Active Learning Outside the Classroom: Implementation and Outcomes of Peer-Led Team-Learning Workshops in Introductory Biology

PubMed Central

Kudish, Philip; Shores, Robin; McClung, Alex; Smulyan, Lisa; Vallen, Elizabeth A.; Siwicki, Kathleen K.

2016-01-01

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students’ engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker backgrounds in biology. Peer leaders with experience in biology courses and training in science pedagogy facilitate work on faculty-generated challenge problems. During the eight semesters assessed in this study, URM students and those with less preparation attended SGMs with equal or greater frequency than their counterparts. Most agreed that SGMs enhanced their comprehension of biology and ability to articulate solutions. The historical grade gap between URM and non-URM students narrowed slightly in Biology 2, but not in other biology and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Nonetheless, URM students taking introductory biology after program implementation have graduated with biology majors or minors at the same rates as non-URM students, and have enrolled in postcollege degree programs at equal or greater rates. These results suggest that improved performance as measured by science grade point average may not be necessary to improve the persistence of students from underrepresented groups as life sciences majors. PMID:27496361

Enhancing Diversity in Undergraduate Science: Self-Efficacy Drives Performance Gains with Active Learning.

PubMed

Ballen, Cissy J; Wieman, Carl; Salehi, Shima; Searle, Jeremy B; Zamudio, Kelly R

2017-01-01

Efforts to retain underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have shown only limited success in higher education, due in part to a persistent achievement gap between students from historically underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds. To test the hypothesis that active learning disproportionately benefits URM students, we quantified the effects of traditional versus active learning on student academic performance, science self-efficacy, and sense of social belonging in a large (more than 250 students) introductory STEM course. A transition to active learning closed the gap in learning gains between non-URM and URM students and led to an increase in science self-efficacy for all students. Sense of social belonging also increased significantly with active learning, but only for non-URM students. Through structural equation modeling, we demonstrate that, for URM students, the increase in self-efficacy mediated the positive effect of active-learning pedagogy on two metrics of student performance. Our results add to a growing body of research that supports varied and inclusive teaching as one pathway to a diversified STEM workforce. © 2017 C. J. Ballen et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A Case Study of URM Retention through IBP's Professional Development and Mentoring Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ricciardi, L.; Detrick, L.; Siegfried, D.; Fauver, A.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Thomas, S. H.; Valaitis, S.

2012-12-01

As a free-standing not for profit organization, the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) hosts a variety of initiatives designed to increase the retention of underrepresented minority (URM) students pursuing pathways in STEM. Successful initiatives include virtual and face-to-face components that bring together URM students with established URM and other scientists in academia, government and industry. These connections provide URM students with supportive mentoring, networking opportunities, and professional skill development contributing to an overall improved retention rate of URM students majoring in STEM degrees. IBP's initiatives include the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (NASA OSSI), Pathways to Ocean Science, Pathways to Engineering, and the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) Professional Development program in Earth System Science (ESS). The NASA OSSI initiative recruits and facilitates student engagement in NASA student education and employment opportunities. Through IBP's virtual and person-to-person communications, students learn how to identify, apply to, and participate in NASA programs. Pathways to Ocean Science connects and supports URM students with REU programs in the Ocean Sciences while serving as a resource for REU program directors. As one of IBP's newest initiatives, Pathways to Engineering has synthesized mentoring resources into an online mentoring manual for URM STEM students that has been extensively vetted by mentoring experts throughout the country. The manual which is organized by user groups serves as an e-forum providing undergraduates, graduates, postdocs, faculty members and project directors with valuable resources to facilitate a positive REU experience. This mentoring initiative also provides a mechanism for submitting new resources and inviting feedback in mentoring best practices throughout the STEM community. MS PHD'S, one of IBP's longest running and most successful initiatives, focuses on increasing the retention rate of URM students receiving advanced degrees in Earth system science. Through a three-phase structure of activities, the program addresses major barriers to retention in ESS including isolation, lack of preparation and professional development, and lack of mentoring. Program activities center on peer-to-peer community building, professional development exercises, networking experiences, one-on-one mentoring, and a facilitated virtual community. MS PHD'S participants report a reduced sense of isolation, an increased sense of community, and a higher level of confidence about their ability to succeed in their chosen field. As of August 2012, 189 students have participated in the program. 60 of those students are currently enrolled in a PhD. program. Another 35 have completed their PhD and are actively engaged in the ESS workforce.

The California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP): A Collaborative, Comprehensive Approach to Broadening Participation in STEM.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammersley, L. C.

2016-12-01

The National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program supports alliances of institutions in their efforts to broaden participation in STEM and diversify the STEM workforce. There are currently 42 LSAMP alliances across the nation. Formed in 1993, the California State University LSAMP program (CSU-LSAMP) is an alliance of all 23 campuses of the CSU system and serves over 3,000 students per year. The primary goals of CSU-LSAMP are to increase persistence and graduation rates for URM participants, increase the number of STEM degrees awarded by the CSU to URM students, and increase the number of CSU-LSAMP students who advance to STEM graduate study. CSU-LSAMP activities are focused on four objectives - academic support (e.g. supplemental instruction & peer mentoring), support at transition points (e.g. first time freshmen & transfer students), research experiences (including international research experiences), and professional development (e.g. conference presentations & graduate school preparation activities). Financial support is offered in the form of textbook assistance, research stipends, and travel awards. We maintain a structure that allows campuses to tailor their programs to meet the needs of their own student populations but that also ties the Alliance together with a set of common activities, goals and policies. External evaluation of the program shows that our approach has been highly successful and can provide useful lessons for other programs focused on broadening participation. Since 1994, the number of URM students enrolled in STEM disciplines at CSU campuses has more than doubled and the number of STEM degrees to URM students has almost tripled. Persistence and graduation rates for URM students who participate in CSU-LSAMP are almost twice those of URM non-participants and equal to those of non-URM students. Of the students who participated in the past 15 years, 42 percent either earned a post-baccalaureate degree or are currently enrolled in a graduate STEM program.

Peer-Led Team Learning Helps Minority Students Succeed

PubMed Central

Snyder, Julia J.; Sloane, Jeremy D.; Dunk, Ryan D. P.; Wiles, Jason R.

2016-01-01

Active learning methods have been shown to be superior to traditional lecture in terms of student achievement, and our findings on the use of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) concur. Students in our introductory biology course performed significantly better if they engaged in PLTL. There was also a drastic reduction in the failure rate for underrepresented minority (URM) students with PLTL, which further resulted in closing the achievement gap between URM and non-URM students. With such compelling findings, we strongly encourage the adoption of Peer-Led Team Learning in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. PMID:26959826

Peer-Led Team Learning Helps Minority Students Succeed.

PubMed

Snyder, Julia J; Sloane, Jeremy D; Dunk, Ryan D P; Wiles, Jason R

2016-03-01

Active learning methods have been shown to be superior to traditional lecture in terms of student achievement, and our findings on the use of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) concur. Students in our introductory biology course performed significantly better if they engaged in PLTL. There was also a drastic reduction in the failure rate for underrepresented minority (URM) students with PLTL, which further resulted in closing the achievement gap between URM and non-URM students. With such compelling findings, we strongly encourage the adoption of Peer-Led Team Learning in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses.

Strategies and perceived barriers to recruitment of underrepresented minority students in physician assistant programs.

PubMed

DiBaise, Michelle; Salisbury, Helen; Hertelendy, Attila; Muma, Richard D

2015-03-01

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to identify the characteristics and effectiveness of recruitment strategies for underrepresented minorities (URM) and barriers to URM applicants to physician assistant programs. A 108-question survey was e-mailed to 168 physician assistant programs; 36 partial and 67 fully completed surveys were returned. The fully completed surveys were used in the data analysis. Participants were asked about the use of 20 recruitment strategies and the importance of 34 perceived barriers to enrollment of URM applicants. Of the 20 recruitment strategies, only 4 were used by close to 50% or more of programs: site visits (61.2%), preadmission counseling (58.2%), student loans (57.6%), and presentations targeted to minority students (47.8%). Only 9% of programs used enrichment courses, but this strategy was rated as most effective. Of the 34 barriers, the most frequent was low undergraduate grade point average (GPA) (82.5%). Self-reported success in recruitment was correlated with increased URM matriculation. Higher proportion of African American and Hispanic faculty on admissions committees was correlated with increased rates of URM matriculation. According to a similar survey, compared with medical schools, physician assistant programs use URM recruitment strategies less frequently and perceive financial barriers as a larger problem. The academically competitive physician assistant applicant pool decreases the need for recruitment of all students. Use of GPA and standardized test scores as sole criteria for admission and lack of recruitment of URM students lead to a decrease in diversity. If the physician assistant profession desires to improve student diversity in programs, they should consider using a more holistic approach for the admission process, which may allow for a more flexible and individualized review of applicants.

The Health Equity Scholars Program: Innovation in the Leaky Pipeline.

PubMed

Upshur, Carole C; Wrighting, Diedra M; Bacigalupe, Gonzalo; Becker, Joan; Hayman, Laura; Lewis, Barbara; Mignon, Sylvia; Rokop, Megan E; Sweet, Elizabeth; Torres, Marie Idali; Watanabe, Paul; Woods, Cedric

2018-04-01

Despite attempts to increase enrollment of under-represented minorities (URMs: primarily Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American students) in health professional programs, limited progress has been made. Compelling reasons to rectify this situation include equity for URMs, better prepared health professionals when programs are diverse, better quality and access to health care for UMR populations, and the need for diverse talent to tackle difficult questions in health science and health care delivery. However, many students who initiate traditional "pipeline" programs designed to link URMs to professional schools in health professions and the sciences, do not complete them. In addition, program requirements often restrict entry to highly qualified students while not expanding opportunities for promising, but potentially less well-prepared candidates. The current study describes innovations in an undergraduate pipeline program, the Health Equity Scholars Program (HESP) designed to address barriers URMs experience in more traditional programs, and provides evaluative outcomes and qualitative feedback from participants. A primary outcome was timely college graduation. Eighty percent (80%) of participants, both transfer students and first time students, so far achieved this outcome, with 91% on track, compared to the campus average of 42% for all first time students and 58-67% for transfers. Grade point averages also improved (p = 0.056) after program participation. Graduates (94%) were working in health care/human services positions and three were in health-related graduate programs. Creating a more flexible program that admits a broader range of URMs has potential to expand the numbers of URM students interested and prepared to make a contribution to health equity research and clinical care.

Differences in STEM degree attainment by region, ethnicity, and degree type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koledoye, Kimberly A.

Purpose One purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference was present in the STEM degree attainment of all students and particularly of URMs between the 2001 and the 2009 academic year. The second purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference was present in the attainment of STEM associate degrees and bachelor degrees of all students and particularly of URMs awarded between the 2001 and the 2009 academic year. Another purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference existed in STEM associate degree and STEM bachelor degree attainment among geographic regions between the 2001 and the 2009 academic years. The extent to which a difference existed in the STEM bachelor degree and associate degree attainment of URMs among geographic regions between the 2001 to the 2009 academic year was ascertained. The final purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference was present in STEM associate degree and bachelor degree attainment of all students and particularly URMs as a function of degree type between the 2001 academic year and the 2009 academic year. Methodology Archival data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System were utilized to compare STEM degree attainment for regions, regions for URMs, STEM degree attainment overall and for URMs, STEM degree attainment classified by associate degrees and bachelor degrees for all students and URMs, and STEM degree attainment of associate degrees and bachelor degrees for all students and URMs by specific degree type between 2001 and 2009. Findings In this non-experimental causal comparative investigation, statistically significant differences were revealed in 95 of the 165 comparisons. Declining associate degree attainment was concerning, particularly in the computer and information sciences and engineering and engineering technologies. Moderate increases were determined in bachelor degree attainment with statistically significant differences identified in all STEM degree areas. Women had more increases than other URMs, and degree attainment by geographic region varied widely. Given the strong national need for more STEM graduates, reason for concerns are raised by the results of this investigation. KEY WORDS: STEM degrees, Associate, Bachelor, IPEDS

Shifting the Curve: Fostering Academic Success in a Diverse Student Body.

PubMed

Elks, Martha L; Herbert-Carter, Janice; Smith, Marjorie; Klement, Brenda; Knight, Brandi Brandon; Anachebe, Ngozi F

2018-01-01

Diversity in the health care workforce is key to achieving health equity. Although U.S. medical schools have worked to increase the matriculation and academic success of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Latinos, others), they have had only limited success. Lower standardized test scores, including on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), have been a barrier to matriculation for many URM applicants. Lower subsequent standardized exam scores, including on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, also have been an impediment to students' progress, with mean scores for URM students lagging behind those for others. Faculty at the Morehouse School of Medicine developed and implemented interventions to enhance the academic success of their URM students (about 75% are African American, and 5% are from other URM groups). To assess the outcomes of this work, the authors analyzed the MCAT scores and subsequent Step 1 scores of students in the graduating classes of 2009-2014. They also reviewed course evaluations, Graduation Questionnaires, and student and faculty interviews and focus groups. Students' Step 1 scores exceeded those expected based on their MCAT scores. This success was due to three key elements: (1) milieu and mentoring, (2) structure and content of the curriculum, and (3) monitoring. A series of mixed-method studies are planned to better discern the core elements of faculty-student relationships that are key to students' success. Lower test scores are not a fixed attribute; with the elements described, success is attainable for all students.

Workshop on Excellence Empowered by a Diverse Academic Workforce: Achieving Racial & Ethnic Equity in Chemistry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Hassan B.

2008-02-13

The purpose of the Workshop 'Excellence Empowered by a Diverse Academic Workforce: Achieving Racial & Ethnic Equity in Chemistry' was to promote the development of a cadre of academic leaders who create, implement and promote programs and strategies for increasing the number of racial and ethnic minorities to equitable proportions on the faculties of departments throughout the academic chemistry community. An important objective of the workshop was to assist in creating an informed and committed community of chemistry leaders who will create, implement and promote programs and strategies to advance racial and ethnic equity in both the faculty and themore » student body with the goal of increasing the number of U.S. citizen underrepresented minorities (URM) participating in academic chemistry at all levels, with particular focus on the pipeline to chemistry faculty. This objective was met by (1) presentations of detailed data describing current levels of racial and ethnic minorities on the faculties of chemistry departments; (2) frank discussion of the obstacles to and benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in the chemistry professoriate; (3) summary of possible effective interventions and actions; and (4) promotion of the dissemination and adoption of initiatives designed to achieve racial/ethnic equity. Federal programs over the past thirty years have been instrumental in delivering to our universities URM students intending to major in the physical sciences such as chemistry. However, the near absence of URM faculty means that there is also an absence of URM as role models for aspiring students. For example, citing 2003 as a representative year, some statistics reveal the severity of the pipeline shrinkage for U. S. citizen URM starting from chemistry B.S. degrees awarded to the appointment to chemistry faculty. Compared to the URM population of approximately 30% for that year, 67% of the B.S. degrees in chemistry were awarded to white citizens and 17% were awarded to URM citizens. Proceeding along the pipeline, 83% of the Ph.D. degrees in chemistry were awarded to white citizens, and 6.4% were awarded to URM citizens. The number of white citizens occupying tenure faculty lines in chemistry departments at major research universities is estimated to be 86%, while the corresponding lines for URM was estimated to be only 3.7% in 2003. In raw numbers, the number of white chemistry faculty is estimated to be 1459 and the number of URM faculty was estimated to be just 62. Thus, starting with 16.6% for URM students awarded B.S. degrees in chemistry, the number decreases to 6.4% for URM students awarded Ph.D degrees in chemistry and then dwindles to only 3.6% URM faculty in major research universities, compared to a population of approximately 30% URM citizens. Similar statistics for URM representation in chemistry is found for the last two decades. Clearly there is a serious lack of URM mentors and role models among tenure faculty in our chemistry departments. The impact of this deficiency is captured in the statement that 'A university's lack of minority faculty sends a message to its students that minorities have no place in academia' thereby perpetuating a cycle of marginalization and discrimination. The lack of mentors and role models in academia deprive URM students who pass through the undergraduate programs of an education that is enriched by the intellectual and cognitive diversity that is inherent in a faculty of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, URM are projected to constitute almost 32% of the U.S. population by 2020, so that URM will outnumber White males [who are projected to constitute 30% of the population (U.S. Census data)]. It is clearly time for this to change and proactive programs are needed immediately in order to insure that there will be an optimal inclusion of the future 'majority' of the U. S. domestic population throughout all levels of academia. The workshop was organized with the intention of triggering such a change by working with key representatives of chemistry in academia, namely the chemistry department chairs, to generate such programs, strategies and plans of action. This workshop called together the chairs of several of the top 50 Ph.D. granting chemistry departments in the country to design and develop new and comprehensive strategies to solve the problem of chronic URM under representation in chemistry and to commit to the goal of increasing the number of URM faculty in their departments. These chairs are well positioned to promote changes because they exist in environments that produce the majority of our chemistry faculty. With these leaders in the chemistry field taking responsibility for designing, developing, and implementing workable solutions, the community will have its best chance to create an excellent and diverse academic workforce in which the excellence of the URM component is appropriately represented.« less

76 FR 68770 - Proposed Eligibility Criteria for the Centers of Excellence Program in Health Professions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-07

... schools to recruit, train, and retain URM faculty. The COE program facilitates faculty and student...' graduates relating to minority health issues. Training students to provide health services to a significant... significant number of URM students enrolled, including individuals accepted for enrollment; (2) have been...

Color-Blind Racial Beliefs Among Dental Students and Faculty.

PubMed

Su, Yu; Behar-Horenstein, Linda S

2017-09-01

Providing culturally competent patient care requires an awareness of racial and cultural norms as well as a recognition of racism. Yet, there is a paucity of research devoted to this problem. In dental education, increased attention has focused on eliminating oral health care disparities due to ethnicity and race. Further investigation to determine the relationship between color-blind attitudes (failing to recognize the impact of race and racism on social justice) and dental educators' cultural competence is needed. The aim of this study was to determine dental faculty and student baseline color-blind racial attitudes scale scores, using the color-blind racial attitudes scale (CoBRAS). This 20-item instrument that measures three subscales of color-blind racial attitudes (Unawareness of Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination, and Blatant Racial Issues) was administered to student and faculty groups at one U.S. dental school. Out of a total 245 students in three class years, 235 responded to all items, for a response rate of 96%; out of a total 77 faculty members invited to participate, 71 responded to all items, for a response rate of 92%. Underrepresented minority (URM) faculty scored significantly higher on the Institutional Discrimination subscale and lower on Unawareness of Racial Privilege compared to non-URM students. Males scored significantly higher on Institutional Discrimination and Blatant Racial Issues compared to females. Compared to white students, URM students scored lower on all three subscales. The findings were consistent with previous studies indicating that female and URM students were more sensitive to racism compared to male and majority students. The findings that white faculty had higher awareness of racial privilege than white students and that URM faculty were less aware of institutional discrimination than URM students provided new information. These findings suggest that dental faculty members need professional development opportunities that promote becoming color-conscious and understanding privilege and biases, that model instruction on discussing race and racism, and that extend beyond a brief workshop.

The master degree: A critical transition in STEM doctoral education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Sheila Edwards

The need to broaden participation in the nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate and graduate programs is currently a matter of national urgency. The small number of women and underrepresented minorities (URM) earning doctoral degrees in STEM is particularly troubling given significant increases in the number of students earning master's degrees since 1990. In the decade between 1990 and 2000, the total number of master's recipients increased by 42%. During this same time period, the number of women earning master's degrees increased by 56%, African Americans increased by 132%, American Indians by 101%, Hispanics by 146%, and Asian Americans by 117% (Syverson, 2003). Growth in underrepresented group education at the master's level raises questions about the relationship between master's and doctoral education. Secondary data analysis of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) was used to examine institutional pathways to the doctorate in STEM disciplines and transitions from master's to doctoral programs by race and gender. While the study revealed no significant gender differences in pathways, compared to White and Asian American students, URM students take significantly different pathways to the doctorate. URM students are significantly more likely to earn the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at three different institutions. Their path is significantly more likely to include earning a master's degree en route to the doctorate. Further, URM students are more likely to experience transition between the master's and doctoral degrees, and the transitions are not limited to those who earn master's degrees at master's-only institutions. These findings suggest that earning a master's degree is more often a stepping stone to the doctorate for URM students. Master's degree programs, therefore, have the potential to be a valuable resource for policymakers and graduate programs seeking to increase the diversity of URM students earning doctorates in STEM.

Active Learning Outside the Classroom: Implementation and Outcomes of Peer-Led Team-Learning Workshops in Introductory Biology.

PubMed

Kudish, Philip; Shores, Robin; McClung, Alex; Smulyan, Lisa; Vallen, Elizabeth A; Siwicki, Kathleen K

2016-01-01

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students' engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker backgrounds in biology. Peer leaders with experience in biology courses and training in science pedagogy facilitate work on faculty-generated challenge problems. During the eight semesters assessed in this study, URM students and those with less preparation attended SGMs with equal or greater frequency than their counterparts. Most agreed that SGMs enhanced their comprehension of biology and ability to articulate solutions. The historical grade gap between URM and non-URM students narrowed slightly in Biology 2, but not in other biology and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Nonetheless, URM students taking introductory biology after program implementation have graduated with biology majors or minors at the same rates as non-URM students, and have enrolled in postcollege degree programs at equal or greater rates. These results suggest that improved performance as measured by science grade point average may not be necessary to improve the persistence of students from underrepresented groups as life sciences majors. © 2016 P. Kudish et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Retention of underrepresented minority students in dental school: one dental schools story.

PubMed

Lacy, Ernestine S; Miller, Barbara H; Hornback, Sheryl A; McCann, Ann L; Reuben, Jayne S

2011-01-01

There is a large disparity between the proportions of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans in the general population and in the dental profession. While these underrepresented minorities (URMs) as a group make up almost 30% of the United States population, they constitute only about 6% of the nation's dentists. Eliminating this disparity is important in addressing access to care for underrepresented groups. Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry (TAMHSC-BCD) enrolled greater numbers and proportions of URM students than any other non-minority school from 2006-2010. Strategies used to achieve this level of diversity include a Whole File Review process; career awareness activities for elementary, junior high and high school students; and academic enrichment programs for college students and college graduates. Retaining and graduating URM students is just as important as enrolling them. TAMHSC-BCD's retention rate over the last five years is 95.7% for all students and 92.5% for URM students. A wide range of services aids in the retention process. These services are available to all students and include monitoring of students' academic performance followed up with academic advisement as appropriate, peer tutoring, an alternative five-year curriculum, professional psychological counseling, professional learning assessments, social support; and mentoring through student organizations. The retention program at TAMHSC-BCD can serve as a model for other dental and other health professions schools seeking ways to ensure the academic success of their URM students. The more of these students we enroll and graduate, the more the problem of access to dental care is addressed.

Understanding the Racial Transfer Gap: Modeling Underrepresented Minority and Nonminority Students' Pathways from Two-to Four-Year Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crisp, Gloria; Nuñez, Anne-Marie

2014-01-01

This study models student-and institutional-level factors that influence vertical transfer among a national sample of White and underrepresented minority (URM) community college students. Results indicate that the predictors of transfer are different in many ways for White and URM students. Most notably, findings suggest that enrolling in…

Effective recruitment and retention strategies for underrepresented minority students: perspectives from dental students.

PubMed

Lopez, Naty; Wadenya, Rose; Berthold, Peter

2003-10-01

This study was designed to identify reasons underrepresented minority (URM) dental students select a dental school and to determine the factors that contribute to their resolve to complete their programs. A survey questionnaire developed from interviews with URM students was sent to Minority/Admissions Officers or deans of dental schools that enrolled URM students for distribution to their minority students. A total of 198 questionnaires were received from minority students in all levels of dental school. The results were that 74 percent said they selected a school for its reputation, and 49.5 percent chose a dental school even if the financial aid package was less than what was offered in other schools. African American, Hispanic, and Native American students prefer integrated interview days with nonminority applicants and disapprove of "special" days designated for URMs. The presence of other minority students was not an important factor in the selection of a school but is an important source of support while attending dental school. Dental school minority alumni also play a significant role in the selection of a school. Results of the study can be useful in planning recruitment and retention programs.

A Study of The Influence of Advising on Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Student Persistence in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, Michael J.

In the United States, undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students tend to change out of declared majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines at a rate of nearly sixty percent prior to earning a post secondary degree. This phenomenon contributes to a general concern that the United States is not producing enough STEM trained skilled workers to meet future employment needs of industry and government. Although there has been research developed to examine how to increase the numbers of URM students enrolling in STEM programs at higher education institutions, retention of these students remains critical. One area of increasing focus for researchers is to understand how multiple factors impact the college experience of URM students and how those factors may contribute to the student decision to persist in earning a STEM disciple degree. This research study is a phenomenological mixed method study that examines how students experience the phenomenon of advising and the influence of the advising experience of undergraduate URM students on their likelihood of persisting in STEM at a northeast US technology oriented post secondary institution. Persistence, from the perspective of the student, is driven by cognitive psychological attributes such as confidence, motivation and self-efficacy. Utilizing a Social Cognitive theoretical framework, this study examines how three distinct undergraduate URM student populations enrolled in; an Academic Services Program, Honors College, and the general undergraduate population at this institution experience advising and how their experiences may influence their propensity to persist in earning a STEM oriented degree.

Theoretical Perspectives on Increasing Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Students in the Geosciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Caitlin N.; LaDue, Nicole D.; Baber, Lorenzo D.; Sexton, Julie; Kraft, Katrien J. van der Hoeven; Zamani-Gallaher, Eboni M.

2017-01-01

For decades, programs targeting the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities (URM) have had local success in broadening participation in the geosciences. Meanwhile, national graduation rates of URM geoscience majors fall below the national graduation rates of URM STEM majors, generally. In this literature review, we summarize…

Understanding Success of Historically Underrepresented Students at California State University, Monterey Bay through a Look at Their Institutional Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyce, Mary; Chukwuemeka, Veronica; Cruz-Uribe, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Unlike many universities, the historically under-represented (URM) students at California State University, Monterey Bay, typically graduate at a higher rate than non-URM students. Intense efforts have been made by staff and faculty to increase retention and graduation rates of all students. This paper examines the graduation rates in the context…

The leaky pipeline: factors associated with early decline in interest in premedical studies among underrepresented minority undergraduate students.

PubMed

Barr, Donald A; Gonzalez, Maria Elena; Wanat, Stanley F

2008-05-01

To determine the causes among underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups (URM) of a decline in interest during the undergraduate years in pursuing a career in medicine. From fall 2002 through 2007, the authors conducted a longitudinal study of 362 incoming Stanford freshmen (23% URM) who indicated on a freshman survey that they hoped to become physicians. Using a 10-point scale of interest, the authors measured the change in students' levels of interest in continuing premedical studies between the beginning of freshman year and the end of sophomore year. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 68 participants, approximately half of whom had experienced decreases in interest in continuing as premeds, and half of whom who had experienced increases in interest. URM students showed a larger decline in interest than did non-URM students; women showed a larger decline than did men, independent of race or ethnicity. The authors found no association between scholastic ability as measured by SAT scores and changes in level of interest. The principal reason given by students for their loss of interest in continuing as premeds was a negative experience in one or more chemistry courses. Students also identified problems in the university's undergraduate advising system as a contributor. Largely because of negative experiences with chemistry classes, URM students and women show a disproportionate decline in interest in continuing in premedical studies, with the result that fewer apply to medical school.

Medical School Performance of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged and Underrepresented Minority Students Matriculating after a Multiple Mini-Interview.

PubMed

Jerant, Anthony; Henderson, Mark C; Griffin, Erin; Talamantes, Efrain; Fancher, Tonya; Sousa, Francis; Franks, Peter

2018-01-01

Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMIs) are increasingly used in medical school admissions. We previously reported that while under-represented minority (URM) status was not associated with MMI scores, self-designated disadvantaged applicants had lower MMI scores, possibly affecting their matriculation prospects. No studies have examined how URM status or socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) are associated with academic performance following admission through an MMI. We examined the adjusted associations of MMI scores, SED, and URM status with U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Steps 1 and 2 performance and third-year clerkship Honors, measures affecting residency matching. While URM status was not associated with the measures, students with greater SED had lower Step 1 scores and fewer Honors. Students with higher MMI scores had more Step 1 failures, but more Honors. The findings identify areas to address in medical school admissions, student support, and evaluation processes, which is important given the need for a more representative physician workforce.

Closing Achievement Gaps with a Utility-Value Intervention: Disentangling Race and Social Class

PubMed Central

Harackiewicz, Judith M.; Canning, Elizabeth A.; Tibbetts, Yoi; Priniski, Stacy J.; Hyde, Janet S.

