An Exploration Of Factors That Shape Underrepresented Student Experiences In Undergraduate Research With Engineering And Computer Science Faculty

The underrepresentation of students of color in higher education in STEM fields is alarming. The National Center for Education Statistics (2016a) reported that African-American and Hispanic college enrollment is up by more than a million students since 2008, but African-Americans received just 7.1 percent of all STEM bachelor's degrees and Hispanics received just 10.2 percent of all bachelor's degrees compared to 65.8 percent of their White counterparts (NCES, 2016 a). The purpose of this research study is to examine the undergraduate research experiences of historically underrepresented two- and four-year university students in engineering and computer science with faculty from participation in summer faculty research, part of the Connect program at Northwest State University (NWSU). Specifically, this study explored the experiences of underrepresented students related to career and academic development while participating in Connect's undergraduate research program. This study used a mixed-methods design to examine (a) changes in outcomes, attitudes, and behaviors of Latino/a and low-income two- and four-year university students in engineering and computer science from participation in a summer faculty research program. Working with survey research, the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA), and focus group interviews, the study examined how participation in faculty summer research shapes Latino/a and low-income student experiences with peers and faculty and outcomes related to academic and social development and career preparation. Using Weidman's model of undergraduate socialization (Weidman, 1989), results revealed that student-faculty and peer interactions and relationships played important roles in the academic and social experiences of historically underrepresented students in engineering and computer science. The results further indicate that student-faculty and peer relationships shape the experience of underrepresented students in career development and aspirations.