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This methods paper examines the development of a longitudinal narrative research design that explores the professional formation and retention of early-career women of color in engineering. While engineering education research has predominantly focused on student experiences prior to graduation, this study addresses a critical limitation by designing a framework to investigate how these women navigate transitions into the engineering workforce. Rooted in asset-based frameworks, this design explores the concept of navigational capital, which encompasses the strategies, resources, and support systems women of color employ to overcome systemic barriers and achieve career persistence. The purpose of this paper is to outline the methodological choices and conceptual frameworks that guided the research design, including the use of Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Theory and the Workforce Sustainability Model. We also describe our reflexive approach, examining how our research intentions and practices influenced the design of the interview protocols, data collection methods, and participant engagement strategies. Through an iterative process, the research design emphasizes co-creation of knowledge and participant agency in constructing their career narratives. The conclusions drawn from this methodological work highlight the importance of centering participant voices, aligning research design with equity-focused aims, and adopting a reflexive stance to uncover nuanced insights into career transitions. This paper offers a foundational resource for researchers aiming to design inclusive studies that address underrepresentation in STEM. By sharing this research design, we contribute to advancing methodological thought and inclusivity in engineering education research and practice. While this paper outlines the methodological framework, future research will empirically explore the most effective ways to prepare and support early-career engineers by leveraging navigational capital. 

The development of inclusive leaders is essential for the success of future engineering and our nation. Equipping students with vital leadership-enabling competencies is necessary to develop a workforce that is prepared to act ethically, and responsibly, and tackle unforeseen challenges in the future. Inclusive leaders, or leaders that are self-aware, empathetic, and prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their decision-making, are essential for the forward progress of engineering. A growing body of literature highlights the numerous ways in which students may develop leadership skills outside of the classroom through involvement in out-of-class activities (e.g., internships, clubs, sports, and research experiences). Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) may provide students with a unique opportunity to develop leadership-enabling competencies that will prepare them for leadership in graduate school, the engineering industry, or academia. The goal of this research was to identify how students’ engagement in an engineering education virtual REU site contributed to their development of essential leadership-enabling competencies. The research question guiding this study was ‘What inclusive leadership-enabling competencies and skills did engineering students learn and develop during an engineering education Summer REU program?’ Qualitative data was collected via weekly open-ended surveys from 9 students (7 women, 2 men) participating in an REU over 9 weeks. Participants in this study consisted of students from underrepresented groups in engineering (e.g., Black, Latinx, women, students from low SES backgrounds, or first-generation students), attending large public research universities across the United States. This study implemented mixed methods to understand what leadership competencies were occurring most frequently and how students were learning and developing these competencies. A combination of text mining for frequency (quantitative analysis) and deductive and inductive coding (qualitative analysis) was used to analyze the data. A codebook was developed based on the leadership-coupled professional competencies that engineering industry leaders identified as essential for engineers entering the workforce. Researchers also allowed for other competencies and leadership-enabling skills to emerge from the data. Findings from this work indicate that students were developing a vast amount of inclusive leadership knowledge and skills from participating in the virtual REU site. This paper highlights, through the use of word clouds and text mining software, the many leadership-enabling competencies that participants developed throughout the summer research experience (e.g., learning, communication, adaptability, self-awareness, balance, networking, etc.). Further, students were able to develop digital literacy, increased communication skills, knowledge of career pathways, intrapersonal growth, and interpersonal relations. This work offers a novel contribution to the literature in understanding how students can develop technical engineering and research skills as well as professional and leadership skills in the same space. Findings from this work help to illuminate the benefits of this virtual REU site focused on engineering education research resulting in terms of developing inclusive leadership skills. Implications for future REU programs, students interested in developing leadership skills, engineering graduate programs, academia, and industry employers are outlined.