2015-01-01

Many college students abandon their goal of completing a degree in STEM when confronted with challenging introductory-level science courses. In the U.S., this trend is more pronounced for underrepresented minority (URM) and first-generation (FG) students, and contributes to persisting racial and social-class achievement gaps in higher education. Previous intervention studies have focused exclusively on race or social class, but have not examined how the two may be confounded and interact. This research therefore investigates the independent and interactive effects of race and social class as moderators of an intervention designed to promote performance, measured by grade in the course. In a double-blind randomized experiment conducted over four semesters of an introductory biology course (N = 1040), we tested the effectiveness of a utility-value intervention in which students wrote about the personal relevance of course material. The utility-value intervention was successful in reducing the achievement gap for FG-URM students by 61%: the performance gap for FG-URM students, relative to CG-Majority students, was large in the control condition, .84 grade points (d = .98), and the treatment effect for FG-URM students was .51 grade points (d = 0.55). The UV intervention helped students from all groups find utility value in the course content, and mediation analyses showed that the process of writing about utility value was particularly powerful for FG-URM students. Results highlight the importance of examining the independent and interactive effects of race and social class when evaluating interventions to close achievement gaps and the mechanisms through which they may operate. PMID:26524001

Why students drop out of the pipeline to health professions careers: a follow-up of gifted minority high school students.

PubMed

Thurmond, V B; Cregler, L L

1999-04-01

To track gifted underrepresented minority (URM) students who entered the pipeline to health professional school when they were in high school and to determine whether and why students left the pipeline to enter other professions. A questionnaire was mailed to 162 students who had participated in the Student Educational Enrichment Program (SEEP) in health sciences at the Medical College of Georgia between 1984 and 1991; 123 (75%) responded. Students in the study population had higher graduation rates than the average state or national student. Fifty-nine (48%) of the students had entered health care careers; 98% had stated that intention when they were in high school. Although some of the students stated trouble with course work and GPA as reasons for their decisions to change career tracks, many students said that their interests in non-medical careers had been fostered by mentors or by opportunities to serve internships. Early intervention is important to retaining students in a pipeline that leads to a health care career. Summer programs are successful, but may not be enough to help students with difficult science courses in college, especially chemistry. However, another important conclusion is that much more needs to be done to help students find mentors with whom they can develop relationships and to give them opportunities to work in health care settings.

Engaging Diverse Students in Statistical Inquiry: A Comparison of Learning Experiences and Outcomes of Under-Represented and Non-Underrepresented Students Enrolled in a Multidisciplinary Project-Based Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierker, Lisa; Alexander, Jalen; Cooper, Jennifer L.; Selya, Arielle; Rose, Jennifer; Dasgupta, Nilanjana

2016-01-01

Introductory statistics needs innovative, evidence-based teaching practices that support and engage diverse students. To evaluate the success of a multidisciplinary, project-based course, we compared experiences of under-represented (URM) and non-underrepresented students in 4 years of the course. While URM students considered the material more…

A Longitudinal Study of How Quality Mentorship and Research Experience Integrate Underrepresented Minorities into STEM Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada, Mica; Hernandez, Paul R.; Schultz, P. Wesley

2018-01-01

African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are historically underrepresented minorities (URMs) among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree earners. Viewed from a perspective of social influence, this pattern suggests that URMs do not integrate into the STEM academic community at the same rate as non-URM students.…

Shifting the Curve: Fostering Academic Success in a Diverse Student Body

PubMed Central

Herbert-Carter, Janice; Smith, Marjorie; Klement, Brenda; Knight, Brandi Brandon; Anachebe, Ngozi F.

2018-01-01

Problem Diversity in the health care workforce is key to achieving health equity. Although U.S. medical schools have worked to increase the matriculation and academic success of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Latinos, others), they have had only limited success. Lower standardized test scores, including on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), have been a barrier to matriculation for many URM applicants. Lower subsequent standardized exam scores, including on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, also have been an impediment to students’ progress, with mean scores for URM students lagging behind those for others. Approach Faculty at the Morehouse School of Medicine developed and implemented interventions to enhance the academic success of their URM students (about 75% are African American, and 5% are from other URM groups). To assess the outcomes of this work, the authors analyzed the MCAT scores and subsequent Step 1 scores of students in the graduating classes of 2009–2014. They also reviewed course evaluations, Graduation Questionnaires, and student and faculty interviews and focus groups. Outcomes Students’ Step 1 scores exceeded those expected based on their MCAT scores. This success was due to three key elements: (1) milieu and mentoring, (2) structure and content of the curriculum, and (3) monitoring. Next Steps A series of mixed-method studies are planned to better discern the core elements of faculty–student relationships that are key to students’ success. Lower test scores are not a fixed attribute; with the elements described, success is attainable for all students. PMID:28678099

Retention of Underrepresented Minority Faculty: Strategic Initiatives for Institutional Value Proposition Based on Perspectives from a Range of Academic Institutions

PubMed Central

Whittaker, Joseph A.; Montgomery, Beronda L.; Martinez Acosta, Veronica G.

2015-01-01

The student and faculty make-up of academic institutions does not represent national demographics. Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately underrepresented nationally, and particularly at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Although significant efforts and funding have been committed to increasing points of access or recruitment of under-represented minority (URM) students and faculty at PWIs, these individuals have not been recruited and retained at rates that reflect their national proportions. Underrepresentation of URMs is particularly prevalent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This reality represents a national crisis given a predicted shortage of workers in STEM disciplines based on current rates of training of all individuals, majority and URM, and the intersection of this limitation with persistent challenges in the recruitment, training, retention and advancement of URMs who will soon represent the largest pool of future trainees. An additional compounding factor is the increasingly disproportionate underrepresentation of minorities at higher professorial and administrative ranks, thus limiting the pool of potential mentors who are correlated with successful shepherding of URM students through STEM training and development. We address issues related to improving recruitment and retention of URM faculty that are applicable across a range of academic institutions. We describe challenges with recruitment and retention of URM faculty and their advancement through promotion in the faculty ranks and into leadership positions. We offer specific recommendations, including identifying environmental barriers to diversity and implementing strategies for their amelioration, promoting effective and innovative mentoring, and addressing leadership issues related to constructive change for promoting diversity. PMID:26240521

Retention of Underrepresented Minority Faculty: Strategic Initiatives for Institutional Value Proposition Based on Perspectives from a Range of Academic Institutions.

PubMed

Whittaker, Joseph A; Montgomery, Beronda L; Martinez Acosta, Veronica G

2015-01-01

The student and faculty make-up of academic institutions does not represent national demographics. Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately underrepresented nationally, and particularly at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Although significant efforts and funding have been committed to increasing points of access or recruitment of under-represented minority (URM) students and faculty at PWIs, these individuals have not been recruited and retained at rates that reflect their national proportions. Underrepresentation of URMs is particularly prevalent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This reality represents a national crisis given a predicted shortage of workers in STEM disciplines based on current rates of training of all individuals, majority and URM, and the intersection of this limitation with persistent challenges in the recruitment, training, retention and advancement of URMs who will soon represent the largest pool of future trainees. An additional compounding factor is the increasingly disproportionate underrepresentation of minorities at higher professorial and administrative ranks, thus limiting the pool of potential mentors who are correlated with successful shepherding of URM students through STEM training and development. We address issues related to improving recruitment and retention of URM faculty that are applicable across a range of academic institutions. We describe challenges with recruitment and retention of URM faculty and their advancement through promotion in the faculty ranks and into leadership positions. We offer specific recommendations, including identifying environmental barriers to diversity and implementing strategies for their amelioration, promoting effective and innovative mentoring, and addressing leadership issues related to constructive change for promoting diversity.

Underrepresented minority dental student recruitment and enrollment programs: an overview from the dental Pipeline program.

PubMed

Formicola, Allan J; D'Abreu, Kim C; Tedesco, Lisa A

2010-10-01

By now, all dental schools should understand the need to increase the enrollment of underrepresented minority (URM) students. While there has been a major increase in the number of Hispanic/Latino, African American/Black, and Native American applicants to dental schools over the past decade, there has not been a major percent increase in the enrollment of URM students except in the schools participating in the Pipeline, Profession, and Practice: Community-Based Dental Education program, which have far exceeded the percent increase in enrollment of URM students in other U.S. dental schools during Phase I of the program (2002-07). Assuming that all dental schools wish to improve the diversity of their student bodies, chapters 9-12 of this report--for which this chapter serves as an introduction--provide strategies learned from the Pipeline schools to increase the applications and enrollment of URM students. Some of the changes that the Pipeline schools put into place were the result of two focus group studies of college and dental students of color. These studies provided guidance on some of the barriers and challenges students of color face when considering dentistry as a career. New accreditation standards make it clear that the field of dentistry expects dental schools to re-energize their commitment to diversity.

Providing Social Support for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Career Coaching Model

PubMed Central

Williams, Simon N.; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; McGee, Richard

2017-01-01

Improvement in the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions has been unsatisfactory. Although this is a complex problem, one key issue is that graduate students often rely on research mentors for career-related support, the effectiveness of which can be variable. We present results from a novel academic career “coaching” intervention, one aim of which was to provide supplementary social support for PhD students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Coaching was delivered both within small groups and on an individual basis, with a diverse group of coaches and students coming from many universities. Coaches were provided with additional diversity training. Ninety-six semistructured interviews with 33 URM students over 3 years were analyzed using a qualitative framework approach. For most of the URM PhD students, coaching provided social support in the form of emotional, informational, and appraisal support. Coaching groups provided a noncompetitive environment and “community of support” within which students were able to learn from one another’s experiences and discuss negative and stressful experiences related to their graduate school, lab, or career plans. This coached peer group model is capable of providing the social support that many URM students do not find at their home universities. PMID:29196425

Closing achievement gaps with a utility-value intervention: Disentangling race and social class.

PubMed

Harackiewicz, Judith M; Canning, Elizabeth A; Tibbetts, Yoi; Priniski, Stacy J; Hyde, Janet S

2016-11-01

Many college students abandon their goal of completing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) when confronted with challenging introductory-level science courses. In the U.S., this trend is more pronounced for underrepresented minority (URM) and first-generation (FG) students, and contributes to persisting racial and social-class achievement gaps in higher education. Previous intervention studies have focused exclusively on race or social class, but have not examined how the 2 may be confounded and interact. This research therefore investigates the independent and interactive effects of race and social class as moderators of an intervention designed to promote performance, measured by grade in the course. In a double-blind randomized experiment conducted over 4 semesters of an introductory biology course (N = 1,040), we tested the effectiveness of a utility-value intervention in which students wrote about the personal relevance of course material. The utility-value intervention was successful in reducing the achievement gap for FG-URM students by 61%: the performance gap for FG-URM students, relative to continuing generation (CG)-Majority students, was large in the control condition, .84 grade points (d = .98), and the treatment effect for FG-URM students was .51 grade points (d = 0.55). The UV intervention helped students from all groups find utility value in the course content, and mediation analyses showed that the process of writing about utility value was particularly powerful for FG-URM students. Results highlight the importance of intersectionality in examining the independent and interactive effects of race and social class when evaluating interventions to close achievement gaps and the mechanisms through which they may operate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Science That Matters: The Importance of a Cultural Connection in Underrepresented Students' Science Pursuit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Matthew C.; Galvez, Gino; Landa, Isidro; Buonora, Paul; Thoman, Dustin B.

2016-01-01

Recent research suggests that underrepresented minority (URM) college students, and especially first-generation URMs, may lose motivation to persist if they see science careers as unable to fulfill culturally relevant career goals. In the present study, we used a mixed-methods approach to explore patterns of motivation to pursue physical and life…

Underrepresented Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Disciplines: A Cross Institutional Analysis of their Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueroa, Tanya

Considering the importance of a diverse science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) research workforce for our country's future, it is troubling that many underrepresented racial minority (URM) students start graduate STEM programs, but do not finish. However, some institutional contexts better position students for degree completion than others. The purpose of this study was to uncover the academic and social experiences, power dynamics, and programmatic/institutional structures URM students face within their graduate STEM programs that hinder or support degree progression. Using a critical socialization framework applied in a cross-comparative qualitative study, I focused on how issues of race, ethnicity, and underrepresentation within the educational contexts shape students' experiences. Data was collected from focus group interviews involving 53 URM graduate students pursuing STEM disciplines across three institution types -- a Predominately White Institution, a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and a Historically Black University. Results demonstrate that when students' relationships with faculty advisors were characterized by benign neglect, students felt lost, wasted time and energy making avoidable mistakes, had less positive views of their experiences, and had more difficulty progressing through classes or research, which could cause them to delay time to degree completion or to leave with a master's degree. Conversely, faculty empowered students when they helped them navigate difficult processes/milestones with regular check-ins, but also allowed students room to make decisions and solve problems independently. Further, faculty set the tone for the overall interactional culture and helping behavior in the classroom and lab contexts; where faculty modeled collaboration and concern for students, peers were likely to do the same. International peers sometimes excluded domestic students both socially and academically, which had a negative affect on intergroup dynamics and limited the opportunities for learning among URM students. Interestingly, students describe peer dynamics that occasionally suggest racial undertones in interactions; however, many students were unaware of implications on their training experiences or were simply uncomfortable naming racism. Prevailing racial stereotypes even impacted students trained in welcoming and culturally respectful programs. The study expands studies on URM graduate students, socialization theory, and formal and informal structures in programs that can assure success in graduate school.

How Do Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Minority Faculty Members Describe Their Experiences of Graduate Student and Faculty Socialization?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ayana M.

2012-01-01

To remain globally competitive in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), we must increase our number of underrepresented minority scientists (URMs) as our country's population becomes more diverse. For URMs to move up the educational and professional ranks, they need to be properly socialized as graduate students and…

Research Microcultures as Socialization Contexts for Underrepresented Science Students.

PubMed

Thoman, Dustin B; Muragishi, Gregg A; Smith, Jessi L

2017-06-01

How much does scientific research potentially help people? We tested whether prosocial-affordance beliefs (PABs) about science spread among group members and contribute to individual students' motivation for science. We tested this question within the context of research experience for undergraduates working in faculty-led laboratories, focusing on students who belong to underrepresented minority (URM) groups. Longitudinal survey data were collected from 522 research assistants in 41 labs at six institutions. We used multilevel modeling, and results supported a socialization effect for URM students: The aggregate PABs of their lab mates predicted the students' own initial PABs, as well as their subsequent experiences of interest and their motivation to pursue a career in science, even after controlling for individual-level PABs. Results demonstrate that research labs serve as microcultures of information about the science norms and values that influence motivation. URM students are particularly sensitive to this information. Efforts to broaden participation should be informed by an understanding of the group processes that convey such prosocial values.

New Century Scholars: A Mentorship Program to Increase Workforce Diversity in Academic Pediatrics.

PubMed

Pachter, Lee M; Kodjo, Cheryl

2015-07-01

This article describes a program aimed to increase workforce diversity and underrepresented minority (URM) representation in academic pediatric medicine. The New Century Scholars (NCScholars) program is a core program in the Academic Pediatric Association, the largest national organization for academic pediatric generalists. The program selects URM pediatric (or medicine-pediatrics) residents who are interested in academic careers and provides each NCScholar with a junior and senior mentor, as well as travel grants to the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting where activities specific to the program are held, and provides ongoing mentorship and career counseling support.The authors discuss the origination, operation, and changes to the program over the first 10 years of its existence, as well as outcome data for the participants in the program. To date, 60 of the 63 NCScholars have finished residency and/or have made postresidency plans, and 38 of these URM pediatricians (63%) have entered academic careers. The authors suggest that this type of mentorship program for URM pediatric trainees can be used as a model for other specialties and medical organizations.

Were Minority Students Discouraged from Applying to University of California Campuses after the Affirmative Action Ban?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonovics, Kate; Backes, Ben

2013-01-01

This paper uses student-level data to investigate how the college application behavior of underrepresented minorities (URMs) changed in response to the 1998 end of affirmative action in admissions at the University of California (UC). We show that all URMs experienced a drop in their probability of admission to at least one UC campus. However, the…

PROMISE: Maryland's Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate enhances recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority graduate students.

PubMed

Tull, Renetta G; Rutledge, Janet C; Carter, Frances D; Warnick, Jordan E

2012-11-01

PROMISE: Maryland's Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), sponsored by the National Science Foundation, is a consortium that is designed to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority (URM) PhDs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields who will pursue academic careers. A strength of PROMISE is its alliance infrastructure that connects URM graduate students on different campuses through centralized programming for the three research universities in Maryland: the University of Maryland Baltimore County (the lead institution in the alliance), the University of Maryland College Park, and the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB). PROMISE initiatives cover graduate student recruitment, retention, community building, PhD completion, and transition to careers.Although it is not a fellowship, PROMISE offers professional development and skill-building programs that provide academic and personal support for URM students on all three campuses. PROMISE on UMB's campus includes the School of Medicine, which sponsors tricampus programs that promote health and wellness to accompany traditional professional development programs. PROMISE uniquely and atypically includes a medical school within its alliance. The PROMISE programs serve as interventions that reduce isolation and facilitate degree completion among diverse students on each campus. This article describes details of the PROMISE AGEP and presents suggestions for replicating professional development programs for URMs in biomedical, MD/master's, and MD/PhD programs on other campuses.

Research Microcultures as Socialization Contexts for Underrepresented Science Students

PubMed Central

Thoman, Dustin B.; Muragishi, Gregg A.; Smith, Jessi L.

2017-01-01

How much does scientific research potentially help others? We tested whether such prosocial purpose beliefs spread among group members, contributing to each individual student’s motivation for science. We tested this question within the context of research experience for undergraduates working in faculty-led laboratories, with a focus on underrepresented minority (URM) students. Longitudinal survey data were collected from 522 research assistants in 41 labs at 6 institutions. Using multilevel modeling, results supported a socialization effect for URMs, the aggregate prosocial purpose beliefs of one’s labmates predicted the student’s own initial beliefs, as well as students’ subsequent experiences of interest and their motivation to pursue a future science career. Results demonstrate that research labs serve as microcultures of information about science norms and values that influence motivation, which URM students are particularly sensitive to, and efforts to broaden participation should include understanding group processes that convey such values. PMID:28459648

Long Term Benefits for Women in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Living-Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maltby, Jennifer L.; Brooks, Christopher; Horton, Marjorie; Morgan, Helen

2016-01-01

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees provide opportunities for economic mobility. Yet women, underrepresented minority (URM), and first-generation college students remain disproportionately underrepresented in STEM fields. This study examined the effectiveness of a living-learning community (LLC) for URM and first-generation…

Personal Background Preparation Survey for early identification of nursing students at risk for attrition.

PubMed

Johnson, Craig W; Johnson, Ronald; Kim, Mira; McKee, John C

2009-11-01

During 2004 and 2005 orientations, all 187 and 188 new matriculates, respectively, in two southwestern U.S. nursing schools completed Personal Background and Preparation Surveys (PBPS) in the first predictive validity study of a diagnostic and prescriptive instrument for averting adverse academic status events (AASE) among nursing or health science professional students. One standard deviation increases in PBPS risks (p < 0.05) multiplied odds of first-year or second-year AASE by approximately 150%, controlling for school affiliation and underrepresented minority student (URMS) status. AASE odds one standard deviation above mean were 216% to 250% those one standard deviation below mean. Odds of first-year or second-year AASE for URMS one standard deviation above the 2004 PBPS mean were 587% those for non-URMS one standard deviation below mean. The PBPS consistently and significantly facilitated early identification of nursing students at risk for AASE, enabling proactive targeting of interventions for risk amelioration and AASE or attrition prevention. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Under-represented minorities in emergency medicine.

PubMed

Landry, Alden M; Stevens, Jessica; Kelly, Sean P; Sanchez, Leon D; Fisher, Jonathan

2013-07-01

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Institute of Medicine, promoting diversity in the health care workforce is a national priority. The under-representation of minorities in health care contributes significantly to the problem of health disparities currently facing racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States (US). Evidence shows that improved diversity among medical providers contributes to higher satisfaction for minority patients and better educational experiences for trainees. Our aim was to describe the racial and ethnic composition of medical students, Emergency Medicine residents, and practicing Emergency Medicine Physicians as compared with other specialties and the US population. A cross-sectional analysis of the most recent data available from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the US Census were used to determine the racial and ethnic distribution of the US population, medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. The Association of American Medical Colleges' definition of under-represented minorities (URMs) for the years studied included individuals of black, Latino, and Native-American race and ethnicity. Proportions with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. χ(2) analysis was used to compare groups. URMs comprised 30% of the total US population, yet only 6% of all practicing physicians and 9% of Emergency Physicians self-identified as URMs. By comparison, 15% of medical students, 17% of all residents, and 14% of Emergency Medicine residents were URMs (p < 0.0001). Emergency Medicine, like other specialties, lacks the racial and ethnic diversity seen in the US population. Efforts to improve diversity at the resident level are limited by the number of URM students in medical school, and should include steps aimed at addressing this issue. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Society of Pediatric Psychology Diversity Award: Training Underrepresented Minority Students in Psychology

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Monica J.; Crosby, Lori E.

2016-01-01

Improving diversity, particularly among trainees and professionals from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds, has been a long-stated goal for the field of Psychology. Research has provided strategies and best practices, such as ensuring cultural sensitivity and relevance in coursework, clinical and research training, promoting a supportive and inclusive climate, providing access to cultural and community opportunities, and increasing insight and cultural competence among professionals (Rogers & Molina, 2006). Despite this, the rates of psychologists from ethnically diverse and underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds remain low and few published studies have described programmatic efforts to increase diversity within the field. This paper describes the INNOVATIONS training model, which provides community and culturally related research experiences, graduate-school related advising, and mentoring to high school and college students. The paper also examines how the model may support enrollment of URM students in doctoral programs in psychology. Findings indicate that INNOVATIONS supported students’ transition from high school and college to graduate programs (with approximately 75% of students enrolling in Master’s and Doctoral programs). INNOVATIONS also supported students, including those from URM backgrounds, enrolling in doctoral programs (41.7%). Students who were trained in the research assistant track were most likely to enroll in psychology doctoral programs, perhaps as a result of the intensive time and training committed to research and clinical experiences. Data support the importance of research training for URM students pursuing psychology graduate study and the need to ensure cultural relevance of the training. Implications for clinical and pediatric psychology are discussed. PMID:28603680

The Benefits of Attending the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS): The Role of Research Confidence

PubMed Central

Casad, Bettina J.; Chang, Amy L.; Pribbenow, Christine M.

2016-01-01

The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) is designed to support undergraduate students’ professional development as future scientists. Juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureates who attended ABRCMS during 2008–2011 were emailed a link to an online questionnaire in which they reported their experiences at the conference. Attendees reported many ABRCMS-provided benefits. Frequency of attending or presenting at ABRCMS is positively related to science self-efficacy, research confidence, sense of belonging in science, and intentions to pursue a research degree in graduate school. Increased research confidence predicts graduate school plans and intentions for a research career in science; however, men were slightly more likely to intend to pursue a research career than women, likely due to higher research confidence. Although all attendees benefited from ABRCMS, underrepresented minority (URM) students had higher science self-efficacy and sense of belonging in science after attending ABRCMS than non-URM students. This finding demonstrates the effectiveness of ABRCMS as an intervention to increase the representation and success of URMs in science. Results highlight the importance of attending a minority-oriented research conference where URMs can develop their science self-efficacy, research confidence, and sense of belonging in science. However, changes to the conference and undergraduate research experiences may be necessary to reduce gender gaps. PMID:27562962

Bayer Facts of Science Education XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer Corporation

2012-06-01

Diversity and the underrepresentation of women, African-Americans, Hispanics and American Indians in the nation's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are the subjects of the XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students. Annual public opinion research project commissioned by Bayer Corporation, the Bayer Facts surveys examine science education and science literacy issues. The 15th in the series and the fifth to explore diversity and underrepresentation, this research is a direct outgrowth of last year's results which found 40 percent of the country's female and underrepresented minority (URM) chemists and chemical engineers working today were discouraged from pursuing their STEM career at some point in their lives. US colleges were cited as places where this discouragement most often happened and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible. Does such discouragement still occur in American colleges today? To answer this and other questions about the undergraduate environment in which today's students make their career decisions, the survey polls 413 STEM department chairs at the nation's 200 top research universities and those that produce the highest proportion of female and URM STEM graduates. The survey also asks the chairs about their institutions track record recruiting and retaining female and URM STEM undergraduates, preparedness of these students to study STEM, the impact of traditional introductory STEM courses on female and URM students and barriers these students face pursuing their STEM degrees.

Doctoral Programs Need Changes to Attract and Retain Underrepresented Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard, R. E.; Mayfield, K. K.

2017-12-01

Geoscience is currently recognized as the least diverse of all STEM fields. While attention typically focuses on K-12 and undergraduate populations, the extreme lack of diversity among graduate students, and doctoral students in particular, should be examined and addressed. In 2016, members of underrepresented minority (URM) groups made up only 6% of those graduating with geoscience PhDs. In all STEM fields, only 48% of Hispanic/Latino and 38% of Black/African American doctoral studies had earned doctorates within 7 years, with 36% of members of these groups leaving the program entirely. Recent studies suggest that these high attrition rates can be attributed, in part, to a mismatch between motivations of URM members and PhD-granting institutions while students are pursuing scientific education and careers. Traditional STEM doctoral programs do not offer, facilitate, or incentivize substantial opportunities to integrate social justice issues, community involvement, and altruism—factors which have been found to be of more importance to these populations than to male members of well-represented groups. URM members are also less likely to be interested in purely academic research careers, so doctoral programs may be failing to attract (and failing to prepare) diverse populations by not offering experiences beyond typical research and TA duties. In this presentation, trends in motivation and persistence among URM students in STEM will be discussed, in addition to highlighting education and outreach activities that can be successfully incorporated for a more fulfilling, balanced, attractive, and preparatory education experience. Specific activities undertaken and recommended by the presenter in her PhD experience include the following: a federal research internship, a state government policy internship, a formal partnership with a local K-12 teacher though a former NSF GK-12 program, a two-week education workshop aboard a scientific research drillship, and attending a research conference geared towards URM students (SACNAS). Suggestions and recommendations will be made for meaningful changes at the institutional, funding agency, societal and community levels.

Current and Future Status of Diversity in Ophthalmologist Workforce.

PubMed

Xierali, Imam M; Nivet, Marc A; Wilson, M Roy

2016-09-01

Increasing the level of diversity among ophthalmologists may help reduce disparities in eye care. To assess the current and future status of diversity among ophthalmologists in the workforce by sex, race, and ethnicity in the context of the available number of medical students in the United States. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Medical Association, and US Census were used to evaluate the differences and trends in diversity among ophthalmologists, all full-time faculty except ophthalmology, ophthalmology faculty, ophthalmology residents, medical school students, and the US population between 2005 and 2015. For 2014, associations of sex, race, and ethnicity with physician practice locations were assessed. Proportions of ophthalmologists stratified by sex, race, and ethnicity between 2005 and 2015. Women and minority groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine (URM)-black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander-were underrepresented as practicing ophthalmologists (22.7% and 6%, respectively), ophthalmology faculty (35.1% and 5.7%, respectively), and ophthalmology residents (44.3% and 7.7%, respectively), compared with the US population (50.8% and 30.7%, respectively). During the past decade, there had been a modest increase in the proportion of female practicing ophthalmologists who graduated from US medical schools in 1980 or later (from 23.8% to 27.1%; P < .001); however, no increase in URM ophthalmologists was identified (from 7.2% to 7.2%; P = .90). Residents showed a similar pattern, with an increase in the proportion of female residents (from 35.6% to 44.3%; P = .001) and a slight decrease in the proportion of URM residents (from 8.7% to 7.7%; P = .04). The proportion of URM groups among ophthalmology faculty also slightly decreased during the study period (from 6.2% to 5.7%; P = .01). However, a higher proportion of URM ophthalmologists practiced in medically underserved areas (P < .001). Women and URM groups remain underrepresented in the ophthalmologist workforce despite an available pool of medical students. Given the prevalent racial and ethnic disparities in eye care and an increasingly diverse society, future research and training efforts that increase the level of diversity among medical students and residents seems warranted.

An Educational Program for Underserved Middle School Students to Encourage Pursuit of Pharmacy and Other Health Science Careers.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Carroll-Ann; Tran, Thao T; Tran, Linh

2014-11-15

To develop and implement an active, hands-on program for underrepresented minority (URM) seventh grade students and to determine if participation in the program increased interest in health care careers and understanding of pharmacy and physician assistant (PA) professions. A hands-on educational program was developed in conjunction with local middle school administrators and staff for URM 7th grade students. The program was designed to be hands-on and focus on pharmacy and PA laboratory skills. A discussion component was included, allowing participants to interact personally with pharmacy and PA students and faculty members. Students' responses to survey questions about interest in health care careers and knowledge about health professions were compared before and after 2 separate offerings of the program. After the program, significant increases were seen in participants' understanding of the pharmacy and PA professions. An increased percentage of participants reported interest in health care careers after the program than before the program. Introducing middle school-aged URM students to the pharmacy and PA professions through a hands-on educational program increased interest in, and knowledge of, these professions.

Capital, Kinship, & White Privilege. Social & Cultural Influences upon the Minority Doctoral Experience in the Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bancroft, Senetta

2013-01-01

In this article, the author presents a three-part analysis of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, her own doctoral experience in a chemistry program, and similar experiences of other underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students found in the literature as examples of the social and cultural structures URMs experience…

Addressing the challenge of diversity in the graduate ranks: good practices yield good outcomes.

