skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


  • NSF Public Access
  • Search Results
  • The Powerful Impact of Positive and Negative Interactions with STEM Faculty on Undergraduates, Especially Underrepresented and Transfer Students
Title: The Powerful Impact of Positive and Negative Interactions with STEM Faculty on Undergraduates, Especially Underrepresented and Transfer Students
Despite clear links to improving college outcomes, descriptive details about the kinds of student-faculty interactions that are most helpful for STEM students are less well understood. In this qualitative interview study, we investigate what micro interactions are most helpful – and consequential – for STEM students’ persistence and success, especially transfer students. We found that students who experienced positive, caring interactions with at least one faculty member in their major tended to feel more connected to their discipline, had greater confidence in their abilities in STEM, and often put forth more effort in their studies. Transfer students were especially impacted by the quality of care they received from faculty; those who had negative experiences with faculty were often left feeling less capable and discouraged to continue in their STEM discipline. STEM faculty should show interest in students’ learning and long-term academic and career goals and provide sufficient availability for one-on-one help.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1761185
PAR ID:
10629716
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group
Date Published:
Journal Name:
College Teaching
ISSN:
8756-7555
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1 to 10
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
STEM education transfer students student-faculty interaction
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. (, Community College Journal of Research and Practice)
    null (Ed.)
    Focusing on community college transfer students who declared a STEM major at their initial transfer to a four-year research university, this study examined the extent to which students’ sociodemographic characteristics and academic factors were related to STEM persistence and attrition. This study tracked multiple cohorts of transfer students matriculated at the fouryear university between fall 2007 and fall 2014, and used data drawn from their transcript records. The findings indicated that STEM switchers, who obtained a non-STEM degree within six years of their initial transfer, were more likely to be older learners, female, and of non-Asian race/ethnicity than STEM persisters, who earned a STEM degree within six years. STEM Leavers, who did not earn any degree within six years, were more likely to be older, non-Asian, first-generation, and had a low or middle family income than STEM persisters. The study also found that STEM switchers and leavers were more likely to transfer over a lower number of courses, attempted fewer courses in the first semester, withdrew one or more courses, and received a lower semester GPA. In terms of mathematics preparation, STEM switchers and leavers were less likely to complete Calculus I or more advanced courses. The study contributes to the literature on STEM persistence and attrition, especially for STEM aspirants who transferred from community colleges to four-year universities. The findings also provide new knowledge about STEM attrition by comparing students who departed from STEM with or without earning a non-STEM degree. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; ; ; ; (, Proceedings of the 2023 Collaborative Network for Computing and Engineering Diversity)
    Doctoral advisors are key to ensuring positive outcomes, especially for underrepresented students in STEM fields. In this study, graduate faculty and doctoral students with three or more years in their programs in the AGEP-NC Alliance were surveyed about the advising practices they engaged in (faculty) or received (students). Faculty were also asked about their confidence advising graduate students generally as well as students who are different from themselves demographically and culturally. Students were also asked about their relationship with their advisors. Findings show that faculty are significantly more confident advising students generally than they are advising students who are different from themselves. On all common measures of advising practices, faculty report that they engage in those practices significantly more often than students report experiencing the advising practice from their advisor. Black, Hispanic, and Native American U.S. citizen students report receiving research guidance from their advisors significantly less than White and Asian U.S. citizens or international students. International students are offered teaching opportunities significantly more often than White and Asian students. There was a significant difference in whether students understood their advisor’s expectations and Black, Hispanic, and Native American students were significantly less likely than international students to report that their advisor respects their contributions. We find that there is a clear lack of alignment between faculty confidence and student perceptions of faculty advising. This gap is especially clear in key advising behaviors like research and presentation guidance. Given that the goal of the AGEP program is to prepare underrepresented U.S. citizen students for the professoriate, both the lack of research guidance and lack of opportunity to build teaching experience for these students is troubling. Change is thus required at both the departmental level to improve the climate for all students as well as at the individual faculty advisor level to ensure that all students are treated equitably with high quality advising. 
