. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine students and participant observations were performed at a large regional urban public four-year university in the southwestern portion of the United States. I used Spradley's ethnographic concepts, a cultural thematic analysis, for interviews and observations to conduct the research for this study. Using Rendón's theory of validation, I found that student-faculty relations and the commitment of faculty played important roles in the academic and social experiences of transfer students of color in the engineering and computer science fields. The findings further indicate that student-faculty relationships impact and shape the experiences of students of color in career development and career aspirations. The themes that emerged support the experiences of students of color as they participated in STEM research. Frequent communication, structured research-related workshops, a strong research culture, and connections of research to academic progress help transfer students of color face challenges as they participated in a faculty STEM research program.