PubMed

Thompson, Nancy L; Campbell, Andrew G

2013-01-01

In this paper, we examine the impact of implementing three systemic practices on the diversity and institutional culture in biomedical and public health PhD training at Brown University. We hypothesized that these practices, designed as part of the National Institutes of Health-funded Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program in the Division of Biology and Medicine, would have a positive effect on underrepresented minority (URM) recruitment and retention and objective measures of student success. These practices include: 1) develop strategic partnerships with selected undergraduate institutions; 2) provide a personalized education program of student support and skill-based modules to supplement discipline-based course work; and 3) transform institutional culture by engaging faculty in supporting diversity-related goals and practices. Data comparing URM numbers and key academic milestones before and after implementation of IMSD practices support the initial hypothesis and effectiveness of these practices at Brown. Program components are broadly applicable as best practices for others seeking to improve URM recruitment and achievements of graduate students traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

Addressing the Challenge of Diversity in the Graduate Ranks: Good Practices Yield Good Outcomes

PubMed Central

Thompson, Nancy L.; Campbell, Andrew G.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we examine the impact of implementing three systemic practices on the diversity and institutional culture in biomedical and public health PhD training at Brown University. We hypothesized that these practices, designed as part of the National Institutes of Health–funded Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program in the Division of Biology and Medicine, would have a positive effect on underrepresented minority (URM) recruitment and retention and objective measures of student success. These practices include: 1) develop strategic partnerships with selected undergraduate institutions; 2) provide a personalized education program of student support and skill-based modules to supplement discipline-based course work; and 3) transform institutional culture by engaging faculty in supporting diversity-related goals and practices. Data comparing URM numbers and key academic milestones before and after implementation of IMSD practices support the initial hypothesis and effectiveness of these practices at Brown. Program components are broadly applicable as best practices for others seeking to improve URM recruitment and achievements of graduate students traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. PMID:23463225

Cultivating Diversity and Competency in STEM: Challenges and Remedies for Removing Virtual Barriers to Constructing Diverse Higher Education Communities of Success.

PubMed

Whittaker, Joseph A; Montgomery, Beronda L

2012-01-01

The need to increase the number of college graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a national issue. As the demographics of the United States' population grow increasingly more diverse, the recognition that students of color are disproportionately under-represented among those individuals successful at completing STEM degrees requires exigent and sustained intervention. Although a range of efforts and funding have been committed to increasing the success of under-represented minority (URM) students at primarily white, or majority, institutions, widespread progress has been slow. Simultaneously, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions have demonstrated disproportionate successes in graduating URM students with STEM degrees and those that proceed to completing graduate-level degrees in the sciences. The differential successes of particular institutions with promoting the achievement of diverse individuals in obtaining academic STEM degrees suggest that with committed and strategic leadership, advancements in creating academic communities that promote the success of a diverse range of students in STEM can be achieved in part through assessing and mitigating environmental barriers that impede success at majority institutions. In this paper, we address issues related to the engagement of URM students in majority settings and describe some efforts that have shown success for promoting diversity in STEM and highlight continuing issues and factors associated with cultivating diversity in academic STEM disciplines at majority institutions. Recommended efforts include addressing academic assistance, professional and cultural socialization issues and institutional environmental factors that are associated with success or lack thereof for URMs in STEM.

Improving diversity through strategic planning: a 10-year (2002-2012) experience at theMedical University of South Carolina.

PubMed

Deas, Deborah; Pisano, Etta D; Mainous, Arch G; Johnson, Natalie G; Singleton, Myra Haney; Gordon, Leonie; Taylor, Wanda; Hazen-Martin, Debra; Burnham, Willette S; Reves, J G

2012-11-01

The Medical University of South Carolina launched a systematic plan to infuse diversity among its students, resident physicians, and faculty in 2002. The dean and stakeholders of the College of Medicine (COM) embraced the concept that a more population-representative physician workforce could contribute to the goals of providing quality medical education and addressing health care disparities in South Carolina. Diversity became a central component of the COM's strategic plan, and all departments developed diversity plans consistent with the overarching plan of the COM. Liaisons from the COM diversity committee facilitated the development of the department's diversity plans. By 2011, the efforts resulted in a doubling of the number of underrepresented-in-medicine (URM, defined as African American, Latino, Native American) students (21% of student body); matriculation of 10 African American males as first-year medical students annually for four consecutive years; more than a threefold increase in URM residents/fellows; expansion of pipeline programs; expansion of mentoring programs; almost twice as many URM faculty; integration of cultural competency throughout the medical school curriculum; advancement of women and URM individuals into leadership positions; and enhanced learning for individuals from all backgrounds. This article reports the implementation of an institutional plan to create a more racially representative workforce across the academic continuum. The authors emphasize the role of the stakeholders in promoting diversity, the value of annual assessment to evaluate outcomes, and the positive benefits for individuals of all backgrounds.

MS PHD'S: A Successful Model Promoting Inclusion, Preparation and Engagement of Underrepresented Minorities within the Geosciences Workforce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padilla, E.; Scott, O.; Strickland, J. T.; Ricciardi, L.; Guzman, W. I.; Braxton, L.; Williamson, V.; Johnson, A.

2015-12-01

According to 2014 findings of the National Research Council, geoscience and related industries indicate an anticipated 48,000 blue-collar, scientific, and managerial positions to be filled by underrepresented minority (URM) workers in the next 15 years. An Information Handling Services (IHS) report prepared for the American Petroleum Institute forecasts even greater numbers estimating upward of 408,000 opportunities for URM workers related to growth in accelerated development of oil, gas and petroleum industries. However, many URM students lack the training in both the hard sciences and craft skills necessary to fill these positions. The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S) Professional Development Program uses integrative and holistic strategies to better prepare URM students for entry into all levels of the geoscience workforce. Through a three-phase program of mentoring, community building, networking and professional development activities, MS PHD'S promotes collaboration, critical thinking, and soft skills development for participants. Program activities expose URM students to education, training and real-life geoscience workforce experiences while maintaining a continuity of supportive mentoring and training networks via an active virtual community. MS PHD'S participants report increased self-confidence and self-efficacy in pursuing geoscience workforce goals. To date, the program supports 223 participants of who 57, 21 and 16 have received Doctorate, Masters and Baccalaureate degrees respectively and are currently employed within the geoscience and related industries workforce. The remaining 129 participants are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs throughout the U.S. Geographic representation of participants includes 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and two international postdoctoral appointments - one in Saudi Arabia and the other in France.

An Educational Program for Underserved Middle School Students to Encourage Pursuit of Pharmacy and Other Health Science Careers

PubMed Central

Tran, Thao T.; Tran, Linh

2014-01-01

Objective. To develop and implement an active, hands-on program for underrepresented minority (URM) seventh grade students and to determine if participation in the program increased interest in health care careers and understanding of pharmacy and physician assistant (PA) professions. Design. A hands-on educational program was developed in conjunction with local middle school administrators and staff for URM 7th grade students. The program was designed to be hands-on and focus on pharmacy and PA laboratory skills. A discussion component was included, allowing participants to interact personally with pharmacy and PA students and faculty members. Assessment. Students’ responses to survey questions about interest in health care careers and knowledge about health professions were compared before and after 2 separate offerings of the program. After the program, significant increases were seen in participants’ understanding of the pharmacy and PA professions. An increased percentage of participants reported interest in health care careers after the program than before the program. Conclusion. Introducing middle school-aged URM students to the pharmacy and PA professions through a hands-on educational program increased interest in, and knowledge of, these professions. PMID:26056405

Outcomes and Processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program: STEM PhD Completion, Sense of Community, Perceived Program Benefit, Science Identity, and Research Self-Efficacy

PubMed Central

Maton, Kenneth I.; Beason, Tiffany S.; Godsay, Surbhi; Sto. Domingo, Mariano R.; Bailey, TaShara C.; Sun, Shuyan; Hrabowski, Freeman A.

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is an effective intervention for high-achieving underrepresented minority (URM) students; African-American Meyerhoff students are significantly more likely to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) PhD programs than comparison students. The first of two studies in this report extends the prior research by examining levels of PhD completion for Meyerhoff (N = 479) versus comparison sample (N = 249) students among the first 16 cohorts. Entering African-American Meyerhoff students were 4.8 times more likely to complete STEM PhDs than comparison sample students. To enhance understanding of potential mechanisms of influence, the second study used data from the 22nd (Fall 2010) to 25th (Fall 2013) cohorts (N = 109) to test the hypothesis that perceived program benefit at the end of freshman year would mediate the relationship between sense of community at the end of Summer Bridge and science identity and research self-efficacy at the end of sophomore year. Study 2 results indicated that perceived program benefit fully mediated the relationship between sense of community and both criterion measures. The findings underscore the potential of comprehensive STEM intervention programs to enhance PhD completion, and suggest mechanisms of influence. PMID:27587857

MS PHD'S: A successful model for reaching underrepresented minorities (URM) students through virtual platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, O.; Johnson, A.; Williamson, V.; Ricciardi, L.; Jearld, A., Jr.; Guzman, W. I.

2014-12-01

To successfully recruit and retain underrepresented minority (URM) students and early career scientists, many programs supplement traditional curricular activities with multiple online platforms, establishing "virtual communities" that are free and easily accessible. These virtual communities offer readily sustainable opportunities to facilitate communication across a wide range of cultural lines and socioeconomic levels thereby broadening participation and inclusivity in STEM. Established in 2003, the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) in Earth System Science Professional Development Program has successfully used virtual community tools such as a listserv, community forum, social media, and VoIP technologies, to extend the face-to-face activities of the program and support the advancement of URM students and early career scientists in STEM. The use of multiple facets of virtual community by MS PHD'S participants supports and encourages "real life" interactions and mentorship, facilitates networking and professional development, and maintains continuity of shared networks. The program is now in its ninth cohort and supports 213 participants. To date, 54 participants have completed their PhD and another 61 are currently enrolled in doctoral programs.

Walking the Path Together from High School to STEM Majors and Careers: Utilizing Community Engagement and a Focus on Teaching to Increase Opportunities for URM Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkel, Liza

2017-01-01

Despite decades of efforts to increase the participation of women and people from underrepresented minority groups (URM) in science and math majors and careers, and despite the increasing diversification of the US population as a whole (Planty et al. in National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of…

A Longitudinal Study of How Quality Mentorship and Research Experience Integrate Underrepresented Minorities into STEM Careers.

PubMed

Estrada, Mica; Hernandez, Paul R; Schultz, P Wesley

2018-01-01

African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are historically underrepresented minorities (URMs) among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree earners. Viewed from a perspective of social influence, this pattern suggests that URMs do not integrate into the STEM academic community at the same rate as non-URM students. Estrada and colleagues recently showed that Kelman's tripartite integration model of social influence (TIMSI) predicted URM persistence into science fields. In this paper, we longitudinally examine the integration of URMs into the STEM community by using growth-curve analyses to measure the development of TIMIS's key variables (science efficacy, identity, and values) from junior year through the postbaccalaureate year. Results showed that quality mentorship and research experience occurring in the junior and senior years were positively related to student science efficacy, identity, and values at that same time period. Longitudinal modeling of TIMSI further shows that, while efficacy is important, and perhaps a necessary predictor of moving toward a STEM career, past experiences of efficacy may not be sufficient for maintaining longer-term persistence. In contrast, science identity and values do continue to be predictive of STEM career pathway persistence up to 4 years after graduation. © 2018 M. Estrada et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM

PubMed Central

Estrada, Mica; Burnett, Myra; Campbell, Andrew G.; Campbell, Patricia B.; Denetclaw, Wilfred F.; Gutiérrez, Carlos G.; Hurtado, Sylvia; John, Gilbert H.; Matsui, John; McGee, Richard; Okpodu, Camellia Moses; Robinson, T. Joan; Summers, Michael F.; Werner-Washburne, Maggie; Zavala, MariaElena

2016-01-01

Members of the Joint Working Group on Improving Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)—convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute—review current data and propose deliberation about why the academic “pathways” leak more for URM than white or Asian STEM students. They suggest expanding to include a stronger focus on the institutional barriers that need to be removed and the types of interventions that “lift” students’ interests, commitment, and ability to persist in STEM fields. Using Kurt Lewin’s planned approach to change, the committee describes five recommendations to increase URM persistence in STEM at the undergraduate level. These recommendations capitalize on known successes, recognize the need for accountability, and are framed to facilitate greater progress in the future. The impact of these recommendations rests upon enacting the first recommendation: to track successes and failures at the institutional level and collect data that help explain the existing trends. PMID:27543633

A Summer Prematriculation Program: Bridging the Gap for Disadvantaged Underrepresented Minority Students Interested in a Nursing Career.

PubMed

Norris, Tommie L; Wicks, Mona N; Cowan, Patricia A; Davison, Erwin Story

2016-08-01

The nursing and health care workforce needs diverse clinicians who can provide culturally competent and high-quality care to an increasingly diverse U.S. Achieving this goal requires creating learning environments that foster the success of disadvantaged underrepresented minority (URM) students seeking nursing careers. This 4-week summer prematriculation program introduced 33 URM individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to nursing as a career through financial support, academic enrichment, and social support to enhance nursing program admission success. Federal guidelines were used to establish URM and economically disadvantaged status. To date, one third of program participants have been admitted to nursing programs. Fundamental reforms in pre-college education systems, such as the evidence-based strategies implemented in our summer prematriculation program, may be needed to achieve a diverse, culturally competent workforce that can help eliminate persistent health and health care disparities. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(8):471-475.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Not Business-as-Usual: Resetting Expectations for Recruitment, Engagement & Professional Development of Today's URM in Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auzenne, K.; Teranes, J. L.

2017-12-01

"The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them." - Albert Einstein. In order to successfully recruit and retain today's URM in geosciences, we must think critically and strategically about how opportunities for professional engagement and skills-building are marketed, structured and implemented at various stages of an individual's career, and how those opportunities may be viewed and/or experienced differently by URM students and professionals. This presentation will discuss how modern professional development strategies for URMs should include: (1) clearly defined expectations that acknowledge cultural differences and challenges; (2) supportive exposure to experiences and individuals, such as role models, mentors and potential advisors; (3) constructive skill-building experiences that foster confidence and a sense of belonging, and (4) a demonstrated institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion from leadership that translates into visible resources and support. The presentation will highlight examples of these efforts and outcomes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, including the Scripps Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, a NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). With a commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion, the SURF program has used the strategies above to help recruit and retain URM, women and veterans in graduate school and careers in the geosciences.

Broadening Pathways to Geosciences with an Integrated Program at The University of Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, G.; Munson, J.

2017-12-01

Low participation of under-represented minorities (URM) in the geosciences is an acute issue at the University of Michigan (U-M), where the number of undergraduate URM students majoring in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) is typically 5% of total majors. The goal of our project is to substantially increase the number and success rate of underrepresented minorities majoring in EES at U-M. We are pursuing this goal with five primary objectives: (i) inspire and recruit high schools seniors to pursue geoscience at U-M, especially through hands-on experiences including field trips; (ii) establish infrastructure to support students interested in geosciences through the critical juncture between high school and college; (iii) increase the number of URM students transferring from community college; (iv) develop student interest in geosciences through research and field experiences; (v) expose students to career opportunities in the geosciences. To accomplish these objectives we are leveraging existing programs, including Earth Camp, Foundations for Undergraduate Teaching: Uniting Research and Education (FUTURE), M-Sci, and college academic advisors. Throughout our interactions with students from high-school through college, we expose them to career opportunities in the geosciences, including private industry, academia, and government agencies. Evaluation of the program revealed three main conclusions: (i) the program increased student interest in pursuing an earth science degree; (ii) participating students showed a marked increase in awareness about the various opportunities that are available with an earth science degree including pathways to graduate school and earth science careers; (iii) field trips were the most effective route for achieving outcomes (i) and (ii).

Factors Associated With Medical School Graduates' Intention to Work With Underserved Populations: Policy Implications for Advancing Workforce Diversity.

PubMed

Garcia, Andrea N; Kuo, Tony; Arangua, Lisa; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J

2018-01-01

Given projected U.S. physician shortages across all specialties that will likely impact underserved areas disproportionately, the authors sought to explore factors most correlated with medical school graduates' intention to work with underserved populations (IWUP). Data from the 2010-2012 Association of American Medical Colleges Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (n = 40,846) were analyzed. Variables (demographics, career preference, debt burden, intention to enter loan forgiveness programs) were examined using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Respondents included 49.5% (20,228/40,846) women, 16.6% (6,771/40,837) underrepresented minorities (URMs), and 32.4% (13,034/37,342) with primary care intent. The median educational debt was $160,000. Respondents who were women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 1.70), URMs (aOR 2.50, 95% CI 2.30, 2.72), intended to enter loan forgiveness programs (aOR 2.44, 95% CI 2.26, 2.63), intended to practice primary care (aOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.54, 1.76), and intended to emphasize nonclinical careers (aOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.11, 1.37) had greater odds of reporting IWUP. Among those who chose specialties and careers with a nonclinical emphasis, and among those with greater burdens of educational and consumer debt, URMs were nearly twice as likely as other minorities and whites to report IWUP. Findings suggest physician characteristics that may be associated with filling workforce gaps in underserved areas. Restructuring financial incentive programs to support physician leaders and specialists with characteristics associated with IWUP may complement similar policies in primary care and could have key impacts on health equity in underserved areas.

Understanding Perceptions of the Geosciences among Minority and Nonminority Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen; McNeal, Karen S.

2016-01-01

This study augments existing literature in understanding student perceptions about the geosciences; we examined the choice of major and science courses taken by 645 students at a large southeastern research university. Differences were examined between underrepresented minority (URM) and nonminority students. We compared responses regarding not…

Attracting underrepresented minority students to the sciences with an interest and utility value intervention: Catching and holding interest in recruitment materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stribling, Tracy M.

In order to explore recruitment methods for attracting undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students to the sciences, an applied intervention involving the manipulation of the construct of interest was implemented. Using Bridges to the Baccalaureate--a scientific research program available to community college URM students--as the context for the intervention, I redesigned the original recruitment brochure into two new brochures: one designed to catch interest and one designed to catch interest as well as hold it. Largely attributable to inherent limitations of applied research, no differences were found between the number of applications submitted the year the intervention was implemented compared to the previous baseline year, nor were any differences found between the number of applications submitted by students who received the interest brochure compared to those who received the utility value brochure.

Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM.

PubMed

Estrada, Mica; Burnett, Myra; Campbell, Andrew G; Campbell, Patricia B; Denetclaw, Wilfred F; Gutiérrez, Carlos G; Hurtado, Sylvia; John, Gilbert H; Matsui, John; McGee, Richard; Okpodu, Camellia Moses; Robinson, T Joan; Summers, Michael F; Werner-Washburne, Maggie; Zavala, MariaElena

2016-01-01

Members of the Joint Working Group on Improving Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-review current data and propose deliberation about why the academic "pathways" leak more for URM than white or Asian STEM students. They suggest expanding to include a stronger focus on the institutional barriers that need to be removed and the types of interventions that "lift" students' interests, commitment, and ability to persist in STEM fields. Using Kurt Lewin's planned approach to change, the committee describes five recommendations to increase URM persistence in STEM at the undergraduate level. These recommendations capitalize on known successes, recognize the need for accountability, and are framed to facilitate greater progress in the future. The impact of these recommendations rests upon enacting the first recommendation: to track successes and failures at the institutional level and collect data that help explain the existing trends. © 2016 M. Estrada et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

U.S. dental school applicants and enrollees, 2006 and 2007 entering classes.

PubMed

Okwuje, Ifie; Anderson, Eugene; Siaya, Laura; Brown, L Jackson; Valachovic, Richard W

2008-11-01

The number of applicants to dental schools in the United States continues to rise at a double-digit rate, 12 percent from 2005 to 2006 and 14 percent from 2006 to 2007. The number of applicants to the 2006 and 2007 years' entering classes of U.S. dental schools was 12,500 and 13,700, respectively. The number of first-time enrollees (4,600) in 2007 was the highest recorded since 1989. Men continue to comprise the majority of all applicants, 55 percent in 2006 and 53 percent in 2007. However, the percentage of women applicants to each school ranged from a third to more than half. Underrepresented minority (URM) applicants comprised 12 percent of the applicant pools in both 2006 and 2007. For the 2007 entering class, URM enrollees comprised 13 percent of enrollees. As in previous years, in 2007, the largest number of applicants and enrollees came from states that are among the largest in population in the United States: California, Texas, New York, and Florida. Grade point average and Dental Admission Test scores were the highest in more than a decade. More than three out of four of the 2007 first-time, first-year enrollees earned a baccalaureate degree either in biological/life or physical sciences or in health. Regardless of major field of study, the percent rates of enrollment generally exceeded 30 percent, though there were exceptions (e.g., engineering and education). The majority of enrollees to the 2007 entering classes were twenty-two or twenty-three years of age.

Changing the face of STEM: Preparing Students for Research and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stojković, Emina A.

2016-03-01

Recently, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) was awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Grant, intended to prepare URM students for graduate programs in biomedical and/or behavioral fields. This has allowed us to bring high-caliber researchers to NEIU and engage undergraduate and graduate students in their research as well as career pathways. It has also afforded us to do something that we have found essential to attracting and supporting URM students in STEM: engaging in outreach to the community. Our scholars started to mentor elementary and high school students from neighboring communities in the city. NEIU is a public state university located in metropolitan Chicago, IL. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the most ethnically diverse university in the Midwest, NEIU embraces diversity and a nontraditional atmosphere. The funding we received has allowed our young scholars to attend research conferences in their area of expertise, present research results, and network with prestigious researchers at neighboring and far-away institutions. However, this alone is not enough to attract them to the STEM disciplines. We understand the desire of URM students to give back to their communities and they must see careers in STEM as a viable path to do so in their future. We also know the importance of offering students from the local community early exposure to science and seeing future scientists from their community talk about research. In this talk, I will share how we have used the MARC Grant to prepare our students for careers in STEM and the success that we have seen thus far with our approach.

Developing a Hybrid Model to Predict Student First Year Retention in STEM Disciplines Using Machine Learning Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkhasawneh, Ruba; Hargraves, Rosalyn Hobson

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to develop a hybrid framework to model first year student retention for underrepresented minority (URM) students comprising African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. Identifying inputs that best contribute to student retention provides significant information for institutions to learn about…

The STEM Lecture Hall: A Study of Effective Instructional Practices for Diverse Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, Lynn Christine

First-generation, low-income, underrepresented minority (URM) and female undergraduates are matriculating into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors at unprecedented levels. However, a disproportionate number of these students end up graduating in non-STEM disciplines. Attrition rates have been observed to spike in conjunction with introductory STEM courses in chemistry, biology, and physics. These "gateway" courses tend to be housed in large, impersonal lecture halls. First-generation and URM students struggle in this environment, possibly because of instructors' reliance on lecture-based content delivery and rote memorization. Recent social psychological studies suggest the problem may be related to cultural mismatch, or misalignment between independent learning norms typical of American universities and interdependent learning expectancies for first-generation and URM students. Value-affirming and utility-value interventions yield impressive academic achievement gains for these students. These findings overlap with a second body of literature on culturally responsive instruction. Active gateway learning practices that emphasize interactive instruction, frequent assessment, and epistemological instruction can be successful because of their propensity to incorporate values affirming and utility-value techniques. The present study observed instruction for gateway STEM courses over a three-year period at the University of California, Irvine (N = 13,856 undergraduates in 168 courses). Exploratory polychoric factor analysis was used to identify latent variables for observational data on gateway STEM instructional practices. Variables were regressed on institutional student data. Practices implemented in large lecture halls fall into three general categories: Faculty-Student Interaction, Epistemological Instruction, and Peer Interaction . The present study found that Faculty-Student Interaction was negatively associated with student outcomes for female and first-generation students; and Epistemological Instruction was negatively associated with student outcomes for Hispanic students. More importantly, Peer Interaction was positively associated with student outcomes for female, first-generation, and Hispanic students. Study implications and limitations are discussed with reference to the research literature.

"Fort Valley State University Cooperative Developmental Energy Program: Broadening the Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in the Geosciences"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crumbly, I.; Hodges, J.; Kar, A.; Rashidi, L.

2014-12-01

According to the American Geological Institute's Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates, 2014, underrepresented minorities (URMs) make up only 7%, 5%, and 2% of graduates at the BS/BA, MA/MS, and Ph.D levels, respectively. Recruiting academically-talented URMs to major in the geosciences instead of majoring in other fields such as medicine, law, business, or engineering is a major undertaking. Numerous factors may contribute as to why few URMs choose geoscience careers. To address the underrepresentation of URMs in the geosciences 1992, the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and the College of Geosciences at the University of Oklahoma (OU) implemented a 3 + 2 dual degree program specifically in geology and geophysics. Since 1992, FVSU-CDEP has added the University of Texas at Austin (2004), Pennsylvania State University (2005), University of Arkansas (2010), and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (2015) as partners to offer degrees in geology and geophysics. The dual degree programs consist of students majoring in chemistry or mathematics at FVSU for the first three years and transferring to one of the above partnering universities for years four and five to major in geology or geophysics. Upon completion of the program, students receive a BS degree in chemistry or mathematics from FVSU and a BS degree in geology or geophysics from a partnering university. CDEP has been responsible for recruiting 33 URMs who have earned BS degrees in geology or geophysics. Females constitute 50% of the graduates which is higher than the national average. Also, 56% of these graduates have earned the MS degree and 6% have earned the Ph.D. Currently, 60% of these graduates are employed with oil and gas companies; 20% work for academia; 12% work for governmental agencies; 6 % are professionals with environmental firms; and 2% of the graduate's employment is unknown.

"Fort Valley State University Cooperative Developmental Energy Program: Broadening the Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in the Geosciences"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crumbly, I.; Hodges, J.; Kar, A.; Rashidi, L.

2015-12-01

According to the American Geological Institute's Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates, 2014, underrepresented minorities (URMs) make up only 7%, 5%, and 2% of graduates at the BS/BA, MA/MS, and Ph.D levels, respectively. Recruiting academically-talented URMs to major in the geosciences instead of majoring in other fields such as medicine, law, business, or engineering is a major undertaking. Numerous factors may contribute as to why few URMs choose geoscience careers. To address the underrepresentation of URMs in the geosciences 1992, the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and the College of Geosciences at the University of Oklahoma (OU) implemented a 3 + 2 dual degree program specifically in geology and geophysics. Since 1992, FVSU-CDEP has added the University of Texas at Austin (2004), Pennsylvania State University (2005), University of Arkansas (2010), and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (2015) as partners to offer degrees in geology and geophysics. The dual degree programs consist of students majoring in chemistry or mathematics at FVSU for the first three years and transferring to one of the above partnering universities for years four and five to major in geology or geophysics. Upon completion of the program, students receive a BS degree in chemistry or mathematics from FVSU and a BS degree in geology or geophysics from a partnering university. CDEP has been responsible for recruiting 33 URMs who have earned BS degrees in geology or geophysics. Females constitute 50% of the graduates which is higher than the national average. Also, 56% of these graduates have earned the MS degree and 6% have earned the Ph.D. Currently, 60% of these graduates are employed with oil and gas companies; 20% work for academia; 12% work for governmental agencies; 6 % are professionals with environmental firms; and 2% of the graduate's employment is unknown.

Undergraduate range management exam: 1999-2014

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Undergraduate Range Management Exam (URME) has been administered to undergraduate students at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management since 1983, with students demonstrating their higher order learning skills and synthesis knowledge of the art and science of rangeland management. ...

Attracting Urban Minority Students to Geosciences through Exposure to Careers and Applied Aspects in Newark, NJ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gates, A. E.; Kalczynski, M. J.

2014-12-01

A solid pipeline of URM students into the Geosciences has been established in Newark, NJ by introducing them to applied opportunities. Prior to an OEDG program designed to engage URM students, there were no students from or near Newark interested in pursuing geosciences at Rutgers-Newark or Essex Community College, the two local urban campuses. By infusing activities that showed the applied aspects of geoscience and opportunities for careers into regular high school lesson plans, a significant number of students became interested. These students were recruited into a 4-week modular summer institute that focused on energy, mining resources, environment and surface processes. About 90 students per year attended the institute which included 2 local field trips per week, presentations by industry professionals, activities that placed academic subjects into career perspective and a research project that directly affected the well-being of the students and their families. The most interested dozen of the 90 students were invited to participate in a high profile applied project that received significant media coverage, further enhancing their impression of the importance of geosciences. Previous graduates of the program were employed as assistants in subsequent programs to recycle the experience and enthusiasm. This had a positive effect on the persistence of the assistants who viewed themselves as role models to the younger students. The results are burgeoning numbers of URM geoscience majors at Rutgers, offering of geoscience for the first time in 30 years at Essex Community College as well as a new 2+2 geoscience track and several dual-credit courses at local high schools. An important aspect of this pathway or pipeline is that students must be able to clearly see the next step and their role in it. They are very tentative in this essentially pioneering pursuit. If they don't get a sense of a welcoming community and an ultimate career outcome, they quickly lose interest and retreat to a pursuit or major that is more traditional.

