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1. Paths into and out of STEM fields: A qualitative study of women and students of color at a predominately white institution

   https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.22002  

   Fredricks, Jennifer_A ; Cotter, David_A ; Lafontant, Denesha ( November 2024 , Journal of Research in Science Teaching)

   This phenomenological study examines how women and Students of Color who attend a small undergraduate predominately white institution (PWI) make meaning of their experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and how individual and contextual factors influence whether they decide to stay, leave, or add an STEM major. We conducted qualitative interviews with 50 juniors and seniors across three participation pathways: (1) students who entered college with an interest in an STEM major and are still an STEM major, (2) students who entered college with an interest in a non‐STEM major and switched to an STEM major, and (3) students who entered college with an interest in an STEM major and changed to a non‐STEM major. Students' descriptions of the factors that influenced their academic choices support the tenets of the situated expectancy‐value theory. Themes related to expectancies for success, value beliefs, and teachers and peers are presented. Implications of these findings for retaining underrepresented students in STEM majors are discussed.

    

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2. Derivation of the ion equation

   Grenier, E ( March 2020 , Quarterly of applied mathematics)

   We consider the classical Euler-Poisson system for electrons and ions, interacting through an electrostatic field. The mass ratio of an electron and an ion is small and we establish an asymptotic expansion of solutions, where the main term is obtained from a solution to a self-consistent equation involving only the ion variables. Moreover, on R^3, the validity of such an expansion is established even with \ill-prepared" Cauchy data, by including an additional initial layer correction. 

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3. Derivation of the ion equation

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1090/qam/1558  

   E. Grenier, Y. Guo ( September 2019 , Quarterly of applied mathematics)

   We consider the classical Euler-Poisson system for electrons and ions, interacting through an electrostatic field. The mass ratio of an electron and an ion $ m_e/M_i\ll 1$ is small and we establish an asymptotic expansion of solutions, where the main term is obtained from a solution to a self-consistent equation involving only the ion variables. Moreover, on $ \mathbb{R}^3$, the validity of such an expansion is established even with ``ill-prepared'' Cauchy data, by including an additional initial layer correction. 

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4. Culturally-based Ethical Barriers for American Indian/Alaska Native Students and Professionals in Engineering

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--36888  

   Ingram, Jani ; Castagno, Angelina ; Camplain, Ricky ; Blackhorse, Davona ( September 2022 , 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access)

   Prior research suggests various reasons for the paucity of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people in engineering fields, including academic deficiencies, lack of role models, and minimal financial support to pursue a college education. One potential reason that has yet to be explored relates to the cultural and spiritual barriers that could deter AI/AN people from feeling a sense of belonging in engineering fields. These barriers may create obstacles to progressing through engineering career pathways. Our research investigates the range and variation of cultural/spiritual/ethical issues that may be affecting AI/AN people’s success in engineering and other science, technology, and mathematics fields. The work reported here focuses on findings from students and professionals in engineering fields specifically. The study seeks to answer two research questions: (1) What ethical issues do AI/AN students and professionals in engineering fields experience, and how do they navigate these issues?, and (2) Do ethical issues impede AI/AN students from pursuing engineering careers, and if so, how? We distributed an online survey to AI/AN college students (undergraduate and graduate) and professionals in STEM fields, including engineers, in the western United States region. Our results indicate strong connections to AI/AN culture by the participants in the study as well as some cultural, ethical, and/or spiritual barriers that exist for AI/AN individuals in the engineering field. The AI/AN professionals had less concerns with respect to activities that may conflict with AI/AN cultural customs compared to the students, which may be a result of the professionals having gained experiences that allow them to navigate these situations. Overall, our research offers insights for policy and practice within higher education institutions with engineering majors and/or graduate programs and organizations that employ engineering professionals. 

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5. Culturally-based Ethical Barriers for American Indian/Alaska Native Students and Professionals in Engineering

   J. C. Ingram, A. E. ( January 2021 , 2021 ASEE Conference & Exhibition)

   Qin Zhu, PhD Assistant Professor (Ed.)

   Prior research suggests various reasons for the paucity of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people in engineering fields, including academic deficiencies, lack of role models, and minimal financial support to pursue a college education. One potential reason that has yet to be explored relates to the cultural and spiritual barriers that could deter AI/AN people from feeling a sense of belonging in engineering fields. These barriers may create obstacles to progressing through engineering career pathways. Our research investigates the range and variation of cultural/spiritual/ethical issues that may be affecting AI/AN people’s success in engineering and other science, technology, and mathematics fields. The work reported here focuses on findings from students and professionals in engineering fields specifically. The study seeks to answer two research questions: (1) What ethical issues do AI/AN students and professionals in engineering fields experience, and how do they navigate these issues?, and (2) Do ethical issues impede AI/AN students from pursuing engineering careers, and if so, how? We distributed an online survey to AI/AN college students (undergraduate and graduate) and professionals in STEM fields, including engineers, in the western United States region. Our results indicate strong connections to AI/AN culture by the participants in the study as well as some cultural, ethical, and/or spiritual barriers that exist for AI/AN individuals in the engineering field. The AI/AN professionals had less concerns with respect to activities that may conflict with AI/AN cultural customs compared to the students, which may be a result of the professionals having gained experiences that allow them to navigate these situations. Overall, our research offers insights for policy and practice within higher education institutions with engineering majors and/or graduate programs and organizations that employ engineering professionals 

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