    more » « less
  3. ; ; (, Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research)
    Student-instructor interactions have an influence on student achievement and perceptions of learning. In college and university settings, large introductory STEM courses are increasingly including Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), an evidence-based technique associated with improved student achievement, recruitment, and retention in STEM fields, especially for underserved populations. Within this technique, peer leaders hold a unique position in a student’s education. Peer leaders have relevant experience in that they have had recent success in the courses in which they facilitate student learning, yet, compared to student-faculty or student-teaching assistant relationships, there is minimal imbalance of authority or power. Students might find their peer leaders to be more relatable than faculty or graduate teaching assistants, and may even consider them to be role models. We explored students’ perceptions of peer leader relatability and role model status in relation to students’ achievement and their perceived learning gains in the context of an introductory biology course with an associated PLTL program. The final course grades and self-assessed learning gains of PLTL students who felt they related to their peer leader were compared to those who did not. We also compared final course grades and self-assessed learning gains between PLTL students who viewed their peer leader as a role model versus those who did not. Self-reported learning gains were significantly higher for students who relate to their peer leader, as well as for students who viewed their peer leaders as a role model. There is some support that this trend is stronger for STEM majors versus those who are not enrolled in a STEM program, though the interaction is not significant. Significant differences in overall course grade were only observed between students who reported that they related to their peer leader versus those who did not relate to their peer leader. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; (, Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science)
    Fairmont State University’s College of Science and Technology has hosted a variety of events aimed at removing the barriers between students and faculty. Two events in particular targeted incoming freshmen – a bridge program and the SciTech Social.     In August 2023 and 2024, a bridge program was held for a select group of first-generation and underrepresented incoming freshmen. The students were invited to move onto campus early, and over the course of three days engaged in activities aimed to prepare them for the semester, including workshops on study skills and networking with college faculty. Survey data indicated that after the program, students felt more comfortable interacting with faculty, were more knowledgeable of academic resources, and had a higher sense of belonging at college and in STEM.     Since the Fall 2022, the college has implemented the “SciTech Social”, a picnic during the first week of the fall semester aiming to promote early student-faculty interactions for all incoming freshmen. During the event, students and faculty mingled over lunch, used BINGO cards to encourage conversations, and explored STEM clubs at informational tables. The event has grown annually, with increasing participation and positive feedback from attendees. Survey data suggested that students who attend are more likely to engage with faculty throughout the semester, attend office hours and tutoring sessions, and participate in student organizations. These early opportunities for student-faculty involvement help students feel less intimidated by their professors, which may significantly impact the likelihood of student academic success and persistence in STEM majors.     
    more » « less
  5. (, ASEE Conferences)
    Over the past twelve years, the ESTEEM program, funded by the NSF S-STEM, at University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) has supported 161 low-income undergraduate students in engineering. This paper emphasizes the students’ changing needs and what they found supportive over time with a special focus on the shifting needs for community building before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic remote learning. Without additional support, low-income engineering students, who often reflect additional intersecting minoritized identities and are more likely to be the first in their family to attend college, leave the field at higher rates than their peers. Students who are likely to persist in engineering reported supportive relationships with mentors, positive near peer role models, a strong sense of community, and an intention to complete their engineering major. Yet, accessing these support systems is often challenging for low-income students, who are more likely to work long hours and spend more time off campus and less likely to have adequate opportunities to interact with others in their major and see themselves in role models and as part of that community. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the higher education plans and financial viability of UCSB engineering students, especially those from low-income families. In addition to increased financial hardships, these students lacked access to campus educational resources like tutoring and mentors and were more isolated from their on-campus engineering communities. While research has identified needs and programmatic supports likely to encourage student retention in engineering, little is known about the specific needs of low-income students in engineering and how these needs have changed over time. We examined the needs and financial and educational supports of 161 low-income students using ESTEEM evaluation data from 2011 to 2023 who pursued engineering bachelor’s degrees at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Our findings emphasize the types of programmatic supports that were most helpful for students’ education and career pathways in engineering. These results indicate shifting needs for physical space, social interactions with mentors and peers, and have implications for evolving how engineering departments and programs support low-income students to meet their changing needs for persisting in engineering. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email