Mathematics Readiness of First-Year University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atuahene, Francis; Russell, Tammy A.

2016-01-01

The majority of high school students, particularly underrepresented minorities (URMs) from low socioeconomic backgrounds are graduating from high school less prepared academically for advanced-level college mathematics. Using 2009 and 2010 course enrollment data, several statistical analyses (multiple linear regression, Cochran Mantel Haenszel…

Career Coaches as a Source of Vicarious Learning for Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Williams, Simon N; Thakore, Bhoomi K; McGee, Richard

2016-01-01

Many recent mentoring initiatives have sought to help improve the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions across the biomedical sciences. However, the intractable nature of the problem of underrepresentation suggests that many young scientists may require supplemental career development beyond what many mentors are able to offer. As an adjunct to traditional scientific mentoring, we created a novel academic career "coaching" intervention for PhD students in the biomedical sciences. To determine whether and how academic career coaches can provide effective career-development-related learning experiences for URM PhD students in the biomedical sciences. We focus specifically on vicarious learning experiences, where individuals learn indirectly through the experiences of others. The intervention is being tested as part of a longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT). Here, we describe a nested qualitative study, using a framework approach to analyze data from a total of 48 semi-structured interviews from 24 URM PhD students (2 interviews per participant, 1 at baseline, 1 at 12-month follow-up) (16 female, 8 male; 11 Black, 12 Hispanic, 1 Native-American). We explored the role of the coach as a source of vicarious learning, in relation to the students' goal of being future biomedical science faculty. Coaches were resources through which most students in the study were able to learn vicariously about how to pursue, and succeed within, an academic career. Coaches were particularly useful in instances where students' research mentors are unable to provide such vicarious learning opportunities, for example because the mentor is too busy to have career-related discussions with a student, or because they have, or value, a different type of academic career to the type the student hopes to achieve. Coaching can be an important way to address the lack of structured career development that students receive in their home training environment.

Outcomes and Processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program: STEM PhD Completion, Sense of Community, Perceived Program Benefit, Science Identity, and Research Self-Efficacy.

PubMed

Maton, Kenneth I; Beason, Tiffany S; Godsay, Surbhi; Sto Domingo, Mariano R; Bailey, TaShara C; Sun, Shuyan; Hrabowski, Freeman A

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is an effective intervention for high-achieving underrepresented minority (URM) students; African-American Meyerhoff students are significantly more likely to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) PhD programs than comparison students. The first of two studies in this report extends the prior research by examining levels of PhD completion for Meyerhoff (N = 479) versus comparison sample (N = 249) students among the first 16 cohorts. Entering African-American Meyerhoff students were 4.8 times more likely to complete STEM PhDs than comparison sample students. To enhance understanding of potential mechanisms of influence, the second study used data from the 22nd (Fall 2010) to 25th (Fall 2013) cohorts (N = 109) to test the hypothesis that perceived program benefit at the end of freshman year would mediate the relationship between sense of community at the end of Summer Bridge and science identity and research self-efficacy at the end of sophomore year. Study 2 results indicated that perceived program benefit fully mediated the relationship between sense of community and both criterion measures. The findings underscore the potential of comprehensive STEM intervention programs to enhance PhD completion, and suggest mechanisms of influence. © 2016 K. I. Maton et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Educational and Career Barriers to the Medical Profession: Perceptions of Underrepresented Minority Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Paul

2006-01-01

This study examines the perception of minority students underrepresented in the medical profession regarding educational and career barriers and to ascertain gender differences on their perceptions. A 30 item educational and career barriers inventory was administered to 97 underrepresented minority (URM) students enrolled in a special premedical…

Bridges to the Doctorate: mentored transition to successful completion of doctoral study for underrepresented minorities in nursing science.

PubMed

Kim, Mi Ja; Holm, Karyn; Gerard, Peggy; McElmurry, Beverly; Foreman, Mark; Poslusny, Susan; Dallas, Constance

2009-01-01

Nursing has a shortage of doctorally-prepared underrepresented minority (URM) scientists/faculty. We describe a five-year University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Bridges program for URM master's students' transition to doctoral study and factors in retention/graduation from the PhD program. Four master' students from two partner schools were recruited/appointed per year and assigned UIC faculty advisors. They completed 10 UIC credits during master's study and were mentored by Bridges faculty. Administrative and financial support was provided during transition and doctoral study. Partner schools' faculty formed research dyads with UIC faculty. Seventeen Bridges students were appointed to the Bridges program: 12 were admitted to the UIC PhD program since 2004 and one graduated in 2007. Eight Bridges faculty research dyads published 5 articles and submitted 1 NIH R03 application. Mentored transition from master's through doctoral program completion and administrative/financial support for students were key factors in program success. Faculty research dyads enhanced the research climate in partner schools.

More Than "Getting Us Through:" A Case Study in Cultural Capital Enrichment of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduates.

PubMed

Ovink, Sarah M; Veazey, Brian D

2011-01-01

Minority students continue to be underrepresented among those who seek graduate and professional degrees in the sciences. Much previous research has focused on academic preparation. Equally important, however, are the psychological-social barriers and lack of institutional support encountered by many minority students. We present a case study of a university-sponsored intervention program for minority science majors that addresses not only academics, but also socialization into the academic community, networking, and the ability to practice newfound skills and dispositions through undergraduate research. In examining this case, we suggest that concerted, formal efforts toward expanding habitus and thereby augmenting cultural and social capital may have positive effects for underrepresented minority (URM) college students' academic and career prospects. Moreover, we argue that these differences complement the gains program participants make in academic preparedness, showing that attention to academics alone may be insufficient for addressing longstanding inequities in science career attainment among URM students.

Fostering Under-represented Minority Student Success and Interest in the Geosciences: Outcomes of the UNC-Chapel Hill Increasing Diversity and Enhancing Academia (IDEA) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, M. H.; Gray, K.; Drostin, M.

2016-12-01

For under-represented minority (URM) students, opportunities to meaningfully participate in academic communities and develop supportive relationships with faculty and peers influence persistence in STEM majors (Figueroa, Hurtado, & Wilkins, 2015; PCAST, 2012; Tsui, 2007). Creating such opportunities is even more important in the geosciences, where a lower percentage of post-secondary degrees are awarded to URM students than in other STEM fields (NSF, 2015; O'Connell & Holmes, 2011; NSF, 2011). Since 2011, Increasing Diversity and Enhancing Academia (IDEA), a program of the UNC-Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment (UNC-IE), has provided 39 undergraduates (predominantly URM and female students) with career-relevant research experiences and professional development opportunities, including a culminating experience of presenting their research at a campus-wide research symposium. External evaluation data have helped to characterize the effectiveness of the IDEA program. These data included pre- and post-surveys assessing students' interest in geosciences, knowledge of career pathways, and perceptions of their abilities related to a specific set of scientific research skills. Additionally, progress towards degrees and dissemination outcomes were tracked. In this presentation, we will share quantitative and qualitative data that demonstrate that participation in the IDEA program has influenced students' interest and persistence in geosciences research and careers. These data range from self-reported competencies in a variety of scientific skills (such as organizing and interpreting data and reading and interpreting science literature) to documentation of student participation in geoscience study and professions. About 69% of participants continued research begun during their internships beyond the internship; and about 38% pursued graduate degrees and secured jobs in geoscience and other STEM fields. (Nearly half are still in school.) Overall, these evaluation data have shown that the IDEA research experience, combined with program elements focused on professional development, reinforces students' sense of their science abilities, connects them to a network of supportive students and professionals and contributes to their sense of belonging within the geosciences.

Decelerated medical education.

PubMed

McGrath, Brian; McQuail, Diane

2004-09-01

The aim of the study was to obtain information regarding the prevalence, structure, student characteristics and outcomes of formal decelerated medical education programs. A 13-item survey was mailed to all US medical schools examining characteristics of decelerated curricular programs. Responses were received from 77 schools (62% response). Some 24 (31%) indicated a formal decelerated option; 13 (57%) decelerate the first year while four (17%) decelerate year 1 or year 2. Participants may be selected before matriculation or after difficulty in 14 (61%) programs while four (17%) select only after encountering difficulty. Students may unilaterally choose deceleration in 10 (43%); 4.3% (0.1-12) of total matriculants were decelerated. The proportion of decelerated students identified as underrepresented minority (URM) was 37% (0-100), representing 10.5% (0-43) of total URM enrollment. Twelve (52%) programs do not provide unique support beyond deceleration. Standards for advancement are identical for decelerated and regular students in 17 schools (81%). In total, 10% (0-100) of decelerated students were dismissed within the last five years, representing 24% (0-90) of all dismissals. Few schools provided grade point average (GPA) or Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) data but the limited responses indicate that many decelerated students are at risk for academic difficulty. It is concluded that decelerated curricular options are available at a significant number of US medical schools. Decelerated students comprise a small proportion of total enrollment but URM matriculants represent a disproportionate share of participants. Decelerated programs appear to be successful as measured by dismissal rates if one accepts attrition which exceeds that for regular MD students. Variation in dismissal rates is difficult to interpret given the lack of GPA and MCAT data. One half of all programs offer no additional support activities beyond deceleration. More data are needed to determine the relative contribution of deceleration vs. other support measures to the advancement of students at academic risk.

Changing Their Mindsets: ePortfolios Encourage Application of Concepts to the Self

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer-Freeman, Karen; Bastone, Linda

2017-01-01

We describe the ePortfolio delivery of a mindset intervention to college students. In Study 1, 38 underrepresented ethnic minority (URM) students who were enrolled in a summer research program completed a mindset intervention as a worksheet (n = 17) or as an ePortfolio (n = 21). Students who completed ePortfolios were more likely than students who…

Impact of reflective writing assignments on dental students' views of cultural competence and diversity.

PubMed

Isaac, Carol; Behar-Horenstein, Linda; Lee, Barbara; Catalanotto, Frank

2015-03-01

To respond to widespread disparities in access to oral health care, the Institute of Medicine, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), and the U.S. surgeon general have stressed that prospective dentists should become culturally competent, socially responsible practitioners. The aim of this study was to examine linguistic differences in dental students' reflective writing assignments before and after interviewing an individual who was culturally different from themselves. The authors analyzed 160 documents from 80 first-year dental students at the University of Florida in 2012. This cohort consisted of 36 male (45%) and 44 female (55%) students; 26 (32%) were from underrepresented minority (URM) groups and 54 (68%) were identified as white non-minority. Text analysis software identified word counts, categories, frequencies, and contexts. Significantly positive differences occurred for interviews between assignments 1 and 2 (p=0.005 to p<0.001) in five areas of cultural diversity. Differences were observed for Factor 1 ("important others' influence") between assignments (p<0.001), assignments by interview categories (p=0.033), and URM/majority participants by assignments by interview category (p=0.018). Factor 4 ("my social world in relation to others") was statistically different between assignments for URM/majority participants (p=0.019). Factor 5 ("wrong because") was statistically different for gender (p=0.041), suggesting that males may have experienced a rebound effect from stereotype suppression. The findings suggest that the use of reflective writing and interviews affected the students' awareness of how important others had influenced their lives and attitudes and facilitated their questioning preconceived assumptions. Reactions to coursework focusing on social and personal domains warrant further investigation.

Career Coaches as a Source of Vicarious Learning for Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Williams, Simon N.; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; McGee, Richard

2016-01-01

Introduction Many recent mentoring initiatives have sought to help improve the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions across the biomedical sciences. However, the intractable nature of the problem of underrepresentation suggests that many young scientists may require supplemental career development beyond what many mentors are able to offer. As an adjunct to traditional scientific mentoring, we created a novel academic career “coaching” intervention for PhD students in the biomedical sciences. Objective To determine whether and how academic career coaches can provide effective career-development-related learning experiences for URM PhD students in the biomedical sciences. We focus specifically on vicarious learning experiences, where individuals learn indirectly through the experiences of others. Method The intervention is being tested as part of a longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT). Here, we describe a nested qualitative study, using a framework approach to analyze data from a total of 48 semi-structured interviews from 24 URM PhD students (2 interviews per participant, 1 at baseline, 1 at 12-month follow-up) (16 female, 8 male; 11 Black, 12 Hispanic, 1 Native-American). We explored the role of the coach as a source of vicarious learning, in relation to the students’ goal of being future biomedical science faculty. Results Coaches were resources through which most students in the study were able to learn vicariously about how to pursue, and succeed within, an academic career. Coaches were particularly useful in instances where students’ research mentors are unable to provide such vicarious learning opportunities, for example because the mentor is too busy to have career-related discussions with a student, or because they have, or value, a different type of academic career to the type the student hopes to achieve. Implications Coaching can be an important way to address the lack of structured career development that students receive in their home training environment. PMID:27467084

Factors That Contribute to Persistence and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Sidney Kirk

2011-01-01

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students' success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will…

A Success Story: Recruiting & Retaining Underrepresented Minority Doctoral Students in Biomedical Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichert, William M.

2006-01-01

There are various ways to succeed in recruiting and retaining underrepresented minority (URM) doctoral students; but key to them all is the creation of real student-faculty relationships, which demonstrate by example that diversity and excellence can and should coexist. This cannot be delegated or done indirectly, and no amount of outreach, campus…

Tuition Rich, Mission Poor: Nonresident Enrollment Growth and the Socioeconomic and Racial Composition of Public Research Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaquette, Ozan; Curs, Bradley R.; Posselt, Julie R.

2016-01-01

Many public research universities fail to enroll a critical mass of low-income and underrepresented minority (URM) students. Though founded with a commitment to access, public research universities face pressure to increase tuition revenue and to recruit high-achieving students. These pressures create an incentive to recruit nonresident students,…

Enhancing Diversity in Undergraduate Science: Self-Efficacy Drives Performance Gains with Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballen, Cissy J.; Wieman, Carl; Salehi, Shima; Searle, Jeremy B.; Zamudio, Kelly R.

2017-01-01

Efforts to retain underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have shown only limited success in higher education, due in part to a persistent achievement gap between students from historically underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds. To test the hypothesis that active learning…

Values Affirmation Intervention Reduces Achievement Gap between Underrepresented Minority and White Students in Introductory Biology Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordt, Hannah; Eddy, Sarah L.; Brazil, Riley; Lau, Ignatius; Mann, Chelsea; Brownell, Sara E.; King, Katherine; Freeman, Scott

2017-01-01

Achievement gaps between underrepresented minority (URM) students and their white peers in college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classrooms are persistent across many white-majority institutions of higher education. Attempts to reduce this phenomenon of underperformance through increasing classroom structure via active learning…

Differences in STEM doctoral publication by ethnicity, gender and academic field at a large public research university.

PubMed

Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo; Patt, Colette; Fisher, Aaron; Eppig, Andrew; Young, Ira; Smith, Andrew; Richards, Mark A

2017-01-01

Two independent surveys of PhD students in STEM fields at the University of California, Berkeley, indicate that underrepresented minorities (URMs) publish at significantly lower rates than non-URM males, placing the former at a significant disadvantage as they compete for postdoctoral and faculty positions. Differences as a function of gender reveal a similar, though less consistent, pattern. A conspicuous exception is Berkeley's College of Chemistry, where publication rates are tightly clustered as a function of ethnicity and gender, and where PhD students experience a highly structured program that includes early and systematic involvement in research, as well as clear expectations for publishing. Social science research supports the hypothesis that this more structured environment hastens the successful induction of diverse groups into the high-performance STEM academic track.

Differences in STEM doctoral publication by ethnicity, gender and academic field at a large public research university

PubMed Central

Patt, Colette; Fisher, Aaron; Eppig, Andrew; Young, Ira; Smith, Andrew; Richards, Mark A.

2017-01-01

Two independent surveys of PhD students in STEM fields at the University of California, Berkeley, indicate that underrepresented minorities (URMs) publish at significantly lower rates than non-URM males, placing the former at a significant disadvantage as they compete for postdoctoral and faculty positions. Differences as a function of gender reveal a similar, though less consistent, pattern. A conspicuous exception is Berkeley’s College of Chemistry, where publication rates are tightly clustered as a function of ethnicity and gender, and where PhD students experience a highly structured program that includes early and systematic involvement in research, as well as clear expectations for publishing. Social science research supports the hypothesis that this more structured environment hastens the successful induction of diverse groups into the high-performance STEM academic track. PMID:28380061

The Impact of the 2008 Council of Emergency Residency Directors (CORD) Panel on Emergency Medicine Resident Diversity.

PubMed

Boatright, Dowin; Tunson, Java; Caruso, Emily; Angerhofer, Christy; Baker, Brooke; King, Renee; Bakes, Katherine; Oberfoell, Stephanie; Lowenstein, Steven; Druck, Jeffrey

2016-11-01

In 2008, the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD) developed a set of recruitment strategies designed to increase the number of under-represented minorities (URMs) in Emergency Medicine (EM) residency. We conducted a survey of United States (US) EM residency program directors to: describe the racial and ethnic composition of residents; ascertain whether each program had instituted CORD recruitment strategies; and identify program characteristics associated with recruitment of a high proportion of URM residents. The survey was distributed to accredited, nonmilitary US EM residency programs during 2013. Programs were dichotomized into high URM and low URM by the percentage of URM residents. High- and low-URM programs were compared with respect to size, geography, percentage of URM faculty, importance assigned to common applicant selection criteria, and CORD recruitment strategies utilized. Odds ratios and 95% confidence limits were calculated. Of 154 residency programs, 72% responded. The median percentage of URM residents per program was 9%. Only 46% of EM programs engaged in at least two recruitment strategies. Factors associated with higher resident diversity (high-URM) included: diversity of EM faculty (high-URM) (odds ratio [OR] 5.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-13.0); applicant's URM status considered important (OR 4.9; 95% CI 2.1-11.9); engaging in pipeline activities (OR 4.8; 95% CI 1.4-15.7); and extracurricular activities considered important (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.2-6.0). Less than half of EM programs have instituted two or more recruitment strategies from the 2008 CORD diversity panel. EM faculty diversity, active pipeline programs, and attention paid to applicants' URM status and extracurricular activities were associated with higher resident diversity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Ulysses Reference Mission (URM); Proceedings of the EUROAVIA Design Workshop, Friedrichshafen, Federal Republic of Germany, Apr. 8-19, 1991

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The present design symposium on the Ulysses Reference Mission (URM) provides data on the feasibility of the URM with particular attention given to reference data for Ulysses in the ecliptic plane as it passes the southern and northern pole areas of the sun. Specific issues addressed during the design workshop include the scientific objectives of the URM, the elements of the URM payload, the configuration and structural elements of the spacecraft, thermal control requirements and considerations, a system-engineering analysis, and the scientific subsystems of the URM. Also examined are the solar array and battery package, power control and distribution, technology considerations for the transmission of telemetric data, and a functional analysis of the URM on-board data-handling equipment. The description of the workshop concludes by noting that design studies are required to establish the moment of inertia and center of gravity of the URM spacecraft as well as specific mission parameters.

Implementation of a Learning Assistant Program Improves Student Performance on Higher-Order Assessments

PubMed Central

Sellami, Nadia; Shaked, Shanna; Laski, Frank A.; Eagan, Kevin M.; Sanders, Erin R.

2017-01-01

Learning assistant (LA) programs have been implemented at a range of institutions, usually as part of a comprehensive curricular transformation accompanied by a pedagogical switch to active learning. While this shift in pedagogy has led to increased student learning gains, the positive effect of LAs has not yet been distinguished from that of active learning. To determine the effect that LAs would have beyond a student-centered instructional modality that integrated active learning, we introduced an LA program into a large-enrollment introductory molecular biology course that had already undergone a pedagogical transformation to a highly structured, flipped (HSF) format. We used questions from a concept test (CT) and exams to compare student performance in LA-supported HSF courses with student performance in courses without LAs. Students in the LA-supported course did perform better on exam questions common to both HSF course modalities but not on the CT. In particular, LA-supported students’ scores were higher on common exam questions requiring higher-order cognitive skills, which LAs were trained to foster. Additionally, underrepresented minority (URM) students particularly benefited from LA implementation. These findings suggest that LAs may provide additional learning benefits to students beyond the use of active learning, especially for URM students. PMID:29167224

Addressing Underrepresentation: Physics Teaching for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rifkin, Moses

2016-01-01

Every physics teacher wants to give his or her students the opportunity to learn physics well. Despite these intentions, certain groups of students--including women and underrepresented minorities (URMs)--are not taking and not remaining in physics. In many cases, these disturbing trends are more significant in physics than in any other science.…

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these…

Institutional Interventions That Remove Barriers to Recruit and Retain Diverse Biomedical PhD Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Marenda A.; DePass, Anthony; Bean, Andrew J.

2018-01-01

The faculty and student populations in academia are not representative of the diversity in the U.S. population. Thus, research institutions and funding agencies invest significant funds and effort into recruitment and retention programs that focus on increasing the flow of historically underrepresented minorities (URMs) into the science,…

Closing Achievement Gaps with a Utility-Value Intervention: Disentangling Race and Social Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harackiewicz, Judith M.; Canning, Elizabeth A.; Tibbetts, Yoi; Priniski, Stacy J.; Hyde, Janet S.

2015-01-01

Many college students abandon their goal of completing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) when confronted with challenging introductory-level science courses. In the U.S., this trend is more pronounced for underrepresented minority (URM) and first-generation (FG) students, and contributes to persisting racial and…

Qualitative Assessment of Academic Radiation Oncology Department Chairs' Insights on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Progress, Challenges, and Future Aspirations.

PubMed

Jones, Rochelle D; Chapman, Christina H; Holliday, Emma B; Lalani, Nafisha; Wilson, Emily; Bonner, James A; Movsas, Benjamin; Kalnicki, Shalom; Formenti, Silvia C; Thomas, Charles R; Hahn, Stephen M; Liu, Fei-Fei; Jagsi, Reshma

2018-05-01

A lack of diversity has been observed in radiation oncology (RO), with women and certain racial/ethnic groups underrepresented as trainees, faculty, and practicing physicians. We sought to gain a nuanced understanding of how to best promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) based on the insights of RO department chairs, with particular attention given to the experiences of the few women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in these influential positions. From March to June 2016, we conducted telephone interviews with 24 RO department chairs (of 27 invited). Purposive sampling was used to invite all chairs who were women (n = 13) or URMs (n = 3) and 11 male chairs who were not URMs. Multiple analysts coded the verbatim transcripts. Five themes were identified: (1) commitment to DEI promotes quality health care and innovation; (2) gaps remain despite some progress with promoting diversity in RO; (3) women and URM faculty continue to experience challenges in various career domains; (4) solutions to DEI issues would be facilitated by acknowledging realities of gender and race; and (5) expansion of the career pipeline is needed. The chairs' insights had policy-relevant implications. Bias training should broach tokenism, blindness, and intersectionality. Efforts to recruit and support diverse talent should be deliberate and proactive. Bridge programs could engage students before their application to medical school. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

'Speaking Truth' Protects Underrepresented Minorities' Intellectual Performance and Safety in STEM.

PubMed

Ben-Zeev, Avi; Paluy, Yula; Milless, Katlyn L; Goldstein, Emily J; Wallace, Lyndsey; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten; Estrada, Mica

2017-06-01

We offer and test a brief psychosocial intervention, Speaking Truth to EmPower (STEP), designed to protect underrepresented minorities' (URMs) intellectual performance and safety in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). STEP takes a 'knowledge as power' approach by: (a) providing a tutorial on stereotype threat (i.e., a social contextual phenomenon, implicated in underperformance and early exit) and (b) encouraging URMs to use lived experiences for generating be-prepared coping strategies. Participants were 670 STEM undergraduates [URMs (Black/African American and Latina/o) and non-URMs (White/European American and Asian/Asian American)]. STEP protected URMs' abstract reasoning and class grades (adjusted for grade point average [GPA]) as well as decreased URMs' worries about confirming ethnic/racial stereotypes. STEP's two-pronged approach-explicating the effects of structural 'isms' while harnessing URMs' existing assets-shows promise in increasing diversification and equity in STEM.

An Integrative and Collaborative Approach to Creating a Diverse and Computationally Competent Geoscience Workforce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, S. L.; Kar, A.; Gomez, R.

2015-12-01

A partnership between Fort Valley State University (FVSU), the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin, and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) is engaging computational geoscience faculty and researchers with academically talented underrepresented minority (URM) students, training them to solve grand challenges . These next generation computational geoscientists are being trained to solve some of the world's most challenging geoscience grand challenges requiring data intensive large scale modeling and simulation on high performance computers . UT Austin's geoscience outreach program GeoFORCE, recently awarded the Presidential Award in Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, contributes to the collaborative best practices in engaging researchers with URM students. Collaborative efforts over the past decade are providing data demonstrating that integrative pipeline programs with mentoring and paid internship opportunities, multi-year scholarships, computational training, and communication skills development are having an impact on URMs developing middle skills for geoscience careers. Since 1997, the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program at FVSU and its collaborating universities have graduated 87 engineers, 33 geoscientists, and eight health physicists. Recruited as early as high school, students enroll for three years at FVSU majoring in mathematics, chemistry or biology, and then transfer to UT Austin or other partner institutions to complete a second STEM degree, including geosciences. A partnership with the Integrative Computational Education and Research Traineeship (ICERT), a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at TACC provides students with a 10-week summer research experience at UT Austin. Mentored by TACC researchers, students with no previous background in computational science learn to use some of the world's most powerful high performance computing resources to address a grand geosciences problem. Students increase their ability to understand and explain the societal impact of their research and communicate the research to multidisciplinary and lay audiences via near-peer mentoring, poster presentations, and publication opportunities.

Increasing URM Undergraduate Student Success through Assessment-Driven Interventions: A Multiyear Study Using Freshman-Level General Biology as a Model System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmichael, Mary C.; St. Clair, Candace; Edwards, Andrea M.; Barrett, Peter; McFerrin, Harris; Davenport, Ian; Awad, Mohamed; Kundu, Anup; Ireland, Shubha Kale

2016-01-01

Xavier University of Louisiana leads the nation in awarding BS degrees in the biological sciences to African-American students. In this multiyear study with ~5500 participants, data-driven interventions were adopted to improve student academic performance in a freshman-level general biology course. The three hour-long exams were common and…

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

PubMed Central

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these students leave STEM majors at significantly higher rates than their non-URM peers. This study utilizes a matched comparison group design to examine the academic achievement and persistence of students enrolled in the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS), an academic support program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for first- and second-year science majors from underrepresented backgrounds. Results indicate that PEERS students, on average, earned higher grades in most “gatekeeper” chemistry and math courses, had a higher cumulative grade point average, completed more science courses, and persisted in a science major at significantly higher rates than the comparison group. With its holistic approach focused on academics, counseling, creating a supportive community, and exposure to research, the PEERS program serves as an excellent model for universities interested in and committed to improving persistence of underrepresented science majors and closing the achievement gap. PMID:25828403

Increasing Diversity in the Geosciences at the City University of New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damas, C.; Johnson, L.; McHugh, C.; Marchese, P. J.

2007-12-01

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation's largest urban university, with 23 institutions serving a large number of underrepresented minority (URM) and women students at all levels of the pipeline - community college to graduate school. CUNY has a strong record of recruiting, enrolling, retaining and graduating URMs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Current efforts are underway to increase the number of URMs in the geosciences. These efforts include: 1) involving students in research at all levels of the pipeline; 2) incorporating innovative and proven pedagogical methods into the classroom; and 3) mentoring of students by research scientists from CUNY and other participating institutions. At all levels of the pipeline, students are actively engaged in Space and Earth Science research. At the community college level, students are introduced to the scientific research process through familiar software such as MS Excel to analyze simple time series. At the senior colleges, students progress to multi-variate data analysis, and they also have the opportunity to go into the field to collect data. As graduate students, they are involved as mentors and supervise undergraduate student research. Program initiatives such as the CUNY pipeline provide stipends and academic enrichment activities (i.e., GRE training, applying to graduate school, etc.) throughout the summer and academic year. During the summer, students also have the opportunity to work with and be mentored by research scientists at a CUNY campus, at a NASA center or a national laboratory. Mentors advise students about graduate school and careers, serve as role models, and perhaps more importantly, provide encouragement to students who lack confidence in their ability to do scientific research. Students also are expected to present their research findings at meetings and conferences, both locally and nationally. In addition to their research experiences, students also benefit from classroom instructions that emphasize active learning, and the integration of research related activities. Proven educational materials and pedagogical methods developed at Medgar Evers College and Queensborough Community College have proven quite effective at engaging and assisting students who have conceptual difficulties in their science and mathematics courses. Overall, students demonstrate an increase in their conceptual understanding of the subject matter, as well an increase in their confidence to solve scientific problems and to become scientists.

Active Learning outside the Classroom: Implementation and Outcomes of Peer-Led Team-Learning Workshops in Introductory Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kudish, Philip; Shores, Robin; McClung, Alex; Smulyan, Lisa; Vallen, Elizabeth A.; Siwicki, Kathleen K.

2016-01-01

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students' engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker…

Using Institutional Resources and Agency to Support Graduate Students' Success at a Hispanic Serving Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Natalie A.; Jean-Marie, Gaetane; Powers, Katherine; Bell, Sean; Sanders, Kimberly

2016-01-01

There is a growing body of evidence that links increased social capital to minority student success in college. This paper seeks to expand specifically on the graduate experience of underrepresented minorities (URM) at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) using the social capital framework. In a cross-sectional survey, 198 graduate students…

Biotreatment of textile effluent in static bioreactor by Curvularia lunata URM 6179 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium URM 6181.

PubMed

Miranda, Rita de Cássia M de; Gomes, Edelvio de Barros; Pereira, Nei; Marin-Morales, Maria Aparecida; Machado, Katia Maria Gomes; Gusmão, Norma Buarque de

2013-08-01

Investigations on biodegradation of textile effluent by filamentous fungi strains Curvularia lunata URM 6179 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium URM 6181 were performed in static bioreactors under aerated and non-aerated conditions. Spectrophotometric, HPLC/UV and LC-MS/MS analysis were performed as for to confirm, respectively, decolourisation, biodegradation and identity of compounds in the effluent. Enzymatic assays revealed higher production of enzymes laccase (Lac), lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) by P. chrysosporium URM 6181 in aerated bioreactor (2020; 39 and 392 U/l, respectively). Both strains decolourised completely the effluent after ten days and biodegradation of the most predominant indigo dye was superior in aerated bioreactor (96%). Effluent treated by P. chrysosporium URM 6181 accumulated a mutagenic metabolite derived from indigo. The C. lunata URM 6179 strain, showed to be more successful for assure the environmental quality of treated effluent. These systems were found very effective for efficient fungal treatment of textile effluent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hospital-based, Multidisciplinary, youth mentoring and medical exposure program positively influences and reinforces health care career choice: "The Reach One Each One Program early Experience".

PubMed

Danner, Omar K; Lokko, Carl; Mobley, Felicia; Dansby, Montreka; Maze, Michael; Bradley, Brene'; Williams, Elizabeth; Matthews, Leslie Ray; Harrington, Emma; Mack, Lisa; Clark, Clarence; Wilson, Ken; Beech, Derrick; Heron, Sheryl; Childs, Ed

2017-04-01

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, underrepresented minorities (URMs) are more likely to leave science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields at higher rates than their peers during undergraduate studies. Many institutions of higher learning have implemented pipeline programs aimed at preparing and inspiring high school and college aged students in select careers in health sciences with varying levels of success. Research has shown that a health care workforce that mirrors the community they serve is more effective in reducing health disparities and increasing positive health outcomes. We hypothesize that a hospital-based, multidisciplinary youth mentoring and medical exposure program will enhance the decision of URM high school students to choose healthcare careers. A retrospective analysis of the Reach One Each One Program (ROEO) was performed. ROEO is a hospital based, 11-week multidisciplinary youth mentoring and medical exposure program for inner-city high school students. The analysis was based on a phone survey of the twenty-six (26) seniors who completed the program and subsequently graduated from high school between May 2013 and May 2015 to assess the following: 1) College enrollment/attendance, 2) Health profession majors, and 3) Pre-med status. The study was approved by the Morehouse School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Of the twenty-six students, 23 were female and 3 were male; 25 (96%) of the students were African American and one student was a Caucasian female. Twenty-four (92.3%) of the students were enrolled in college and 2 (7.7%) were scheduled to begin in the spring semester of 2016. Twenty-one of the 24 attending college at the time of the survey (87.5%) were enrolled in a health science degree program and 16 (66.7%) confirmed that they were enrolled in pre-medical (Pre-med) curriculum. Hospital-based, multidisciplinary medical mentoring programs can have a positive impact on the lives and health care career decisions of aspiring URM high school students. Further study will be necessary to validate the most influential components needed for the success of such programs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Encouraging and Attracting Underrepresented Racial Minorities to the Field of Geosciences-A Latin American Graduate Student Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caballero Gill, R. P.; Herbert, T.

2010-12-01

Recent studies have shown that interactions between same-race and same-gender faculty and graduate students are reported to have a greater impact on the future success of those students. In the same manner, I believe graduate students can play a pivotal role in training and attracting underrepresented racial minorities (URMs) at the high school and undergraduate level to pursue a career in geosciences. Working at Brown University for the last couple of years, I have been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at solidifying ties with the community. Most of my social work has revolved around mentoring underrepresented local minorities, as I feel that this area is where I can contribute the most. This year I began participating in the NSF funded Brown GK-12: "Physical Processes in the Environment" program. As a Latin American female graduate student in the geological sciences, I hope to teach the students-by example-that being a minority is not necessarily an obstacle, but rather an advantage that can offer a different, valuable point of view when pursuing their professional goals. I think that sharing part of my experiences and knowledge as a researcher with young minds contributes to the way they imagine themselves in the future, allowing them to believe that a career in science is within their reach and that higher education is a realistic option worth pursuing if they have the interest in doing so. From my short time as a graduate student, to have a greater impact in attracting URMs, it is critical to have the support of advisors and committee members. One must keep in mind that a graduate career is a time consuming commitment; therefore, it is necessary to undertake activities that will have the most impact on minority students in the short time available. The experience becomes even more effective if advisors are actively involved, particularly financially. Faculty advisors who can allocate funds to, for example support summer activities designed to involve URMs, are essentially leveraging funds because the overall return will be much greater than the initial investment.

MS PHD'S: A Synergistic Model for Diversifying the Earth Science Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricciardi, L.; Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Braxton, L.; Johnson, A.

2013-05-01

The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S) program focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities (URM) receiving advanced degrees in Earth system sciences (ESS). Subscribing to Aristotle's philosophy that the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts", MS PHD'S uses a synergistic model of tiered mentoring practices, successful minority scientist role models, peer-to-peer community building activities, professional development training techniques, networking opportunities, and state of the art virtual communication tools to facilitate the retention and advancement of underrepresented ESS scientists. Using a three-phase program structure supported by a virtual community, URM students in ESS are afforded opportunities to establish mentoring relationships with successful scientists, build meaningful ties with URM peers and future colleagues, strengthen oral and written communication skills, engage in networking opportunities within premier scientific venues, and maintain continuity of networks formed through program participation. Established in 2003, MS PHD'S is now in its ninth cohort. From the original cohort of 24 participants, the program has grown to support 213 participants. Of these 213 participants, 42 have obtained the doctorate and are employed within the ESS workforce. Another 71 are enrolled in doctoral programs. Looking to the future with the purpose of continually furthering its synergistic philosophy, MS PHD'S has developed a new initiative, Beyond the PhD, designed to support and advance the representation of URM scientists within a global workforce.

Walking the Path Together from High School to STEM Majors and Careers: Utilizing Community Engagement and a Focus on Teaching to Increase Opportunities for URM Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkel, Liza

2017-02-01

Despite decades of efforts to increase the participation of women and people from underrepresented minority groups (URM) in science and math majors and careers, and despite the increasing diversification of the US population as a whole (Planty et al in National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC, 2008), participation in STEM majors and STEM careers (including STEM teaching) remains stubbornly male and white (Landivar in American Community Survey Reports, ACS-24, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2013; National Science Foundation and National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics in Special Report NSF 15-311, Arlington, VA, 2015). This paper describes a project with two central goals: (1) to provide opportunities for URM high school students to engage in authentic science and math inquiry with the support of skilled college undergraduate mentors in the hope that these experiences will encourage these high school students to choose and persist in pursuing careers in STEM fields and, even if they do not choose those careers, to feel confident making complex, science or math-based decisions in their everyday lives and (2) to help the mentors (young people, mostly STEM majors) see teaching as a vital, intellectually challenging career that can provide them the opportunity to work for social justice in their communities. While it is unlikely that any one experience will help young people overcome the long odds that face them as they consider either path, our analysis suggests that projects of this kind can make a meaningful contribution to the effort.

Effective Recruiting and Intrusive Retention Strategies for Diversifying the Geosciences through a Research Experiences for Undergraduate Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Norouzi, H.; Yuen-Lau, L.; Ikramova, M.

2016-12-01

Worse than in most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, underrepresented minority (URM) groups in the geosciences are reported to be farthest beneath the national benchmarks. Even more alarming, the geosciences have the lowest diversity of all the STEM disciplines at all three levels of higher education. In order to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the geosciences, a National Science Foundation funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the New York City College of Technology has implemented effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain diverse student cohorts. Recruitment efforts include: 1) establishing partnership with the local community colleges; 2) forging collaborations with scientists of color; 3) reaching out to the geoscience departments; and 4) forming relationships with STEM organizations. Unlike the other REU programs which primarily provide a summer-only research experience, this REU program engages students in a year-long research experience. Students begin their research in the summer for nine weeks, and they continue their research one day a week in the fall and spring semesters. During the academic year, they present their projects at conferences. They also serve as STEM ambassadors to community and high school outreach events. This one-year triad connection of 1) professional organizations/conferences, 2) continual research experience, and 3) service constituent has resulted in higher retention and graduation rates of URMs in the STEM disciplines. Both formative and summative program assessment have uncovered and shown that strong recruitment efforts accompanied by intrusive retention strategies are essential to: a) sustain and support STEM URMs in developing confidence as scientists; b) create formal and informal STEM communities; and c) provide a clear pathway to advanced degrees and to the geoscience workforce. This project is supported by NSF REU Grant #1560050.

Race/Ethnicity and Success in Academic Medicine: Findings From a Longitudinal Multi-Institutional Study.

PubMed

Kaplan, Samantha E; Raj, Anita; Carr, Phyllis L; Terrin, Norma; Breeze, Janis L; Freund, Karen M

2017-10-24

To understand differences in productivity, advancement, retention, satisfaction, and compensation comparing underrepresented medical (URM) faculty with other faculty at multiple institutions. A 17-year follow-up was conducted of the National Faculty Survey, a random sample from 24 U.S. medical schools, oversampled for URM faculty. The authors examined academic productivity, advancement, retention, satisfaction, and compensation, comparing white, URM, and non-URM faculty. Retention, productivity, and advancement data were obtained from public sources for nonrespondents. Covariates included gender, specialty, time distribution, and years in academia. Negative binomial regression was used for count data, logistic regression for binary outcomes, and linear regression for continuous outcomes. In productivity analyses, advancement, and retention, 1,270 participants were included; 604 participants responded to the compensation and satisfaction survey. Response rates were lower for African American (26%) and Hispanic faculty (39%) than white faculty (52%, P < .0001). URM faculty had lower rates of peer-reviewed publications (relative number 0.64; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.79), promotion to professor (OR = 0.53; CI: 0.30, 0.93), and retention in academic medicine (OR = 0.49; CI: 0.32, 0.75). No differences were identified in federal grant acquisition, senior leadership roles, career satisfaction, or compensation between URM and white faculty. URM and white faculty had similar career satisfaction, grant support, leadership, and compensation; URM faculty had fewer publications and were less likely to be promoted and retained in academic careers. Successful retention of URM faculty requires comprehensive institutional commitment to changing the academic climate and deliberative programming to support productivity and advancement.

Assessing the evolving definition of underrepresented minority and its application in academic medicine.

PubMed

Page, Kathleen Raquel; Castillo-Page, Laura; Poll-Hunter, Norma; Garrison, Gwen; Wright, Scott M

2013-01-01

To assess how U.S. academic health centers (AHCs) define the term underrepresented minority (URM) and apply it to their diversity programs, following the 2003 revision of the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC's) definition of URM. In 2010, the authors developed and deployed a cross-sectional survey of diversity leaders at 106 AHCs. The survey included questions about the diversity leader and institution's diversity program; institution's URM definition; application of that definition; and the diversity leader's perceptions of the representation and institutional contribution of various ethnic/racial groups. The authors used descriptive statistics to analyze the results. Of the 106 diversity leaders invited, 89 (84.0%) responded and 78 (73.6%) provided a working definition of URM. Most programs (40/78; 51%) used the 2003 AAMC definition of URM, which includes racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine relative to local and national demographics. Only 14.1% (11/78) used the pre-2003 AAMC definition, which included only African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and mainland Puerto Ricans. Approximately one-third (23/78; 29.5%) also considered other diversity factors, such as socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and disability, in defining URM. Fifty-eight respondents (74.4%) confirmed that their diversity programs targeted specific groups. The definition of URM used by diversity programs at U.S. AHCs varied widely. Although some classified URMs by racial/ethnic categories, the majority defined URM more broadly to encompass other demographic and personal characteristics. This shift should prepare academic medicine to eliminate health disparities and meet the health needs of an increasingly diverse population.

Variables Associated with Full-time Faculty Appointment among Contemporary U.S. Medical School Graduates: Implications for Academic Medicine Workforce Diversity

PubMed Central

Andriole, Dorothy A.; Jeffe, Donna B.; Hageman, Heather L.; Ephgrave, Kimberly; Lypson, Monica L.; Mavis, Brian; McDougle, Leon; Roberts, Nicole K.

2011-01-01

Purpose The authors sought to identify variables independently associated with full-time faculty appointment among recent medical graduates. Method With institutional review board approval, the authors developed a database of individualized records for six midwestern medical schools’ 1997–2002 graduates. Using multivariate logistic regression, they identified variables independently associated with full-time faculty appointment from among demographic, medical-school-related, and career-intention variables. They report adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of 1,965 graduates in the sample, 263 (13.4%) held full-time faculty appointments in 2007–2008, including 14.4% (123/853) of women graduates and 8.6% (17/198) of underrepresented minority (URM) graduates. Women (OR: 1.386, 95% CI: 1.023–1.878), MD/PhD program graduates (OR: 2.331, 95% CI: 1.160–4.683), and graduates who reported a career-setting preference for “full-time university faculty” on the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Graduation Questionnaire (OR: 3.164, 95% CI: 2.231–4.486) were more likely to have a full-time faculty appointment. Graduates who chose family medicine (OR: 0.433, 95% CI: 0.231–0.811) and surgical specialties (OR: 0.497, 95% CI: 0.249–0.994) were less likely to have a full-time faculty appointment. URM race/ethnicity was not independently associated with full-time faculty appointment (OR: 0.788; 95% CI: 0.452–1.375). Conclusions Efforts to increase representation of women graduates in academic medicine seem to have met with greater success than efforts to increase representation of URM graduates. Greater participation of URM students in MD/PhD programs and in interventions during medical school that promote interest in academic-medicine careers may increase URM graduates’ representation in academic medicine. PMID:20592523

Race and Gender Differences in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Structures and Research Outcomes

PubMed Central

Aikens, Melissa L.; Robertson, Melissa M.; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Runyon, Christopher R.; Eby, Lillian T.; Dolan, Erin L.

2017-01-01

Participating in undergraduate research with mentorship from faculty may be particularly important for ensuring the persistence of women and minority students in science. Yet many life science undergraduates at research universities are mentored by graduate or postdoctoral researchers (i.e., postgraduates). We surveyed a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about the mentoring structure of their research experiences and the outcomes they realized from participating in research. We observed two common mentoring structures: an open triad with undergraduate–postgraduate and postgraduate–faculty ties but no undergraduate–faculty tie, and a closed triad with ties among all three members. We found that men and underrepresented minority (URM) students are significantly more likely to report a direct tie to their faculty mentors (closed triad) than women, white, and Asian students. We also determined that mentoring structure was associated with differences in student outcomes. Women’s mentoring structures were associated with their lower scientific identity, lower intentions to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) PhD, and lower scholarly productivity. URM students’ mentoring structures were associated with higher scientific identity, greater intentions to pursue a STEM PhD, and higher scholarly productivity. Asian students reported lower scientific identity and intentions to pursue a STEM PhD, which were unrelated to their mentoring structures. PMID:28550078

A Hospitalist mentoring program to sustain interest in healthcare careers in under-represented minority undergraduates.

PubMed

Cervantes, Lilia; Chu, Eugene; Nogar, Carmella; Burden, Marisha; Fischer, Stacy; Valtierra, Christian; Albert, Richard K

2014-09-01

Ethnic minorities in the United States have decreased access to healthcare and disproportionately high morbidity and mortality. There has been minimal growth in the number of minority physicians despite their important role in reducing health disparities. Under-represented minority (URM) undergraduate students are 50% less likely to maintain interest in medical careers. Denver Health and the University of Colorado, Denver enrolled URM students interested in healthcare careers in a year-long, comprehensive program called the Healthcare Interest Program (HIP) that included pairing each student with a hospitalist for mentoring and job shadowing. At the end of the first year of HIP, students were surveyed, and 2 years later they were contacted for follow-up. Twenty-three students enrolled and all completed the program. Nineteen (83%) completed the survey and all "strongly agreed" that participating in HIP expanded their perceptions of what they might accomplish and increased their confidence in their ability to participate in a healthcare profession. Two-year follow-up was available for 21 students (91%). Twenty (95%) remained committed to a career in healthcare, 18 (86%) had graduated, and 6 (29%) were enrolled in postgraduate healthcare training. The interest of undergraduate minority prehealth students in healthcare careers may be maintained by participation in a multifaceted, year-long mentoring program such as HIP. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada, Mica; Burnett, Myra; Campbell, Andrew G.; Campbell, Patricia B.; Denetclaw, Wilfred F.; Gutiérrez, Carlos G.; Hurtado, Sylvia; John, Gilbert H.; Matsui, John; McGee, Richard; Okpodu, Camellia Moses; Robinson, T. Joan; Summers, Michael F.; Werner-Washburne, Maggie; Zavala, MariaElena

2016-01-01

Members of the Joint Working Group on Improving Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)--convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute--review current data and propose deliberation about why the academic "pathways"…

Medically Necessary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lum, Lydia

2010-01-01

This article discusses why rising fees for graduate programs at University of California campuses threaten to undermine growth of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in health-science and other professions. Dental student Hector Godoy easily relates to his patients at a University of California, Los Angeles clinic. Like many of them, Godoy never…

Beginning with the end in mind: cultivating minority nurse leaders.

PubMed

Carter, Brigit Maria; Powell, Dorothy L; Derouin, Anne L; Cusatis, Julie

2015-01-01

In response to the need for increased racial and ethnic diversity in the nursing profession, the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) established the Making a Difference in Nursing II (MADIN II) Program. The aim of the MADIN II Program is to improve the diversity of the nursing workforce by expanding nursing education opportunities for economically disadvantaged underrepresented minority (URM) students to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from the DUSON's Accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program. Adapted from the highly successful Meyerhoff Scholarship Program model, the program is to cultivate URM nursing graduates with advanced knowledge and leadership skills who can address health disparities and positively influence health care issues currently plaguing underrepresented populations. The article discusses the MADIN II framework consisting of four unique components: recruitment of students, the Summer Socialization Nursing Preentry Program, the Continued Connectivity Program, and the Succeed to Excellence Program, providing a framework for other academic programs interested in cultivating a pipeline of minority nurse leaders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Providing Social Support for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Career Coaching Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Simon N.; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; McGee, Richard

2017-01-01

Improvement in the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions has been unsatisfactory. Although this is a complex problem, one key issue is that graduate students often rely on research mentors for career-related support, the effectiveness of which can be variable. We present results from a novel…

APS Education and Diversity Efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prestridge, Katherine; Hodapp, Theodore

2015-11-01

American Physical Society (APS) has a wide range of education and diversity programs and activities, including programs that improve physics education, increase diversity, provide outreach to the public, and impact public policy. We present the latest programs spearheaded by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP), with highlights from other diversity and education efforts. The CSWP is working to increase the fraction of women in physics, understand and implement solutions for gender-specific issues, enhance professional development opportunities for women in physics, and remedy issues that impact gender inequality in physics. The Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics, Professional Skills Development Workshops, and our new Professional Skills program for students and postdocs are all working towards meeting these goals. The CSWP also has site visit and conversation visit programs, where department chairs request that the APS assess the climate for women in their departments or facilitate climate discussions. APS also has two significant programs to increase participation by underrepresented minorities (URM). The newest program, the APS National Mentoring Community, is working to provide mentoring to URM undergraduates, and the APS Bridge Program is an established effort that is dramatically increasing the number of URM PhDs in physics.

Recruitment of underrepresented minority students to medical school: minority medical student organizations, an untapped resource.

PubMed

Rumala, Bernice B; Cason, Frederick D

2007-09-01

Recruitment of more underrepresented minority students (black, Hispanic and native American) to increase racial diversity in the physician workforce is on the agenda for medical schools around the nation. The benefits of having a racially diverse class are indisputable. Minority physicians are more likely to provide care to minority, underserved, disadvantaged and low-income populations. Therefore, medical schools would benefit from diversity through utilizing strategies for recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM) students. Numerous recruitment strategies have been employed to increase the number of underrepresented minority students. However, formal collaboration with minority medical student organizations is an underutilized tool in the recruitment process. Many medical schools have informally used minority medical students and members of various minority organizations on campus in the recruitment process, but a formal collaboration which entails a strategic approach on using minority medical student organizations has yet to be included in the literature. This paper discusses the innovative collaboration between the University of Toledo College of Medicine (UTCOM) chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the college of medicine's admissions office to strategize a recruitment plan to increase the number of underrepresented minority students at the UTCOM. This paper suggests that minority medical student organizations, particularly the SNMA, can be used as a recruiting tool; hence, admissions offices cannot negate the usefulness of having formal involvement of minority medical student organizations as a recruiting tool. This approach may also be applicable to residency programs and other graduate professional fields with a severe shortage of URM students.

Retention and promotion of women and underrepresented minority faculty in science and engineering at four large land grant institutions.

PubMed

Gumpertz, Marcia; Durodoye, Raifu; Griffith, Emily; Wilson, Alyson

2017-01-01

In the most recent cohort, 2002-2015, the experiences of men and women differed substantially among STEM disciplines. Female assistant professors were more likely than men to leave the institution and to leave without tenure in engineering, but not in the agricultural, biological and biomedical sciences and natural resources or physical and mathematical sciences. In contrast, the median times to promotion from associate to full professor were similar for women and men in engineering and the physical and mathematical sciences, but one to two years longer for women than men in the agricultural, biological and biomedical sciences and natural resources. URM faculty hiring is increasing, but is well below the proportions earning doctoral degrees in STEM disciplines. The results are variable and because of the small numbers of URM faculty, the precision and power for comparing URM faculty to other faculty were low. In three of the four institutions, lower fractions of URM faculty than other faculty hired in the 2002-2006 time frame left without tenure. Also, in the biological and biomedical and physical and mathematical sciences no URM faculty left without tenure. On the other hand, at two of the institutions, significantly more URM faculty left before their tenth anniversary than other faculty and in engineering significantly more URM faculty than other faculty left before their tenth anniversary. We did not find significant differences in promotion patterns between URM and other faculty.

Underrepresented minority students' experiences at Baylor College of Dentistry: perceptions of cultural climate and reasons for choosing to attend.

PubMed

McCann, Ann L; Lacy, Ernestine S; Miller, Barbara H

2014-03-01

A study was conducted at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry (TAMBCD) in fall 2011 to identify the reasons underrepresented minority (URM) students chose to attend TAMBCD, the factors that supported their success as enrolled students, and their perceptions of the institution's cultural climate. A survey distributed online to all URM students received a 79 percent response rate (129/164). The respondents were primarily Hispanic (62 percent Mexican American and other Hispanic) and African American (33 percent) and had attended a college pipeline program (53 percent). The top reasons these students chose TAMBCD were reputation, location, and automatic acceptance or familiarity from being in a predental program. Alumni had most influenced them to attend. Regarding support services, the largest percentage reported not using any (44 percent); personal advising and tutoring were reported to be the most commonly used. In terms of climate, discrimination was reported by 22 percent (n=29), mostly from classmates and clinical faculty. The majority (87 percent) reported their cultural competence program was "effective" and agreed that faculty (83 percent), staff (85 percent), and students (75 percent) were culturally competent. Overall, the students were "satisfied" with how they were treated (88 percent), their education (91 percent), and the services/resources (92 percent). This information is being used to continue to improve the school's cultural climate and to conduct a broader assessment of all students.

Effects of comprehensive educational reforms on academic success in a diverse student body.

PubMed

Lieberman, Steven A; Ainsworth, Michael A; Asimakis, Gregory K; Thomas, Lauree; Cain, Lisa D; Mancuso, Melodee G; Rabek, Jeffrey P; Zhang, Ni; Frye, Ann W

2010-12-01

Calls for medical curriculum reform and increased student diversity in the USA have seen mixed success: performance outcomes following curriculum revisions have been inconsistent and national matriculation of under-represented minority (URM) students has not met aspirations. Published innovations in curricula, academic support and pipeline programmes usually describe isolated interventions that fail to affect curriculum-level outcomes. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 performance and graduation rates were analysed for three classes of medical students before (matriculated 1995-1997, n=517) and after (matriculated 2003-2005, n=597) implementing broad-based reforms in our education system. The changes in pipeline recruitment and preparation programmes, instructional methods, assessment systems, academic support and board preparation were based on sound educational principles and best practices. Post-reform classes were diverse with respect to ethnicity (25.8% URM students), gender (51.8% female), and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score (range 20-40; 24.1% scored ≤ 25). Mean±standard deviation MCAT scores were minimally changed (from 27.2±4.7 to 27.8±3.6). The Step 1 failure rate decreased by 69.3% and mean score increased by 14.0 points (effect size: d=0.67) overall. Improvements were greater among women (failure rate decreased by 78.9%, mean score increased by 15.6 points; d=0.76) and URM students (failure rate decreased by 76.5%, mean score increased by 14.6 points; d=0.74), especially African-American students (failure rate decreased by 93.6%, mean score increased by 20.8 points; d=1.12). Step 1 scores increased across the entire MCAT range. Four- and 5-year graduation rates increased by 7.1% and 5.8%, respectively. The effect sizes in these performance improvements surpassed those previously reported for isolated interventions in curriculum and student support. This success is likely to have resulted from the broad-based, mutually reinforcing nature of reforms in multiple components of the education system. The results suggest that a narrow reductionist view of educational programme reform is less likely to result in improved educational outcomes than a system perspective that addresses the coordinated functioning of multiple aspects of the academic enterprise. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

The STEM Lecture Hall: A Study of Effective Instructional Practices for Diverse Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimer, Lynn Christine

2017-01-01

First-generation, low-income, underrepresented minority (URM) and female undergraduates are matriculating into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors at unprecedented levels. However, a disproportionate number of these students end up graduating in non-STEM disciplines. Attrition rates have been observed to spike in conjunction…

Determining Persistence of Community College Students in Introductory Geology Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraft, Katrien van der Hoeven

2014-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) careers have been touted as critical to the success of our nation and also provide important opportunities for access and equity of underrepresented minorities (URM's). Community colleges serve a diverse population and a large number of undergraduates currently enrolled in college, they are…

A pre-admission program for underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students: application, acceptance, graduation rates and timeliness of graduating from medical school.

PubMed

Strayhorn, G

2000-04-01

To determine whether students' performances in a pre-admission program predicted whether participants would (1) apply to medical school, (2) get accepted, and (3) graduate. Using prospectively collected data from participants in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Medical Education Development Program (MEDP) and data from the Association of American Colleges Student and Applicant Information Management System, the author identified 371 underrepresented minority (URM) students who were full-time participants and completed the program between 1984 and 1989, prior to their acceptance into medical school. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether MEDP performance significantly predicted (after statistically controlling for traditional predictors of these outcomes) the proportions of URM participants who applied to medical school and were accepted, the timeliness of graduating, and the proportion graduating. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the associations between the independent and outcome variables. In separate logistic regression models, MEDP performance predicted the study's outcomes after statistically controlling for traditional predictors with 95% confidence intervals. Pre-admission programs with similar outcomes can improve the diversity of the physician workforce and the access to health care for underrepresented minority and economically disadvantaged populations.

Broadening Participation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM through a Hybrid Online Transfer Program

PubMed Central

Drew, Jennifer C.; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Ardissone, Alexandria N.; Triplett, Eric W.

2016-01-01

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in MCS (DE MCS) bachelor of science program. The program has broadened access to STEM with a steadily increasing enrollment that does not draw students away from existing on-campus programs. Notably, half of the DE MCS students are from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds and two-thirds are women, which represents a greater level of diversity than the corresponding on-campus cohort and the entire university. Additionally, the DE MCS cohort has comparable retention and academic performance compared with the on-campus transfer cohort. Of those who have earned a BS through the DE MCS program, 71% are women and 61% are URM. Overall, these data demonstrate that the hybrid online approach is successful in increasing diversity and provides another viable route in the myriad of STEM pathways. As the first of its kind in a STEM field, the DE MCS program serves as a model for programs seeking to broaden their reach. PMID:27587859

Is "Race-Neutral" Really Race-Neutral?: Disparate Impact towards Underrepresented Minorities in Post-209 UC System Admissions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Jose L.; Cabrera, Nolan L.; Fosnacht, Kevin J.

2010-01-01

Authors examine the proportion of undergraduate applications, admissions, and enrollments preceding, during, and after Proposition 209 while accounting for the relative growth in University of California eligibility for underrepresented minorities (URMs). They employed standard deviation analyses to measure dispersion of the URMs to non-URMs.…

Understanding the Prevalence of Geo-Like Degree Programs at Minority Serving Institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDaris, J. R.; Manduca, C. A.; Larsen, K.

2014-12-01

Over the decade 2002-12, the percentage of students from underrepresented minorities (URM) graduating with geoscience degrees has increased by 50%. In 2012, of the nearly 6,000 geoscience Bachelor's degrees, 8% were awarded to students from URM. But that same year across all of STEM, 18% of Bachelors went to these students, and URM made up 30% of the US population overall. Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) play an important role in increasing the diversity of geoscience graduates where there are appropriate degree programs or pathways to programs. To better understand opportunities at these institutions, the InTeGrate project collected information on degree programs at MSIs. A summer 2013 survey of websites for three types of MSIs confirmed that, while stand-alone Geology, Geoscience, or Environmental Science departments are present, there are a larger number of degree programs that include elements of geoscience or related disciplines (geography, GIS, etc.) offered in interdisciplinary departments (e.g. Natural Sciences and Math) or cognate science departments (Physics, Engineering, etc.). Approximately one-third of Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and one-fifth of Historically Black Colleges and Universities offer at least one degree that includes elements of geoscience. The most common programs were Geology and Environmental Science (94 and 88 degrees respectively), but 21 other types of program were also found. To better profile the nature of these programs, 11 interviews were conducted focusing on strategies for attracting, supporting, and preparing minority students for the workforce. In conjunction with the February 2014 Broadening Access to the Earth and Environmental Sciences workshop, an additional 6 MSI profiles were obtained as well as 22 profiles from non-MSIs. Several common strategies emerge: Proactive marketing and outreach to local high schools and two-year colleges Community building, mentoring and advising, academic support, and funding support Research experiences, internships, alumni or industry interactions, and real-world project These findings align with the literature on supporting students from underrepresented groups. The full set of profiles is available on the InTeGrate website. serc.carleton.edu/integrate/programs/diversity/

Ultrasensitive response motifs: basic amplifiers in molecular signalling networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qiang; Bhattacharya, Sudin; Andersen, Melvin E.

2013-01-01

Multi-component signal transduction pathways and gene regulatory circuits underpin integrated cellular responses to perturbations. A recurring set of network motifs serve as the basic building blocks of these molecular signalling networks. This review focuses on ultrasensitive response motifs (URMs) that amplify small percentage changes in the input signal into larger percentage changes in the output response. URMs generally possess a sigmoid input–output relationship that is steeper than the Michaelis–Menten type of response and is often approximated by the Hill function. Six types of URMs can be commonly found in intracellular molecular networks and each has a distinct kinetic mechanism for signal amplification. These URMs are: (i) positive cooperative binding, (ii) homo-multimerization, (iii) multistep signalling, (iv) molecular titration, (v) zero-order covalent modification cycle and (vi) positive feedback. Multiple URMs can be combined to generate highly switch-like responses. Serving as basic signal amplifiers, these URMs are essential for molecular circuits to produce complex nonlinear dynamics, including multistability, robust adaptation and oscillation. These dynamic properties are in turn responsible for higher-level cellular behaviours, such as cell fate determination, homeostasis and biological rhythm. PMID:23615029

Retention and promotion of women and underrepresented minority faculty in science and engineering at four large land grant institutions

PubMed Central

Durodoye, Raifu; Griffith, Emily; Wilson, Alyson

2017-01-01

The current climate on college campuses has brought new urgency to the need to increase faculty diversity. In STEM fields particularly, the dearth of underrepresented minority (URM) and female faculty is severe. The retention and success of African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian and female faculty have direct implications for the quality and diversity of the future scientific workforce. Understanding the ways retention patterns differ by discipline and institution is crucial for developing a diverse faculty. This study investigates tenure attainment, retention, and time to promotion to full professor for women and URM faculty. We analyze personnel records for assistant and associate professors hired or appointed from 1992 to 2015 at four large land grant institutions. Representation of women and URM faculty in STEM disciplines increased substantially from 1992 to 2015, but mostly for women and Hispanic faculty and more slowly for black and American Indian faculty. Results by gender In the most recent cohort, 2002–2015, the experiences of men and women differed substantially among STEM disciplines. Female assistant professors were more likely than men to leave the institution and to leave without tenure in engineering, but not in the agricultural, biological and biomedical sciences and natural resources or physical and mathematical sciences. In contrast, the median times to promotion from associate to full professor were similar for women and men in engineering and the physical and mathematical sciences, but one to two years longer for women than men in the agricultural, biological and biomedical sciences and natural resources. Results for underrepresented minority faculty URM faculty hiring is increasing, but is well below the proportions earning doctoral degrees in STEM disciplines. The results are variable and because of the small numbers of URM faculty, the precision and power for comparing URM faculty to other faculty were low. In three of the four institutions, lower fractions of URM faculty than other faculty hired in the 2002–2006 time frame left without tenure. Also, in the biological and biomedical and physical and mathematical sciences no URM faculty left without tenure. On the other hand, at two of the institutions, significantly more URM faculty left before their tenth anniversary than other faculty and in engineering significantly more URM faculty than other faculty left before their tenth anniversary. We did not find significant differences in promotion patterns between URM and other faculty. PMID:29091958

“URM Candidates Are Encouraged to Apply”: A National Study to Identify Effective Strategies to Enhance Racial and Ethnic Faculty Diversity in Academic Departments of Medicine

PubMed Central

Peek, Monica E.; Kim, Karen E.; Johnson, Julie K.; Vela, Monica B.

2016-01-01

Purpose There is little evidence regarding which factors and strategies are associated with high proportions of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in academic medicine. The authors conducted a national study of U.S. academic medicine departments to better understand the challenges, successful strategies, and predictive factors for enhancing racial and ethnic diversity among faculty (i.e., physicians with an academic position or rank). Method This was a mixed-methods study using quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of eligible departments of medicine in 125 accredited U.S. medical schools, dichotomized into low-URM (bottom 50%) versus high-URM rank (top 50%). They used t tests and chi-squared tests to compare departments by geographic region, academic school rank, city type, and composite measures of “diversity best practices.” The authors also conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with a subsample from the highest-and lowest-quartile medical schools in terms of URM rank. Results Eighty-two medical schools responded (66%). Geographic region and academic rank were statistically associated with URM rank, but not city type or composite measures of diversity best practices. Key themes emerged from interviews regarding successful strategies for URM faculty recruitment and retention including institutional leadership, the use of human capital and social relationships and strategic deployment of institutional resources. Conclusions Departments of medicine with high proportions of URM faculty employ a number of successful strategies and programs for recruitment and retention. More research is warranted to identify new successful strategies and to determine the impact of specific strategies on establishing and maintaining workforce diversity. PMID:23348090

"URM candidates are encouraged to apply": a national study to identify effective strategies to enhance racial and ethnic faculty diversity in academic departments of medicine.

PubMed

Peek, Monica E; Kim, Karen E; Johnson, Julie K; Vela, Monica B

2013-03-01

There is little evidence regarding which factors and strategies are associated with high proportions of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in academic medicine. The authors conducted a national study of U.S. academic medicine departments to better understand the challenges, successful strategies, and predictive factors for enhancing racial and ethnic diversity among faculty (i.e., physicians with an academic position or rank). This was a mixed-methods study using quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of eligible departments of medicine in 125 accredited U.S. medical schools, dichotomized into low-URM (bottom 50%) versus high-URM rank (top 50%). They used t tests and chi-squared tests to compare departments by geographic region, academic school rank, city type, and composite measures of "diversity best practices." The authors also conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with a subsample from the highest- and lowest-quartile medical schools in terms of URM rank. Eighty-two medical schools responded (66%). Geographic region and academic rank were statistically associated with URM rank, but not city type or composite measures of diversity best practices. Key themes emerged from interviews regarding successful strategies for URM faculty recruitment and retention, including institutional leadership, the use of human capital and social relationships, and strategic deployment of institutional resources. Departments of medicine with high proportions of URM faculty employ a number of successful strategies and programs for recruitment and retention. More research is warranted to identify new successful strategies and to determine the impact of specific strategies on establishing and maintaining workforce diversity.

Experiences of Underrepresented Minorities in Doctoral Nursing Programs at Predominantly White Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Linda D.

2017-01-01

The representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the nursing workforce is disproportionately low in comparison with their representation in the general population in the United States. Despite diversity initiatives, the slight increase in enrollment of under-represented minority (URM) students in graduate schools of nursing at predominantly…

Biomedical Science Ph.D. Career Interest Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Gender

PubMed Central

Gibbs, Kenneth D.; McGready, John; Bennett, Jessica C.; Griffin, Kimberly

2014-01-01

Increasing biomedical workforce diversity remains a persistent challenge. Recent reports have shown that biomedical sciences (BMS) graduate students become less interested in faculty careers as training progresses; however, it is unclear whether or how the career preferences of women and underrepresented minority (URM) scientists change in manners distinct from their better-represented peers. We report results from a survey of 1500 recent American BMS Ph.D. graduates (including 276 URMs) that examined career preferences over the course of their graduate training experiences. On average, scientists from all social backgrounds showed significantly decreased interest in faculty careers at research universities, and significantly increased interest in non-research careers at Ph.D. completion relative to entry. However, group differences emerged in overall levels of interest (at Ph.D. entry and completion), and the magnitude of change in interest in these careers. Multiple logistic regression showed that when controlling for career pathway interest at Ph.D. entry, first-author publication rate, faculty support, research self-efficacy, and graduate training experiences, differences in career pathway interest between social identity groups persisted. All groups were less likely than men from well-represented (WR) racial/ethnic backgrounds to report high interest in faculty careers at research-intensive universities (URM men: OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36–0.98, p = 0.04; WR women: OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47–0.89, p = 0.008; URM women: OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30–0.71, p<0.001), and URM women were more likely than all other groups to report high interest in non-research careers (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.28–2.90, p = 0.002). The persistence of disparities in the career interests of Ph.D. recipients suggests that a supply-side (or “pipeline”) framing of biomedical workforce diversity challenges may limit the effectiveness of efforts to attract and retain the best and most diverse workforce. We propose incorporation of an ecological perspective of career development when considering strategies to enhance the biomedical workforce and professoriate through diversity. PMID:25493425

Biomedical Science Ph.D. Career Interest Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Gender.

PubMed

Gibbs, Kenneth D; McGready, John; Bennett, Jessica C; Griffin, Kimberly

2014-01-01

Increasing biomedical workforce diversity remains a persistent challenge. Recent reports have shown that biomedical sciences (BMS) graduate students become less interested in faculty careers as training progresses; however, it is unclear whether or how the career preferences of women and underrepresented minority (URM) scientists change in manners distinct from their better-represented peers. We report results from a survey of 1500 recent American BMS Ph.D. graduates (including 276 URMs) that examined career preferences over the course of their graduate training experiences. On average, scientists from all social backgrounds showed significantly decreased interest in faculty careers at research universities, and significantly increased interest in non-research careers at Ph.D. completion relative to entry. However, group differences emerged in overall levels of interest (at Ph.D. entry and completion), and the magnitude of change in interest in these careers. Multiple logistic regression showed that when controlling for career pathway interest at Ph.D. entry, first-author publication rate, faculty support, research self-efficacy, and graduate training experiences, differences in career pathway interest between social identity groups persisted. All groups were less likely than men from well-represented (WR) racial/ethnic backgrounds to report high interest in faculty careers at research-intensive universities (URM men: OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-0.98, p = 0.04; WR women: OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47-0.89, p = 0.008; URM women: OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.71, p<0.001), and URM women were more likely than all other groups to report high interest in non-research careers (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.28-2.90, p = 0.002). The persistence of disparities in the career interests of Ph.D. recipients suggests that a supply-side (or "pipeline") framing of biomedical workforce diversity challenges may limit the effectiveness of efforts to attract and retain the best and most diverse workforce. We propose incorporation of an ecological perspective of career development when considering strategies to enhance the biomedical workforce and professoriate through diversity.

Survey of checkpoints along the pathway to diverse biomedical research faculty

PubMed Central

Brown, Abigail M.; Moneta-Koehler, Liane; Chalkley, Roger

2018-01-01

There is a persistent shortage of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty who are involved in basic biomedical research at medical schools. We examined the entire training pathway of potential candidates to identify the points of greatest loss. Using a range of recent national data sources, including the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates and Survey of Doctoral Recipients, we analyzed the demographics of the population of interest, specifically those from URM backgrounds with an interest in biomedical sciences. We examined the URM population from high school graduates through undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training as well as the URM population in basic science tenure track faculty positions at medical schools. We find that URM and non-URM trainees are equally likely to transition into doctoral programs, to receive their doctoral degree, and to secure a postdoctoral position. However, the analysis reveals that the diversions from developing a faculty career are found primarily at two clearly identifiable places, specifically during undergraduate education and in transition from postdoctoral fellowship to tenure track faculty in the basic sciences at medical schools. We suggest focusing additional interventions on these two stages along the educational pathway. PMID:29338019

Graduate student driven efforts to increase diversity of department lecture series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryant, R.; Keisling, B. A.

2017-12-01

It is well documented that women and people of color (and especially women of color) remain underrepresented in the geoscience community. As graduate students we noticed this underrepresentation in our department lecture series. Since 2013, 40% of the invited speakers were women and 5% URM, with the majority of the URM scientists coming to campus for an annual special lecture that highlights the work of black geoscientists. Our goals for the 2017-18 lecture series are the following: 1) to increase the percentage of women speakers from 40% to 50% or higher, 2) to increase the participation of URM scientists from one per year to at least one per semester, 3) to expand the established annual special lecture highlighting contributions from black geoscientists from one lecture to four, and 4) to motivate a department-wide conversation surrounding the issues and significance of inclusion and equity in our departmental geoscience community and beyond. Our focus on gender, race, and ethnicity in diversifying the lecture series unfortunately falls short of capturing the full range of perspectives from groups that are underrepresented as defined by the NSF. We see our work as a first step and hope to encourage more conversations about broader diversity. To accomplish our goals, we will seek advice and counsel from scholars in fields like Sociology and Education, as well as pursue external funding to bolster the budget allocated by our department. As graduate students, it is important for us to envision facets of our peers and ourselves reflected in the perspectives, experiences and narratives of prominent speakers brought to campus. We find it therefore important that our department lecture series, a highly visible venue, be more inclusive and representative. Our efforts show that seeking external support and setting achievable goals can lead to better representation of underrepresented groups in such spaces.

Launching a Geoscience Career: Insights Gained from MS PHD'S Beyond the PhD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzman, W. I.; Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Jansma, P. E.; Huggans, M. J.; Ricciardi, L.

2013-05-01

The Beyond the PhD (B-PhD) Professional Development Program is the newest addition to the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S®) Professional Development Program in Earth System Science. This exciting new program is designed to facilitate the development of a new community of underrepresented minority (URM) doctoral candidates and recent doctorate degree recipients in Earth system science (ESS)-related fields. Building upon MS PHD'S extensive professional development activities provided to URM undergraduate and graduate students, B-PhD's vision is to encourage and support URM doctoral students and early career PhD's in becoming part of the global workforce. (Since its inception in 2003, MSPHD'S supports 213 participants of which 42 have achieved the doctoral degree and another 71 are enrolled in doctoral programs.) By providing customized support and advocacy for participants, B-PhD facilitates smoother and informed transitions from graduate school to postdoctoral and tenure-track positions, as well as other "first" jobs in academia, government, industry, and non-profit organizations. In 2011, the first conference for 18 doctoral candidate and recent graduates was hosted at the University of Texas at Arlington's (UTA) College of Science. Using a format of guest speakers, brown bag discussions, and interactive breakout sessions, participants engaged in sessions entitled "Toolkits for Success in Academia, Business and Industry, Federal Government and Non-Profits", "Defining Short, Mid and Long Term Career Goals", "Accessing and Refining Skill Sets and Other Door Openers", "International Preparation and Opportunities", "Paying it Forward/Lifting as You Climb", and "Customized Strategies for Next Steps". This presentation will discuss outcomes from this pilot project, the use of social media to track and support ongoing B-PhD activities, and objectives for future B-PhD workshops.

Growing the pipeline of diverse HIV investigators: The impact of mentored research experiences to engage underrepresented minority students

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Jonathan; Kouyate, Aminta; Kroboth, Liz; McFarland, Willi

2016-01-01

Structured, mentored research programs for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds are needed to increase the diversity of our nation’s biomedical research workforce. In particular, a robust pipeline of investigators from the communities disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic is needed not only for fairness and equity but for insights and innovations to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in new infections. We created the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health for URM undergraduates as a 12-week program of hands-on research experience, one-on-one mentoring by a senior HIV investigator, didactic seminars for content and research methods, and networking opportunities. The first four cohorts (2012–2015) of SHARP gained research skills, built confidence in their abilities and self-identified as scientists. In addition, the majority of program alumni is employed in research positions and has been admitted to or is pursuing graduate degree programs in fields related to HIV prevention. While we await empirical studies of specific mentoring strategies at early educational stages, programs that engage faculty who are sensitive to the unique challenges facing diverse students and who draw lessons from established mentoring frameworks can help build an inclusive generation of HIV researchers. PMID:27066986

Growing the Pipeline of Diverse HIV Investigators: The Impact of Mentored Research Experiences to Engage Underrepresented Minority Students.

PubMed

Fuchs, Jonathan; Kouyate, Aminta; Kroboth, Liz; McFarland, Willi

2016-09-01

Structured, mentored research programs for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds are needed to increase the diversity of our nation's biomedical research workforce. In particular, a robust pipeline of investigators from the communities disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic is needed not only for fairness and equity but for insights and innovations to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in new infections. We created the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health for URM undergraduates as a 12-week program of hands-on research experience, one-on-one mentoring by a senior HIV investigator, didactic seminars for content and research methods, and networking opportunities. The first four cohorts (2012-2015) of SHARP gained research skills, built confidence in their abilities and self-identified as scientists. In addition, the majority of program alumni is employed in research positions and has been admitted to or is pursuing graduate degree programs in fields related to HIV prevention. While we await empirical studies of specific mentoring strategies at early educational stages, programs that engage faculty who are sensitive to the unique challenges facing diverse students and who draw lessons from established mentoring frameworks can help build an inclusive generation of HIV researchers.

Integrating Theory and Practice to Increase Scientific Workforce Diversity: A Framework for Career Development in Graduate Research Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byars-Winston, Angela; Gutierrez, Belinda; Topp, Sharon; Carnes, Molly

2011-01-01

Few, if any, educational interventions intended to increase underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in biological and behavioral sciences are informed by theory and research on career persistence. Training and Education to Advance Minority Scholars in Science (TEAM-Science) is a program funded by the National Institute of General Medical…

Non-native English language speakers benefit most from the use of lecture capture in medical school.

PubMed

Shaw, Graham P; Molnar, David

2011-01-01

Medical education in the United States and Canada continues to evolve. However, many of the changes in pedagogy are being made without appropriate evaluation. Here, we attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of lecture capture technology as a learning tool in Podiatric medical education. In this pilot project, student performance in an inaugural lecture capture-supported biochemistry course was compared to that in the previous academic year. To examine the impact of online lecture podcasts on student performance a within-subjects design was implemented, a two way ANCOVA with repeated measures. The use of lecture capture-supported pedagogy resulted in significantly higher student test scores, than achieved historically using traditional pedagogy. The overall course performance using this lecture capture-supported pedagogy was almost 6% higher than in the previous year. Non-native English language speakers benefitted more significantly from the lecture capture-supported pedagogy than native English language speakers, since their performance improved by 10.0 points. Given that underrepresented minority (URM) students, whose native language is not English, makes up a growing proportion of medical school matriculates, these observations support the use of lecture capture technology in other courses. Furthermore, this technology may also be used as part of an academic enrichment plan to improve performance on the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination, reduce the attrition of URM students and potentially address the predicted minority physician shortage in 2020. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The HTLV-1 oncoprotein Tax is modified by the ubiquitin related modifier 1 (Urm1).

PubMed

Hleihel, Rita; Khoshnood, Behzad; Dacklin, Ingrid; Omran, Hayssam; Mouawad, Carine; Dassouki, Zeina; El-Sabban, Marwan; Shirinian, Margret; Grabbe, Caroline; Bazarbachi, Ali

2018-04-17

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive malignancy secondary to chronic human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 infection, triggered by the virally encoded oncoprotein Tax. The transforming activity and subcellular localization of Tax is strongly influenced by posttranslational modifications, among which ubiquitylation and SUMOylation have been identified as key regulators of the nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling of Tax, as well as its ability to activate NF-κB signaling. Adding to the complex posttranslational modification landscape of Tax, we here demonstrate that Tax also interacts with the ubiquitin-related modifier 1 (Urm1). Conjugation of Urm1 to Tax results in a redistribution of Tax to the cytoplasm and major increase in the transcription of the NF-ĸB targets Rantes and interleukin-6. Utilizing a tax-transgenic Drosophila model, we show that the Urm1-dependent subcellular targeting of Tax is evolutionary conserved, and that the presence of Urm1 is strongly correlated with the transcriptional output of Diptericin, an antimicrobial peptide and established downstream target of NF-κB in flies. These data put forward Urm1 as a novel Tax modifier that modulates its oncogenic activity and hence represents a potential novel target for developing new strategies for treating ATL.

Effects of Relaxing and Arousing Music during Imagery Training on Dart-Throwing Performance, Physiological Arousal Indices, and Competitive State Anxiety

PubMed Central

Kuan, Garry; Morris, Tony; Kueh, Yee Cheng; Terry, Peter C.

2018-01-01

Music that is carefully selected to match the requirements of activities and the characteristics of individuals has been shown to produce significant impacts on performance enhancement (Priest et al., 2004). There is also evidence that music can enhance imagery (Grocke and Wigram, 2007), although few studies have investigated the effects of music on imagery in the context of sport skills. In the present study, the effects of relaxing and arousing music during imagery on dart-throwing performance, physiological arousal indices, and competitive state anxiety, were investigated among 63 novice dart throwers. Participants had moderate-to-high imagery ability and were randomly assigned to unfamiliar relaxing music (URM), unfamiliar arousing music (UAM), or no music (NM) groups. Performance was assessed by 40 dart throws at a concentric circles dartboard before and after 12 imagery sessions over 4 weeks. Measures of galvanic skin response (GSR), peripheral temperature (PT), and heart rate (HR) were taken during imagery sessions 1 and 12, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R) was administered prior to the pre- and post-intervention performance task. Dart-throwing gain scores were significantly higher for URM than for UAM and NM, with no significant difference between UAM and NM (URM = 37.24 ± 5.66, UAM = 17.57 ± 5.30, and NM = 13.19 ± 6.14, F2,62 = 5.03, p = 0.01, η2 = 0.14). GSR, PT, and HR reflected lower arousal for URM than for UAM or NM. Significant decreases in somatic anxiety were evident for URM and UAM but not NM. Significant decreases in cognitive anxiety were evident for URM and NM but not UAM. Significant increases in self-confidence were evident for URM but not UAM or NM. Performance improved in all three conditions but URM was associated with the largest performance gain, the lowest physiological indices of arousal, and the most positive CSAI-2R profiles. Listening to relaxing music during imagery may have benefits for performance in other fine motor skills. PMID:29459837

Rationales for expanding minority physician representation in the workforce: a scoping review.

PubMed

Kelly-Blake, Karen; Garrison, Nanibaa' A; Fletcher, Faith E; Ajegba, Brittany; Smith, Nichole; Brafford, Morgann; Bogdan-Lovis, Elizabeth

2018-06-22

The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review of the literature and to categorically map a 15-year trajectory of US undergraduate medical education rationales for and approaches to expanding under-represented minority (URM) physician representation in the medical workforce. Further aims were to comparatively examine related justifications and to consider international implications. From 1 June to 31 July 2015, the authors searched the Cochrane Library, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar for articles published between 2000 and 2015 reporting rationales for and approaches to increasing the numbers of members of URMs in undergraduate medical school. A total of 137 articles were included in the scoping review. Of these, 114 (83%) mentioned workforce diversity and 73 (53%) mentioned concordance. The patient-physician relationship (n = 52, 38%) and service commitment (n = 52, 38%) were the most commonly cited rationales. The most frequently mentioned approaches to increasing minority representation were pipeline programmes (n = 59, 43%), changes in affirmative action laws (n = 32, 23%) and changes in admission policies (n = 29, 21%). This scoping review of the 2000-2015 literature on strategies for and approaches to expanding URM representation in medicine reveals a repetitive, amplifying message of URM physician service commitment to vulnerable populations in medically underserved communities. Such message repetition reinforces policies and practices that might limit the full scope of URM practice, research and leadership opportunities in medicine. Cross-nationally, service commitment and patient-physician concordance benefits admittedly respond to recognised societal need, yet there is an associated risk for instrumentally singling out members of URMs to fulfil that need. The proceedings of a 2001 US Institute of Medicine symposium warned against creating a deterministic expectation that URM physicians provide care to minority populations. Our findings suggest that the expanding emphasis on URM service commitment and patient-physician concordance benefits warrants ongoing scrutiny and, more broadly, represent a cautionary tale of unintended consequences for medical educators globally. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Effects of Relaxing and Arousing Music during Imagery Training on Dart-Throwing Performance, Physiological Arousal Indices, and Competitive State Anxiety.

PubMed

Kuan, Garry; Morris, Tony; Kueh, Yee Cheng; Terry, Peter C

2018-01-01

Music that is carefully selected to match the requirements of activities and the characteristics of individuals has been shown to produce significant impacts on performance enhancement (Priest et al., 2004). There is also evidence that music can enhance imagery (Grocke and Wigram, 2007), although few studies have investigated the effects of music on imagery in the context of sport skills. In the present study, the effects of relaxing and arousing music during imagery on dart-throwing performance, physiological arousal indices, and competitive state anxiety, were investigated among 63 novice dart throwers. Participants had moderate-to-high imagery ability and were randomly assigned to unfamiliar relaxing music (URM), unfamiliar arousing music (UAM), or no music (NM) groups. Performance was assessed by 40 dart throws at a concentric circles dartboard before and after 12 imagery sessions over 4 weeks. Measures of galvanic skin response (GSR), peripheral temperature (PT), and heart rate (HR) were taken during imagery sessions 1 and 12, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised (CSAI-2R) was administered prior to the pre- and post-intervention performance task. Dart-throwing gain scores were significantly higher for URM than for UAM and NM, with no significant difference between UAM and NM (URM = 37.24 ± 5.66, UAM = 17.57 ± 5.30, and NM = 13.19 ± 6.14, F 2,62 = 5.03, p = 0.01, η 2 = 0.14). GSR, PT, and HR reflected lower arousal for URM than for UAM or NM. Significant decreases in somatic anxiety were evident for URM and UAM but not NM. Significant decreases in cognitive anxiety were evident for URM and NM but not UAM. Significant increases in self-confidence were evident for URM but not UAM or NM. Performance improved in all three conditions but URM was associated with the largest performance gain, the lowest physiological indices of arousal, and the most positive CSAI-2R profiles. Listening to relaxing music during imagery may have benefits for performance in other fine motor skills.

Increasing persistence in undergraduate science majors: a model for institutional support of underrepresented students.

PubMed

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these students leave STEM majors at significantly higher rates than their non-URM peers. This study utilizes a matched comparison group design to examine the academic achievement and persistence of students enrolled in the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS), an academic support program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for first- and second-year science majors from underrepresented backgrounds. Results indicate that PEERS students, on average, earned higher grades in most "gatekeeper" chemistry and math courses, had a higher cumulative grade point average, completed more science courses, and persisted in a science major at significantly higher rates than the comparison group. With its holistic approach focused on academics, counseling, creating a supportive community, and exposure to research, the PEERS program serves as an excellent model for universities interested in and committed to improving persistence of underrepresented science majors and closing the achievement gap. © 2015 B. Toven-Lindsey et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Decoupling of the minority PhD talent pool and assistant professor hiring in medical school basic science departments in the US.

PubMed

Gibbs, Kenneth D; Basson, Jacob; Xierali, Imam M; Broniatowski, David A

2016-11-17

Faculty diversity is a longstanding challenge in the US. However, we lack a quantitative and systemic understanding of how the career transitions into assistant professor positions of PhD scientists from underrepresented minority (URM) and well-represented (WR) racial/ethnic backgrounds compare. Between 1980 and 2013, the number of PhD graduates from URM backgrounds increased by a factor of 9.3, compared with a 2.6-fold increase in the number of PhD graduates from WR groups. However, the number of scientists from URM backgrounds hired as assistant professors in medical school basic science departments was not related to the number of potential candidates (R 2 =0.12, p>0.07), whereas there was a strong correlation between these two numbers for scientists from WR backgrounds (R 2 =0.48, p<0.0001). We built and validated a conceptual system dynamics model based on these data that explained 79% of the variance in the hiring of assistant professors and posited no hiring discrimination. Simulations show that, given current transition rates of scientists from URM backgrounds to faculty positions, faculty diversity would not increase significantly through the year 2080 even in the context of an exponential growth in the population of PhD graduates from URM backgrounds, or significant increases in the number of faculty positions. Instead, the simulations showed that diversity increased as more postdoctoral candidates from URM backgrounds transitioned onto the market and were hired.

Inter-Tribal Student Services (I.S.S.): Collaborative Action Education in Building and Guiding the Future Under-represented Geosciences Workforce Through Tribal Foundations, Mentorship and Professional Development.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolman, J.

2015-12-01

Inter-Tribal Student Services (I.S.S.) was created as an Indian Self-Determination Organization to meet the every growing Tribal and under-represented minorities (URM) geosciences workforce needs. I.S.S. is one of only a few Indian Self-Determined Organizations in the U.S. with a distinct focused on buidling the Tribal and URM geosciences and natural resources workforces. In past three years, I.S.S has worked in partnership with U.S. colleges/universities, state/federal agencies (Bureau of Indian Affairs), private and International organizations and most importantly U.S. Tribal Nations to ensure emerging high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and post doctorates have the opportunities for training in supportive and unique environments, navigational mentoring, and broad professional development to build and practice the skills required for blue-collar, scientific, and managerial positions. I.S.S. has been highly successful in filling workforce opportunities within the broad range of geosciences positions. I.S.S. students are proficient in understanding and maneuvering the complex landscapes of interdisciplinary research, multidisciplinary multi-partner projects, traditional/western philosophies as well as being highly proficient in all areas of problem solving and communications. Research and on-site projects have heightened the educational experiences of all participants, in addition to addressing a perplexing geosciences challenge grounded in a Tribal environment. A number of the I.S.S. participants and students have found geosciences positions in Tribes, state/federal agencies, enterprize as well as International organizations. I.S.S. practices and has infused all research and projects with intergenerational teaching/learning, participation solution-focused initiatives, and holistic/multicultural mentoring. The presentation will highlight the vision, design, implementation, outcomes and future directions of I.S.S and participants.

Race and Gender Differences in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Structures and Research Outcomes.

PubMed

Aikens, Melissa L; Robertson, Melissa M; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Runyon, Christopher R; Eby, Lillian T; Dolan, Erin L

2017-01-01

Participating in undergraduate research with mentorship from faculty may be particularly important for ensuring the persistence of women and minority students in science. Yet many life science undergraduates at research universities are mentored by graduate or postdoctoral researchers (i.e., postgraduates). We surveyed a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about the mentoring structure of their research experiences and the outcomes they realized from participating in research. We observed two common mentoring structures: an open triad with undergraduate-postgraduate and postgraduate-faculty ties but no undergraduate-faculty tie, and a closed triad with ties among all three members. We found that men and underrepresented minority (URM) students are significantly more likely to report a direct tie to their faculty mentors (closed triad) than women, white, and Asian students. We also determined that mentoring structure was associated with differences in student outcomes. Women's mentoring structures were associated with their lower scientific identity, lower intentions to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) PhD, and lower scholarly productivity. URM students' mentoring structures were associated with higher scientific identity, greater intentions to pursue a STEM PhD, and higher scholarly productivity. Asian students reported lower scientific identity and intentions to pursue a STEM PhD, which were unrelated to their mentoring structures. © 2017 M. L. Aikens et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Persistence of interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics: An analysis of persisting and non-persisting students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Jeffry L.

While there has been an increase in enrollment, interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been declining on college campuses since 1967. Higher enrollment does not transfer to an increase in the number of minorities in the STEM fields. The majority-minority enrollment ratio is nearly 2:1 but the gap widens to 4:1 when it comes to graduation. In fact, underrepresented minorities (URM) earned only 12% of the STEM degrees awarded in 1998. When the higher attrition and lower graduation rates of URM are scrutinized, upwards of 60% changed majors or dropped out of STEM. Further investigation reveals the most frequently cited reasons for departure were loss of initial interest, developed a greater interest in another field, or were turned off by the STEM disciplines. A primarily exploratory study was conducted into the conditions necessary for academic interest in the STEM fields to persist. A model based on student engagement (Astin, 1977) and interest operations (Prenzel, 1988a) theories was used with a random sample of URM at universities participating in the Ohio Science and Engineering Alliance. Survey research was employed to investigate interest development and the effect of student retention programs and activities on such interest. The latter part of the study could not be fully examined when 95% reported not utilizing retention services. For the section on interest, an online survey using a 5-point Likert scale was validated using principal components analysis. A binominal logistic regression was used to predict membership in one of two possible groups: persisters and students at-risk for not persisting. The major conclusions are: (1) While 3 variables (feelings, learning and difficulty) were statistically significant only one, feelings was substantively significant. (2) Persistence increased 80.9% for each 1-unit increase in feelings and 9.9% for learning. (3) Persistence decreased 19.8% for each one-unit increase in difficulty. (4) The sample was not a very good fit with the parameter estimates. (5) The model fit the data at an acceptable level with an overall accuracy of 74.3%. (6) Using the model 72% fewer classification errors were made. (7) Multiple measures of association indicated a small-moderate effect size.

‘Speaking Truth’ Protects Underrepresented Minorities’ Intellectual Performance and Safety in STEM

PubMed Central

Ben-Zeev, Avi; Paluy, Yula; Milless, Katlyn L.; Goldstein, Emily J.; Wallace, Lyndsey; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten; Estrada, Mica

2017-01-01

We offer and test a brief psychosocial intervention, Speaking Truth to EmPower (STEP), designed to protect underrepresented minorities’ (URMs) intellectual performance and safety in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). STEP takes a ‘knowledge as power’ approach by: (a) providing a tutorial on stereotype threat (i.e., a social contextual phenomenon, implicated in underperformance and early exit) and (b) encouraging URMs to use lived experiences for generating be-prepared coping strategies. Participants were 670 STEM undergraduates [URMs (Black/African American and Latina/o) and non-URMs (White/European American and Asian/Asian American)]. STEP protected URMs’ abstract reasoning and class grades (adjusted for grade point average [GPA]) as well as decreased URMs’ worries about confirming ethnic/racial stereotypes. STEP’s two-pronged approach—explicating the effects of structural ‘isms’ while harnessing URMs’ existing assets—shows promise in increasing diversification and equity in STEM. PMID:28835879

Mentoring Programs for Underrepresented Minority Faculty in Academic Medical Centers: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Beech, Bettina M.; Calles-Escandon, Jorge; Hairston, Kristen G.; Langdon, Sarah E.; Latham-Sadler, Brenda A.; Bell, Ronny A.

2013-01-01

Purpose Mentoring is critical for career advancement in academic medicine. However, underrepresented minority (URM) faculty often receive less mentoring than their nonminority peers. The authors conducted a comprehensive review of published mentoring programs designed for URM faculty to identify “promising practices.” Method Databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, PsychLit, Google Scholar, Dissertations Abstracts International, CINHAL, Sociological Abstracts) were searched for articles describing URM faculty mentoring programs. The RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) formed the model for analyzing programs. Results The search identified 73 citations. Abstract reviews led to retrieval of 38 full-text articles for assessment; 18 articles describing 13 programs were selected for review. The reach of these programs ranged from 7 to 128 participants. Most evaluated programs on the basis of the number of grant applications and manuscripts produced or satisfaction with program content. Programs offered a variety of training experiences, and adoption was relatively high, with minor changes made for implementing the intended content. Barriers included time-restricted funding, inadequate evaluation due to few participants, significant time commitments required from mentors, and difficulty in addressing institutional challenges faced by URM faculty. Program sustainability was a concern because programs were supported through external funds, with minimal institutional support. Conclusions Mentoring is an important part of academic medicine, particularly for URM faculty who often experience unique career challenges. Despite this need, relatively few publications exist to document mentoring programs for this population. Institutionally supported mentoring programs for URM faculty are needed, along with detailed plans for program sustainability. PMID:23425989

Decoupling of the minority PhD talent pool and assistant professor hiring in medical school basic science departments in the US

PubMed Central

Gibbs, Kenneth D; Basson, Jacob; Xierali, Imam M; Broniatowski, David A

2016-01-01

Faculty diversity is a longstanding challenge in the US. However, we lack a quantitative and systemic understanding of how the career transitions into assistant professor positions of PhD scientists from underrepresented minority (URM) and well-represented (WR) racial/ethnic backgrounds compare. Between 1980 and 2013, the number of PhD graduates from URM backgrounds increased by a factor of 9.3, compared with a 2.6-fold increase in the number of PhD graduates from WR groups. However, the number of scientists from URM backgrounds hired as assistant professors in medical school basic science departments was not related to the number of potential candidates (R2=0.12, p>0.07), whereas there was a strong correlation between these two numbers for scientists from WR backgrounds (R2=0.48, p<0.0001). We built and validated a conceptual system dynamics model based on these data that explained 79% of the variance in the hiring of assistant professors and posited no hiring discrimination. Simulations show that, given current transition rates of scientists from URM backgrounds to faculty positions, faculty diversity would not increase significantly through the year 2080 even in the context of an exponential growth in the population of PhD graduates from URM backgrounds, or significant increases in the number of faculty positions. Instead, the simulations showed that diversity increased as more postdoctoral candidates from URM backgrounds transitioned onto the market and were hired. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21393.001 PMID:27852433

Self-efficacy beliefs of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garibay, Guadalupe

The purpose of this study is to understand the self-perceptions, confidence, and self-efficacy of underrepresented minorities (URMs) as they undertake Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses during their K-12 years in urban-public schools. Through the lens of Bandura's self-efficacy theory, this study analyzed self-efficacious behaviors as they revealed themselves in K-12 classrooms. The participants were 11th- and 12th-grade students, their parents, their STEM teachers, and their mentor. The goal was to understand what has been inhibiting the growth of URM representation in STEM majors and in STEM fields. This qualitative study was designed to understand the participants' stories and uncover personal characteristics such as grit, perseverance, and determination in the face of obstacles. The instruments used in this study were interviews, observations, and self-efficacy surveys. The findings revealed that the participants' perceptions of the students' abilities to succeed in a STEM field were all tentatively positive. The participants focused on the many obstacles already overcome by the students and used it as precedent for future success. All the student-participants shared a similar set of adult types in their lives--adults who believed not only in their STEM abilities, but also in their abilities to face obstacles, who were willing to give their time and expertise when necessary, and who shared similar experiences in terms of the lack of educational resources or of economic struggles. It was these shared experiences that strengthened the beliefs that, if the adult participants could succeed in education or succeed in spite of poverty, the student participants could succeed, as well.

Medical education resources initiative for teens program in baltimore: A model pipeline program built on four pillars.

PubMed

Mains, Tyler E; Wilcox, Mark V; Wright, Scott M

2016-01-01

Less than 6% of U.S. medical school applicants are African-American. The lack of diversity among physicians, by race as well as other measures, confers a negative impact on the American healthcare system because underrepresented minority (URM) physicians are more likely to practice in underserved communities and deliver more equitable, culturally competent care. MERIT (Medical Education Resources Initiative for Teens) is a nonprofit organization based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. MERIT prepares URM high school students for health careers by providing a holistic support system for seven consecutive years. The program model, which utilizes weekly Saturday sessions, summer internships, and longitudinal mentoring, is built on four foundational pillars: (1) Ignite the Fire, (2) Illuminate the Path, (3) Create the Toolkit, and (4) Sustain the Desire. Since 2011, MERIT has supported 51 students in the Baltimore City Public School System. For the past two years, 100% (n = 14) of MERIT seniors enrolled in universities, compared to only 20.2% of Baltimore City students overall. While it is too early to know whether MERIT alumni will realize their goals of becoming healthcare professionals, they are currently excelling in universities and over 75% (n = 17) are still planning to pursue graduate degrees in health-related fields. After piloting an effective program model, MERIT now has three key priorities moving forward: (1) Creating a sustainable and thriving organization, (2) increasing the number of scholars the program supports in Baltimore, and (3) expanding MERIT to other cities.

Race, Disadvantage and Faculty Experiences in Academic Medicine

PubMed Central

Cooper, Lisa A.; Carr, Phyllis

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Despite compelling reasons to draw on the contributions of under-represented minority (URM) faculty members, US medical schools lack these faculty, particularly in leadership and senior roles. Objective The study’s purpose was to document URM faculty perceptions and experience of the culture of academic medicine in the US and to raise awareness of obstacles to achieving the goal of having people of color in positions of leadership in academic medicine. Design The authors conducted a qualitative interview study in 2006–2007 of faculty in five US medical schools chosen for their diverse regional and organizational attributes. Participants Using purposeful sampling of medical faculty, 96 faculty were interviewed from four different career stages (early, plateaued, leaders and left academic medicine) and diverse specialties with an oversampling of URM faculty. Approach We identified patterns and themes emergent in the coded data. Analysis was inductive and data driven. Results Predominant themes underscored during analyses regarding the experience of URM faculty were: difficulty of cross-cultural relationships; isolation and feeling invisible; lack of mentoring, role models and social capital; disrespect, overt and covert bias/discrimination; different performance expectations related to race/ethnicity; devaluing of research on community health care and health disparities; the unfair burden of being identified with affirmative action and responsibility for diversity efforts; leadership’s role in diversity goals; and financial hardship. Conclusions Achieving an inclusive culture for diverse medical school faculty would help meet the mission of academic medicine to train a physician and research workforce that meets the disparate needs of our multicultural society. Medical school leaders need to value the inclusion of URM faculty. Failure to fully engage the skills and insights of URM faculty impairs our ability to provide the best science, education or medical care. PMID:20697960

Race, disadvantage and faculty experiences in academic medicine.

PubMed

Pololi, Linda; Cooper, Lisa A; Carr, Phyllis

2010-12-01

Despite compelling reasons to draw on the contributions of under-represented minority (URM) faculty members, US medical schools lack these faculty, particularly in leadership and senior roles. The study's purpose was to document URM faculty perceptions and experience of the culture of academic medicine in the US and to raise awareness of obstacles to achieving the goal of having people of color in positions of leadership in academic medicine. The authors conducted a qualitative interview study in 2006-2007 of faculty in five US medical schools chosen for their diverse regional and organizational attributes. Using purposeful sampling of medical faculty, 96 faculty were interviewed from four different career stages (early, plateaued, leaders and left academic medicine) and diverse specialties with an oversampling of URM faculty. We identified patterns and themes emergent in the coded data. Analysis was inductive and data driven. Predominant themes underscored during analyses regarding the experience of URM faculty were: difficulty of cross-cultural relationships; isolation and feeling invisible; lack of mentoring, role models and social capital; disrespect, overt and covert bias/discrimination; different performance expectations related to race/ethnicity; devaluing of research on community health care and health disparities; the unfair burden of being identified with affirmative action and responsibility for diversity efforts; leadership's role in diversity goals; and financial hardship. Achieving an inclusive culture for diverse medical school faculty would help meet the mission of academic medicine to train a physician and research workforce that meets the disparate needs of our multicultural society. Medical school leaders need to value the inclusion of URM faculty. Failure to fully engage the skills and insights of URM faculty impairs our ability to provide the best science, education or medical care.

Personality and Psychopathology in African Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: Repression, Resilience and Vulnerability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huemer, Julia; Volkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Karnik, Niranjan; Denny, Katherine G.; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Mitterer, Michaela; Humphreys, Keith; Plattner, Belinda; Friedrich, Max; Shaw, Richard J.; Steiner, Hans

2013-01-01

Examining personality and psychopathological symptoms among unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs), we measured intra-individual dimensions (repression and correlates thereof) usually associated with resilience. Forty-one URMs completed the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI), assessing personality, and the Youth Self-Report (YSR), describing…

Addressing Implicit Bias to Improve Cross-cultural Care.

PubMed

Pereda, Brenda; Montoya, Margaret

2018-03-01

Health disparities cluster around race, ethnicity, education, neighborhoods, and income. Systems of exclusion that correlate with social determinants compound the disproportionate burden of poor health experienced by people of color. By 2056, ~50% of the population is expected to fall into categories currently labeled "under-represented minorities" (URMs), primarily African Americans, Latinxs, and American Indians. Although URMs comprise 30% of the general population, only 9% of medical doctors [Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)] are URMs. We can lessen the negative effects of implicit bias and minimize inequities and unequal treatment by medical providers with training in cross-disciplinary diversity knowledge and communication skills.

The Intersectional Matrix: Rethinking Institutional Change for URM Women in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Mary A.; Jovanovic, Jasna

2017-01-01

This article investigates the persistent challenge of how higher education institutions can support the success of underrepresented minority (URM) women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Our theoretical model centers on intersectionality, and we examine the possibilities and challenges involved in taking an…

Psychopathology in African Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in Austria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huemer, Julia; Karnik, Niranjan; Voelkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Plattner, Belinda; Friedrich, Max; Steiner, Hans

2011-01-01

We assessed the prevalence of a range of psychopathology among African unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) in Austria. Additionally, the predictive value of war exposure on PTSD symptoms was examined. Forty-one URMs were assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents, the Youth Self-Report, the UCLA…

Broadening Participation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM through a Hybrid Online Transfer Program.

PubMed

Drew, Jennifer C; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Ardissone, Alexandria N; Triplett, Eric W

2016-01-01

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in MCS (DE MCS) bachelor of science program. The program has broadened access to STEM with a steadily increasing enrollment that does not draw students away from existing on-campus programs. Notably, half of the DE MCS students are from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds and two-thirds are women, which represents a greater level of diversity than the corresponding on-campus cohort and the entire university. Additionally, the DE MCS cohort has comparable retention and academic performance compared with the on-campus transfer cohort. Of those who have earned a BS through the DE MCS program, 71% are women and 61% are URM. Overall, these data demonstrate that the hybrid online approach is successful in increasing diversity and provides another viable route in the myriad of STEM pathways. As the first of its kind in a STEM field, the DE MCS program serves as a model for programs seeking to broaden their reach. © 2016 J. C. Drew et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The Shared Experiences: Facilitating Successful Transfer of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Dimitra Lynette; Starobin, Soko S.; Laanan, Frankie Santos

2013-01-01

This chapter addresses critical issues related to the transfer success of women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM disciplines and will highlight implications for fostering a successful transfer experience for these populations. For the purposes of this chapter, URMs is defined by the National Science Foundation to include African…

Unaccompanied Refugee Minors; A Challenging Group to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Tammy; Eurelings-Bontekoe, Elisabeth; Spinhoven, Philip

2006-01-01

Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM), like all adolescents, have the right to be able to develop emotionally and cognitively to their fullest potential in host countries (Article 6, Convention of the Rights of the Child, 1991). URM make up a very special and vulnerable population of young people under the age of 18 who have been separated from their…

Responses to conflict, family loss and flight: posttraumatic stress disorder among unaccompanied refugee minors from Africa.

PubMed

Völkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Karnik, Niranjan; Mitterer-Asadi, Michaela; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Steiner, Hans; Friedrich, Max H; Huemer, Julia

2014-01-01

To investigate African unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) living in Austria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence and related symptoms, comorbidity, demographics and coping strategies. "UCLA PTSD Index and inventories" and "Scales for Children Afflicted by War and Persecution (SCWP)" were used to assess 41 African URMs. The study revealed lower PTSD rates than measured among URMs in previous studies. Girls were more likely to develop PTSD. PTSD was significantly correlated with single war-related traumatic events. The depression score for the sample was above the clinical cut-off value. Trauma-specific psychopathology was less severe than reported in other studies. These findings could be explained by concepts of resilience. Other implications, such as response bias, are discussed.

Effect of URM infills on seismic vulnerability of Indian code designed RC frame buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haldar, Putul; Singh, Yogendra; Paul, D. K.

2012-03-01

Unreinforced Masonry (URM) is the most common partitioning material in framed buildings in India and many other countries. Although it is well-known that under lateral loading the behavior and modes of failure of the frame buildings change significantly due to infill-frame interaction, the general design practice is to treat infills as nonstructural elements and their stiffness, strength and interaction with the frame is often ignored, primarily because of difficulties in simulation and lack of modeling guidelines in design codes. The Indian Standard, like many other national codes, does not provide explicit insight into the anticipated performance and associated vulnerability of infilled frames. This paper presents an analytical study on the seismic performance and fragility analysis of Indian code-designed RC frame buildings with and without URM infills. Infills are modeled as diagonal struts as per ASCE 41 guidelines and various modes of failure are considered. HAZUS methodology along with nonlinear static analysis is used to compare the seismic vulnerability of bare and infilled frames. The comparative study suggests that URM infills result in a significant increase in the seismic vulnerability of RC frames and their effect needs to be properly incorporated in design codes.

Medium pH in submerged cultivation modulates differences in the intracellular protein profile of Fusarium oxysporum.

PubMed

da Rosa-Garzon, Nathália Gonsales; Laure, Hélen Julie; Souza-Motta, Cristina Maria de; Rosa, José César; Cabral, Hamilton

2017-08-09

Fusarium oxysporum is a filamentous fungus that damages a wide range of plants and thus causes severe crop losses. In fungal pathogens, the genes and proteins involved in virulence are known to be controlled by environmental pH. Here, we report the influence of culture-medium pH (5, 6, 7, and 8) on the production of degradative enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of F. oxysporum URM 7401 and on the 2D-electrophoresis profile of intracellular proteins in this fungus. F. oxysporum URM 7401 was grown in acidic, neutral, and alkaline culture media in a submerged bioprocess. After 96 hr, the crude extract was processed to enzyme activity assays, while the intracellular proteins were obtained from mycelium and analyzed using 2D electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. We note that the diversity of secreted enzymes was changed quantitatively in different culture-medium pH. Also, the highest accumulated biomass and the intracellular protein profile of F. oxysporum URM 7401 indicate an increase in metabolism in neutral-alkaline conditions. The differential profiles of secreted enzymes and intracellular proteins under the evaluated conditions indicate that the global protein content in F. oxysporum URM 7401 is modulated by extracellular pH.

Late-Onset PTSD in Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: Exploring the Predictive Utility of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smid, Geert E.; Lensvelt-Mulders, Gerty J. L. M.; Knipscheer, Jeroen W.; Gersons, Berthold P. R.; Kleber, Rolf J.

2011-01-01

Following resettlement in Western countries, unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is unclear to what extent PTSD in this group may become manifest at later stages following resettlement and which factors are associated with late onset. We examined data from URM collected 1 (T1) and 2…

Improving the Diversity Climate in Academic Medicine: Faculty Perceptions as a Catalyst for Institutional Change

PubMed Central

Price, Eboni G.; Powe, Neil R.; Kern, David E.; Golden, Sherita Hill; Wand, Gary S.; Cooper, Lisa A.

2010-01-01

Purpose To assess perceptions of underrepresented minority (URM) and majority faculty physicians regarding an institution’s diversity climate, and to identify potential improvement strategies. Method The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of tenure-track physicians at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from June 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005; they measured faculty perceptions of bias in department/division operational activities, professional satisfaction, career networking, mentorship, and intentions to stay in academia, and they examined associations between race/ethnicity and faculty perceptions using multivariate logistic regression. Results Among 703 eligible faculty, 352 (50.1%) returned surveys. Fewer than one third of respondents reported experiences of bias in department/division activities; however, URM faculty were less likely than majority faculty to believe faculty recruitment is unbiased (21.1% versus 50.6%, P = .006). A minority of respondents were satisfied with institutional support for professional development. URM faculty were nearly four times less likely than majority faculty to report satisfaction with racial/ethnic diversity (12% versus 47.1%, P = .001) and three times less likely to believe networking included minorities (9.3% versus 32.6%, P = .014). There were no racial/ethnic differences in the quality of mentorship. More than 80% of respondents believed they would be in academic medicine in five years. However, URM faculty were less likely to report they would be at their current institution in five years (42.6% versus 70.5%, P = .004). Conclusions Perceptions of the institution’s diversity climate were poor for most physician faculty and were worse for URM faculty, highlighting the need for more transparent and diversity-sensitive recruitment, promotion, and networking policies/practices. PMID:19116484

Diversity based on race, ethnicity, and sex, of the US radiation oncology physician workforce.

PubMed

Chapman, Christina H; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Deville, Curtiland

2013-03-15

To assess the current diversity of the US radiation oncology (RO) physician workforce by race, ethnicity, and sex. Publicly available American Medical Association, American Association of Medical Colleges, and US census registries were used to assess differences by race, ethnicity, and sex for 2010 among RO practicing physicians, academic faculty, residents, and residency applicants. RO resident diversity was compared to medical school graduates and medical oncology (MO) fellows. Significant differences in diversity of RO residents by race, ethnicity, and sex were evaluated between 2003 and 2010 academic years. Females and traditionally underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM), blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are underrepresented as RO residents (33.3% and 6.9%, respectively), faculty (23.8%, 8.1%), and practicing physicians (25.5%, 7.2%) levels compared with the US population (50.8%, 30.0%; P<.01). Although females and URMs remain underrepresented at the resident trainee level compared with their proportions as medical school graduates (48.3%, 15.6%) and MO fellows (45.0%, 10.8%; P<.01), females are significantly increased in proportion as RO residents compared with RO practicing physicians (P<.01), whereas representation of individual URM groups as RO residents is no different than current practicing physicians. There is no trend toward increased diversification for female or URM trainees over 8 years, suggesting underrepresentation is not diminishing. Females and URM are underrepresented in the RO physician workforce. Given existing cancer disparities, further research and efforts are needed to ensure that the field is equipped to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse society. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diversity Based on Race, Ethnicity, and Sex, of the US Radiation Oncology Physician Workforce

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapman, Christina H.; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Deville, Curtiland, E-mail: deville@uphs.upenn.edu

Purpose: To assess the current diversity of the US radiation oncology (RO) physician workforce by race, ethnicity, and sex. Methods and Materials: Publicly available American Medical Association, American Association of Medical Colleges, and US census registries were used to assess differences by race, ethnicity, and sex for 2010 among RO practicing physicians, academic faculty, residents, and residency applicants. RO resident diversity was compared to medical school graduates and medical oncology (MO) fellows. Significant differences in diversity of RO residents by race, ethnicity, and sex were evaluated between 2003 and 2010 academic years. Results: Females and traditionally underrepresented minorities in medicinemore » (URM), blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are underrepresented as RO residents (33.3% and 6.9%, respectively), faculty (23.8%, 8.1%), and practicing physicians (25.5%, 7.2%) levels compared with the US population (50.8%, 30.0%; P<.01). Although females and URMs remain underrepresented at the resident trainee level compared with their proportions as medical school graduates (48.3%, 15.6%) and MO fellows (45.0%, 10.8%; P<.01), females are significantly increased in proportion as RO residents compared with RO practicing physicians (P<.01), whereas representation of individual URM groups as RO residents is no different than current practicing physicians. There is no trend toward increased diversification for female or URM trainees over 8 years, suggesting underrepresentation is not diminishing. Conclusions: Females and URM are underrepresented in the RO physician workforce. Given existing cancer disparities, further research and efforts are needed to ensure that the field is equipped to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse society.« less

Mentoring junior URM scientists to engage in sleep health disparities research: experience of the NYU PRIDE Institute.

PubMed

Jean-Louis, Girardin; Ayappa, Indu; Rapoport, David; Zizi, Ferdinand; Airhihenbuwa, Collins; Okuyemi, Kola; Ogedegbe, Gbenga

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded PRIDE Institute in Behavioral Medicine and Sleep Disorders Research at New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center. The NYU PRIDE Institute provides intensive didactic and mentored research training to junior underrepresented minority (URM) faculty. The Kirkpatrick model, a mixed-methods program evaluation tool, was used to gather data on participant's satisfaction and program outcomes. Quantitative evaluation data were obtained from all 29 mentees using the PRIDE REDcap-based evaluation tool. In addition, in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with 17 mentees to learn about their experiences at the institute and their professional development activities. Quantitative data were examined, and emerging themes from in-depth interviews and focus groups were studied for patterns of connection and grouped into broader categories based on grounded theory. Overall, mentees rated all programmatic and mentoring aspects of the NYU PRIDE Institute very highly (80-100%). They identified the following areas as critical to their development: research and professional skills, mentorship, structured support and accountability, peer support, and continuous career development beyond the summer institute. Indicators of academic self-efficacy showed substantial improvement over time. Areas for improvement included tailoring programmatic activities to individual needs, greater assistance with publications, and identifying local mentors when K awards are sought. In order to promote career development, numerous factors that uniquely influence URM investigators' ability to succeed should be addressed. The NYU PRIDE Institute, which provides exposure to a well-resourced academic environment, leadership, didactic skills building, and intensive individualized mentorship proved successful in enabling URM mentees to excel in the academic environment. Overall, the institute accomplished its goals: to build an infrastructure enabling junior URM faculty to network with one another as well as with senior investigators, serving as a role model, in a supportive academic environment. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A study on the influence of different promoter and 5'UTR (URM) cassettes from Arabidopsis thaliana on the expression level of the reporter gene β glucuronidase in tobacco and cotton.

PubMed

Agarwal, Parul; Garg, Varsha; Gautam, Taru; Pillai, Beena; Kanoria, Shaveta; Burma, Pradeep Kumar

2014-04-01

Several reports of promoters from plants, viral and artificial origin that confer high constitutive expression are known. Among these the CaMV 35S promoter is used extensively for transgene expression in plants. We identified candidate promoters from Arabidopsis based on their transcript levels (meta-analysis of available microarray control datasets) to test their activity in comparison to the CaMV 35S promoter. A set of 11 candidate genes were identified which showed high transcript levels in the aerial tissue (i.e. leaf, shoot, flower and stem). In the initial part of the study binary vectors were developed wherein the promoter and 5'UTR region of these candidate genes (Upstream Regulatory Module, URM) were cloned upstream to the reporter gene β glucuronidase (gus). The promoter strengths were tested in transformed callus of Nicotiana tabacum and Gossypium hirsutum. On the basis of the results obtained from the callus, the influence of the URM cassettes on transgene expression was tested in transgenic tobacco. The URM regions of the genes encoding a subunit of photosystem I (PHOTO) and geranyl geranyl reductase (GGR) in A. thaliana genome showed significantly high levels of GUS activity in comparison to the CaMV 35S promoter. Further, when the 5'UTRs of both the genes were placed downstream to the CaMV 35S promoter it led to a substantial increase in GUS activity in transgenic tobacco lines and cotton callus. The enhancement observed was even higher to that observed with the viral leader sequences like Ω and AMV, known translational enhancers. Our results indicate that the two URM cassettes or the 5'UTR regions of PHOTO and GGR when placed downstream to the CaMV 35S promoter can be used to drive high levels of transgene expression in dicotyledons.

SU-D-17A-07: Development and Evaluation of a Prototype Ultrasonography Respiratory Monitoring System for 4DCT Reconstruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, P; Cheng, S; Chao, C

Purpose: Respiratory motion artifacts are commonly seen in the abdominal and thoracic CT images. A Real-time Position Management (RPM) system is integrated with CT simulator using abdominal surface as a surrogate for tracking the patient respiratory motion. The respiratory-correlated four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) is then reconstructed by GE advantage software. However, there are still artifacts due to inaccurate respiratory motion detecting and sorting methods. We developed an Ultrasonography Respiration Monitoring (URM) system which can directly monitor diaphragm motion to detect respiratory cycles. We also developed a new 4DCT sorting and motion estimation method to reduce the respiratory motion artifacts. Themore » new 4DCT system was compared with RPM and the GE 4DCT system. Methods: Imaging from a GE CT scanner was simultaneously correlated with both the RPM and URM to detect respiratory motion. A radiation detector, Blackcat GM-10, recorded the X-ray on/off and synchronized with URM. The diaphragm images were acquired with Ultrasonix RP system. The respiratory wave was derived from diaphragm images and synchronized with CT scanner. A more precise peaks and valleys detection tool was developed and compared with RPM. The motion is estimated for the slices which are not in the predefined respiratory phases by using block matching and optical flow method. The CT slices were then sorted into different phases and reconstructed, compared with the images reconstructed from GE Advantage software using respiratory wave produced from RPM system. Results: The 4DCT images were reconstructed for eight patients. The discontinuity at the diaphragm level due to an inaccurate identification of phases by the RPM was significantly improved by URM system. Conclusion: Our URM 4DCT system was evaluated and compared with RPM and GE 4DCT system. The new system is user friendly and able to reduce motion artifacts. It also has the potential to monitor organ motion during therapy.« less

Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE: Engaging Underrepresented Students in Physics and Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE Teams

2018-01-01

We describe two programs, Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, creating a national impact on their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field.In 8 years, the CAMPARE program has sent 112 students, >80% from underrepresented groups, to conduct summer research at one of 14 major research institutions throughout the country. Of the CAMPARE scholars who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, almost two-thirds (65%) have completed or are pursuing graduate education in physics, astronomy, or a related field, at institutions including UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Stanford, Univ. of Arizona, Univ. of Washington, Univ. of Rochester, Michigan State Univ., Georgia Tech, Georgia State Univ., Kent State, Indiana Univ., Univ. of Oregon, Syracuse Univ., Montana State Univ., and the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD program.Now entering its fourth year, the Cal-Bridge program is a CSU-UC Bridge program comprised of >140 physics and astronomy faculty from 9 University of California (UC), 15 California State University (CSU), and 30 California Community College (CCC) campuses throughout California. In the first four years, 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars have been selected, including 22 Hispanic, 3 African-American and 13 women students, 10 of whom are from URM groups. Thirty (30) of the 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars are first generation college students. In the last two years, 11 of 13 Cal-Bridge Scholars have begun PhD programs in physics or astronomy at top PhD programs nationally. Three (3) of these 11 scholars have won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships; one more received an Honorable Mention. The next cohort applies this fall.Cal-Bridge provides much deeper mentoring and professional development experiences over the last two years of undergraduate and first year of graduate school to students from this diverse network of higher education institutions. Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from substantial financial support, intensive, joint mentoring by CSU and UC faculty, professional development workshops, and exposure to research opportunities at the participating UC campuses.

Antinuclear autoantibodies and pregnancy outcome in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

PubMed

Ticconi, Carlo; Pietropolli, Adalgisa; Borelli, Barbara; Bruno, Valentina; Piccione, Emilio; Bernardini, Sergio; Di Simone, Nicoletta

2016-11-01

To investigate whether antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA) could be related to the outcome of the successive pregnancy in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage (uRM). Circulating ANA were measured by indirect immunofluorescence in 86 women with uRM before pregnancy, repeated in the first trimester of the successive gestation and correlated with pregnancy outcome. Forty-one women were ANA- and 45 were ANA+ before pregnancy. No relation was found between pre-pregnancy ANA status and the outcome of the successive pregnancy. However, when these women were monitored at 7th week during their pregnancy for ANA, of the 22 ANA+ women who remained ANA+ seven miscarriages (31.8%) were observed, whereas all of the 23 ANA+ women who became ANA- had pregnancies ongoing beyond the 20th week without miscarriage. ANA status could have a role in uRM. Disappearance of ANA in early pregnancy could have a favorable prognostic value in the successive pregnancy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extractive fermentation of xylanase from Aspergillus tamarii URM 4634 in a bioreactor.

PubMed

da Silva, Anna Carolina; Soares de França Queiroz, Alana Emília; Evaristo dos Santos Nascimento, Talita Camila; Rodrigues, Cristine; Gomes, José Erick Galindo; Souza-Motta, Cristina Maria; Porto de Souza Vandenberghe, Luciana; Valente de Medeiros, Erika; Moreira, Keila Aparecida; Herculano, Polyanna Nunes

2014-08-01

Of the many reported applications for xylanase, its use as a food supplement has played an important role for monogastric animals, because it can improve the utilisation of nutrients. The aim of this work was to produce xylanase by extractive fermentation in an aqueous two-phase system using Aspergillus tamarii URM 4634, increasing the scale of production in a bioreactor, partially characterising the xylanase and evaluating its influence on monogastric digestion in vitro. Through extractive fermentation in a bioreactor, xylanase was obtained with an activity of 331.4 U mL(-1) and 72% yield. The xylanase was stable under variable pH and temperature conditions, and it was optimally active at pH 3.6 and 90 °C. Xylanase activity potentiated the simulation of complete monogastric digestion by 6%, and only Mg2+ inhibited its activity. This process provides a system for efficient xylanase production by A. tamarii URM 4634 that has great potential for industrial use.

Application of aqueous biphasic systems as strategy to purify tannase from Aspergillus tamarii URM 7115.

PubMed

de Sena, Amanda Reges; Barros Oliveira, Flávio Manoel; Campos Leite, Tonny Cley; Evaristo da Silva Nascimento, Talita Camila; Moreira, Keila Aparecida; de Assis, Sandra Aparecida

2017-10-21

The aims of the current study are to assess the influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentration, molar mass, pH, and citrate concentrations on aqueous biphasic systems based on 2 4 factorial designs, as well as to check their capacity to purify tannase secreted by Aspergillus tamarii URM 7115. Tannase was produced through submerged fermentation at 26°C for 67 h in Czapeck-Dox modified broth and added with yeast extract and tannic acid. The factorial design was followed to assess the influence of PEG molar mass (M PEG 600; 4,000 and 8,000 g/ mol), and PEG (C PEG 20.0; 22.0 and 24.0% w/w) and citrate concentrations (C CIT 15.0, 17.5, and 20.0%, w/w), as well as of pH (6.0, 7.0, and 8.0) on the response variables; moreover, partition coefficient (K), yield (Y), and purification factor (PF) were analyzed. The most suitable parameters to purify tannase secreted by A. tamarii URM 7115 through a biphasic system were 600 (g/mol) M PEG , 24% (w/w) C PEG , 15% (w/w) C CIT at pH 6.0 and they resulted in 6.33 enzyme partition, 131.25% yield, 19.80 purification factor and 195.08 selectivity. Tannase secreted by A. tamarii URM 7115 purified through aqueous biphasic systems composed of PEG/citrate can be used for industrial purposes, since it presents suitable purification factor and yield.

Diversifying the academic public health workforce: strategies to extend the discourse about limited racial and ethnic diversity in the public health academy.

PubMed

Annang, Lucy; Richter, Donna L; Fletcher, Faith E; Weis, Megan A; Fernandes, Pearl R; Clary, Louis A

2010-01-01

While public health has gained increased attention and placement on the national health agenda, little progress has been made in achieving a critical mass of underrepresented minority (URM) academicians in the public health workforce. In 2008, a telephone-based qualitative assessment was conducted with URM faculty of schools of public health to discuss this issue. As a result, we present successful strategies that institutional leaders can employ to extend the discourse about addressing limited diversity in the public health academy.

A Bridge to the Stars: A Model High School-to-College Pipeline for Encouraging Positive STEM Identities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Daniel H.; Jennings, Derrick H.

2018-01-01

The need to grow and diversify the STEM workforce remains a critical national challenge. Research shows that STEM identity (how one views herself/himself with respect to STEM) is an important factor for success or failure. A Bridge to the Stars (ABttS) offers URM and low-income high-school students a high impact exposure to science through innovative experiential learning with a professional scientist in freshmen astronomy at UMKC, an urban research university. Showing students who traditionally do not self-identify with high-tech careers that they can succeed in a university science course is a promising way to help build positive STEM identities and aspirations during the critical bridge between high school and college. In five years, we have awarded 45 ABttS scholarships; 93% of these 15-17 year-old students have passed the course satisfactorily with an average grade of 80%. Remarkably, the ABttS scholar performance is on par with that of 600 UMKC students enrolled in the same courses over 8 semesters. Long-term tracking of former scholars shows positive attitudes regarding ABttS and persistence in STEM aspirations at promising rates based on small-number statistics. I will describe the implementation of this unique STEM immersion program offering extended and inclusive engagement in astronomy, arguably the most accessible window to science. I will share classroom and near-peer mentoring innovations, and a new third ABttS tier in which previous scholars can enroll in a freshmen science laboratory experience for UMKC credit. This novel course introduces novices to scientific research and Big Data science through authentic hands-on experiences centered on their own exploration of data from McIntosh's actual research. The long-term mission of ABttS is to see urban educational institutions across the U.S. adopt similar pipelines in all STEM disciplines built on the ABttS model. Adopting programs like ABttS for freshmen STEM majors, especially in urban colleges and universities, is a key step to overcoming the dire national deficit in URM and low-income STEM majors.

Multi-Institutional Study of Women and Underrepresented Minority Faculty Members in Academic Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Spivey, Christina A.; Billheimer, Dean; Schlesselman, Lauren S.; Flowers, Schwanda K.; Hammer, Dana; Engle, Janet P.; Nappi, Jean M.; Pasko, Mary T.; Ann Ross, Leigh; Sorofman, Bernard; Rodrigues, Helena A.; Vaillancourt, Allison M.

2012-01-01

Objectives. To examine trends in the numbers of women and underrepresented minority (URM) pharmacy faculty members over the last 20 years, and determine factors influencing women faculty members’ pursuit and retention of an academic pharmacy career. Methods. Twenty-year trends in women and URM pharmacy faculty representation were examined. Women faculty members from 9 public colleges and schools of pharmacy were surveyed regarding demographics, job satisfaction, and their academic pharmacy career, and relationships between demographics and satisfaction were analyzed. Results. The number of women faculty members more than doubled between 1989 and 2009 (from 20.7% to 45.5%), while the number of URM pharmacy faculty members increased only slightly over the same time period. One hundred fifteen women faculty members completed the survey instrument and indicated they were generally satisfied with their jobs. The academic rank of professor, being a nonpharmacy practice faculty member, being tenured/tenure track, and having children were associated with significantly lower satisfaction with fringe benefits. Women faculty members who were tempted to leave academia for other pharmacy sectors had significantly lower salary satisfaction and overall job satisfaction, and were more likely to indicate their expectations of academia did not match their experiences (p<0.05). Conclusions. The significant increase in the number of women pharmacy faculty members over the last 20 years may be due to the increased number of female pharmacy graduates and to women faculty members’ satisfaction with their careers. Lessons learned through this multi-institutional study and review may be applicable to initiatives to improve recruitment and retention of URM pharmacy faculty members. PMID:22412206

CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge: Two Institutional Networks Increasing Diversity in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.

2017-01-01

We describe two programs, CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, creating a national impact on their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field.In 7 years, the CAMPARE program has sent 80 students, >80% from underrepresented groups, to conduct summer research at one of 14 major research institutions throughout the country. The graduation rate among CAMPARE scholars is 98%, and of the CAMPARE scholars who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, more than 60% have completed or are pursuing graduate education in astronomy or a related field, at institutions including UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Stanford, Univ. of Arizona, Univ. of Washington, and the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD program.Now entering its third year, the Cal-Bridge program is a CSU-UC Bridge program comprised of over 75 physics and astronomy faculty from 5 University of California (UC), 9 California State University (CSU), and 14 California Community College (CCC) campuses in Southern California. In the first three years, 22 Cal-Bridge Scholars have been selected, including 11 Hispanic, 3 African-American and 8 female students, 5 of whom are from URM groups. Nineteen (19) of the 22 Cal-Bridge Scholars are first-generation college students. The entire first cohort of 4 Cal-Bridge scholars was accepted to one or more PhD programs in astronomy or physics, including UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, Michigan State, and Georgia State Universities. The second cohort of 8 Cal-Bridge scholars is applying to graduate schools this fall.Cal-Bridge provides much deeper mentoring and professional development experiences over the last two years of undergraduate and first year of graduate school to students from this diverse network of higher education institutions. Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from substantial financial support, intensive, joint mentoring by CSU and UC faculty, professional development workshops, and exposure to research opportunities at the participating UC campuses.

Transition to Independence: Characteristics and Outcomes of Mentored Career Development (KL2) Scholars at Clinical and Translational Science Award Institutions.

PubMed

Sweeney, Carol; Schwartz, Lisa S; Toto, Robert; Merchant, Carol; Fair, Alecia S; Gabrilove, Janice L

2017-04-01

To describe the transition from mentored to independent research funding for clinical and translational scholars supported by institutional KL2 Mentored Career Development programs. In 2013, faculty leaders at Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions completed an online survey, reporting characteristics of scholars in their KL2 programs from 2006 to 2013. The primary outcome variable was a report that the scholar had received independent funding as a principal investigator. Data analysis included descriptive summaries and mixed-effects regression models. Respondents from 48 institutions (of 62 eligible; 77%) provided information about 914 KL2 scholars. Of those, 620 (68%) were medical doctors, 114 (12%) had other clinical training, and 177 (19%) were nonclinician PhDs. Fifty-three percent (487) were female; 12% (108/865) were members of racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URM). After completing KL2 training, 96% (558/582) remained engaged in research. Among scholars who completed KL2 training two or more years earlier, 39% (149/374) received independent funding. Independent funding was from non-National Institutes of Health (NIH) sources (120 scholars) more often than from NIH (101 scholars). The odds of a nonclinician attaining independent funding were twice those of a clinician (odds ratio 2.05; 95% confidence interval 1.11-3.78). Female and URM scholars were as likely as male and non-URM scholars to attain independent funding. KL2 programs supported the transition to independent funding for clinical and translational scientists. Female and URM scholars were well represented. Future studies should consider non-NIH funding sources when assessing the transition to research independence.

Mediators of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mentored K Award Receipt Among U.S. Medical School Graduates.

PubMed

Andriole, Dorothy A; Yan, Yan; Jeffe, Donna B

2017-10-01

Mentored K (K01/K08/K23) career development awards are positively associated with physicians' success as independent investigators; however, individuals in some racial/ethnic groups are less likely to receive this federal funding. The authors sought to identify variables that explain (mediate) the association between race/ethnicity and mentored K award receipt among U.S. Liaison Committee for Medical Education-accredited medical school graduates who planned research-related careers. The authors analyzed deidentified data from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Institutes of Health Information for Management, Planning, Analysis, and Coordination II grants database for a national cohort of 28,690 graduates from 1997-2004 who planned research-related careers, followed through August 2014. The authors examined 10 potential mediators (4 research activities, 2 academic performance measures, medical school research intensity, degree program, debt, and specialty) of the association between race/ethnicity and mentored K award receipt in models comparing underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM) and non-URM graduates. Among 27,521 graduates with complete data (95.9% of study-eligible graduates), 1,147 (4.2%) received mentored K awards (79/3,341 [2.4%] URM; 1,068/24,180 [4.4%] non-URM). All variables except debt were significant mediators; together they explained 96.2% (95%, CI 79.1%-100%) of the association between race/ethnicity and mentored K award. Research-related activities during/after medical school and standardized academic measures largely explained the association between race/ethnicity and mentored K award in this national cohort. Interventions targeting these mediators could mitigate racial/ethnic disparities in the federally funded physician-scientist research workforce.

Transition to Independence: Characteristics and Outcomes of Mentored Career Development (KL2) Scholars at Clinical and Translational Science Award Institutions

PubMed Central

Sweeney, Carol; Schwartz, Lisa S.; Toto, Robert; Merchant, Carol; Fair, Alecia S.; Gabrilove, Janice L.

2016-01-01

Purpose To describe the transition from mentored to independent research funding for clinical and translational scholars supported by institutional KL2 Mentored Career Development programs. Method In 2013, faculty leaders at Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions completed an online survey, reporting characteristics of scholars in their KL2 programs from 2006–2013. The primary outcome variable was a report that the scholar had received independent research funding as a principal investigator. Data analysis included descriptive summaries and mixed effects regression models. Results Respondents from 48 institutions (of 62 eligible; 77%) provided information about 914 KL2 scholars. Of those, 620 (68%) were medical doctors, 114 (12%) had other clinical training, and 177 (19%) were non-clinician PhDs. Fifty-three percent (487) were female; 12% (108/865) were members of racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URM). After completing KL2 training, 96% (558/582) remained engaged in research. Among scholars who completed KL2 training two or more years earlier, 39% (149/374) had received independent funding. Independent funding was from non-National Institutes of Health (NIH) sources (120 scholars) more often than from NIH (101 scholars). The odds of a non-clinician attaining independent funding were twice those of a clinician (odds ratio 2.05, 95% confidence interval 1.11–3.78). Female and URM scholars were equally as likely as male and non-URM scholars to attain independent funding. Conclusions KL2 programs supported the transition to independent funding for clinical and translational scientists. Female and URM scholars were well represented. Future studies should consider non-NIH funding sources when assessing the transition to research independence. PMID:28351069

Lumley decomposition of turbulent boundary layer at high Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tutkun, Murat; George, William K.

2017-02-01

The decomposition proposed by Lumley in 1966 is applied to a high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer. The experimental database was created by a hot-wire rake of 143 probes in the Laboratoire de Mécanique de Lille wind tunnel. The Reynolds numbers based on momentum thickness (Reθ) are 9800 and 19 100. Three-dimensional decomposition is performed, namely, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) in the inhomogeneous and bounded wall-normal direction, Fourier decomposition in the homogeneous spanwise direction, and Fourier decomposition in time. The first POD modes in both cases carry nearly 50% of turbulence kinetic energy when the energy is integrated over Fourier dimensions. The eigenspectra always peak near zero frequency and most of the large scale, energy carrying features are found at the low end of the spectra. The spanwise Fourier mode which has the largest amount of energy is the first spanwise mode and its symmetrical pair. Pre-multiplied eigenspectra have only one distinct peak and it matches the secondary peak observed in the log-layer of pre-multiplied velocity spectra. Energy carrying modes obtained from the POD scale with outer scaling parameters. Full or partial reconstruction of turbulent velocity signal based only on energetic modes or non-energetic modes revealed the behaviour of urms in distinct regions across the boundary layer. When urms is based on energetic reconstruction, there exists (a) an exponential decay from near wall to log-layer, (b) a constant layer through the log-layer, and (c) another exponential decay in the outer region. The non-energetic reconstruction reveals that urms has (a) an exponential decay from the near-wall to the end of log-layer and (b) a constant layer in the outer region. Scaling of urms using the outer parameters is best when both energetic and non-energetic profiles are combined.

tRNA thiolation links translation to stress responses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Damon, Jadyn R; Pincus, David; Ploegh, Hidde L

2015-01-15

Although tRNA modifications have been well catalogued, the precise functions of many modifications and their roles in mediating gene expression are still being elucidated. Whereas tRNA modifications were long assumed to be constitutive, it is now apparent that the modification status of tRNAs changes in response to different environmental conditions. The URM1 pathway is required for thiolation of the cytoplasmic tRNAs tGlu(UUC), tGln(UUG), and tLys(UUU) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that URM1 pathway mutants have impaired translation, which results in increased basal activation of the Hsf1-mediated heat shock response; we also find that tRNA thiolation levels in wild-type cells decrease when cells are grown at elevated temperature. We show that defects in tRNA thiolation can be conditionally advantageous, conferring resistance to endoplasmic reticulum stress. URM1 pathway proteins are unstable and hence are more sensitive to changes in the translational capacity of cells, which is decreased in cells experiencing stresses. We propose a model in which a stress-induced decrease in translation results in decreased levels of URM1 pathway components, which results in decreased tRNA thiolation levels, which further serves to decrease translation. This mechanism ensures that tRNA thiolation and translation are tightly coupled and coregulated according to need. © 2015 Damon et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Opening Pathways for Underrepresented High School Students to Biomedical Research Careers: The Emory University RISE Program

PubMed Central

Rohrbaugh, Margaret C.; Corces, Victor G.

2011-01-01

Increasing the college graduation rates of underrepresented minority students in science disciplines is essential to attain a diverse workforce for the 21st century. The Research Internship and Science Education (RISE) program attempts to motivate and prepare students from the Atlanta Public School system, where underrepresented minority (URM) students comprise a majority of the population, for biomedical science careers by offering the opportunity to participate in an original research project. Students work in a research laboratory from the summer of their sophomore year until graduation, mentored by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). In addition, they receive instruction in college-level biology, scholastic assessment test (SAT) preparation classes, and help with the college application process. During the last 4 yr, RISE students have succeeded in the identification and characterization of a series of proteins involved in the regulation of nuclear organization and transcription. All but 1 of 39 RISE students have continued on to 4-year college undergraduate studies and 61% of those students are currently enrolled in science-related majors. These results suggest that the use of research-based experiences at the high school level may contribute to the increased recruitment of underrepresented students into science-related careers. PMID:21926301

Opening pathways for underrepresented high school students to biomedical research careers: the Emory University RISE program.

PubMed

Rohrbaugh, Margaret C; Corces, Victor G

2011-12-01

Increasing the college graduation rates of underrepresented minority students in science disciplines is essential to attain a diverse workforce for the 21st century. The Research Internship and Science Education (RISE) program attempts to motivate and prepare students from the Atlanta Public School system, where underrepresented minority (URM) students comprise a majority of the population, for biomedical science careers by offering the opportunity to participate in an original research project. Students work in a research laboratory from the summer of their sophomore year until graduation, mentored by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). In addition, they receive instruction in college-level biology, scholastic assessment test (SAT) preparation classes, and help with the college application process. During the last 4 yr, RISE students have succeeded in the identification and characterization of a series of proteins involved in the regulation of nuclear organization and transcription. All but 1 of 39 RISE students have continued on to 4-year college undergraduate studies and 61% of those students are currently enrolled in science-related majors. These results suggest that the use of research-based experiences at the high school level may contribute to the increased recruitment of underrepresented students into science-related careers.

[Resilient or Risk Group? Psychological Burden at Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) in Germany].

PubMed

Rücker, Stefan; Büttner, Peter; Lambertz, Birgit; Karpinski, Norbert; Petermann, Franz

2017-04-01

Resilient or Risk Group? Psychological Burden at Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) in Germany Unaccompanied minors (umA in German) are considered as a risk group for psychological disorders. In international studies a high prevalence for trauma, anxiety, and depression were reported. A sample of N = 52 unaccompanied minors living in Germany was questioned on symptom severity as well as stress experience with the Refugee Health Screening-15. More than each second unaccompanied minor shows clinically relevant symptom severity and stress experience. In age-specific analyses the highest stress levels were found among the youngest unaccompanied minors. Therefore, specifically adapted settings for care should be applied for this high-risk group.

A Model for Postdoctoral Education That Promotes Minority and Majority Success in the Biomedical Sciences

PubMed Central

Eisen, Arri; Eaton, Douglas C.

2017-01-01

How does the United States maintain the highest-quality research and teaching in its professional science workforce and ensure that those in this workforce are effectively trained and representative of national demographics? In the pathway to science careers, the postdoctoral stage is formative, providing the experiences that define the independent work of one’s first faculty position. It is also a stage in which underrepresented minorities (URMs) disproportionately lose interest in pursuing academic careers in science and, models suggest, a point at which interventions to increase proportions of URMs in such careers could be most effective. We present a mixed-methods, case study analysis from 17 years of the Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) postdoctoral program, to our knowledge the largest and longest continuously running science postdoctoral program in the United States. We demonstrate that FIRST fellows, in sharp contrast to postdocs overall, are inclusive of URMs (50% African American; 70% women) and as or more successful in their fellowships and beyond as a comparison group (measured by publication rate, attainment of employment in academic science careers, and eventual research grant support). Analysis of alumni surveys and focus group discussions reveals that FIRST fellows place highest value on the cohort-driven community and the developmental teaching and research training the program provides. PMID:29196426

A Comparative Study of Recent Trends and Characteristics of Students Entering American Junior Colleges, 1968-72.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenske, Robert H.; Scott, Craig S.

Recent changes in the background characteristics and attributes of students entering American junior colleges are compared with those of students entering colleges offering baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Comparisons are also made between students entering private and public junior colleges. The characteristics and attributes are: Level of…

Full-scale testing and numerical modeling of a multistory masonry structure subjected to internal blast loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zapata, Brian Jarvis

As military and diplomatic representatives of the United States are deployed throughout the world, they must frequently make use of local, existing facilities; it is inevitable that some of these will be load bearing unreinforced masonry (URM) structures. Although generally suitable for conventional design loads, load bearing URM presents a unique hazard, with respect to collapse, when exposed to blast loading. There is therefore a need to study the blast resistance of load bearing URM construction in order to better protect US citizens assigned to dangerous locales. To address this, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte conducted three blast tests inside a decommissioned, coal-fired, power plant prior to its scheduled demolition. The power plant's walls were constructed of URM and provided an excellent opportunity to study the response of URM walls in-situ. Post-test analytical studies investigated the ability of existing blast load prediction methodologies to model the case of a cylindrical charge with a low height of burst. It was found that even for the relatively simple blast chamber geometries of these tests, simplified analysis methods predicted blast impulses with an average net error of 22%. The study suggested that existing simplified analysis methods would benefit from additional development to better predict blast loads from cylinders detonated near the ground's surface. A hydrocode, CTH, was also used to perform two and three-dimensional simulations of the blast events. In order to use the hydrocode, Jones Wilkins Lee (JWL) equation of state (EOS) coefficients were developed for the experiment's Unimax dynamite charges; a novel energy-scaling technique was developed which permits the derivation of new JWL coefficients from an existing coefficient set. The hydrocode simulations were able to simulate blast impulses with an average absolute error of 34.5%. Moreover, the hydrocode simulations provided highly resolved spatio-temporal blast loading data for subsequent structural simulations. Equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (ESDOF) structural response models were then used to predict the out-of-plane deflections of blast chamber walls. A new resistance function was developed which permits a URM wall to crack at any height; numerical methodologies were also developed to compute transformation factors required for use in the ESDOF method. When combined with the CTH derived blast loading predictions, the ESDOF models were able to predict out-of-plane deflections with reasonable accuracy. Further investigations were performed using finite element models constructed in LS-DYNA; the models used elastic elements combined with contacts possessing a tension/shear cutoff and the ability to simulate fracture energy release. Using the CTH predicted blast loads and carefully selected constitutive parameters, the LS-DYNA models were able to both qualitatively and quantitatively predict blast chamber wall deflections and damage patterns. Moreover, the finite element models suggested several modes of response which cannot be modeled by current ESDOF methods; the effect of these response modes on the accuracy of ESDOF predictions warrants further study.

The Education and Public Outreach Plan for UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glesener, G. B.; Jewitt, D. C.; Curren, I. S.

2012-12-01

Increasing the number and diversity of students pursuing and completing STEM education is a crucial part of UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)'s goal of promoting research on planetary systems around the sun and other stars. Cultivating students' interest and success in STEM subject areas from K-12 to the bachelor's degree is an important factor in student retention. As they pursue a bachelor's degree in a STEM major, many become discouraged and decide not to finish with this type of degree; women, underrepresented minorities (URM), and students of low socioeconomic status (SES) have the highest attrition rates (Bayer 2010). Focusing primarily on students at the high school and community college levels, our education and public outreach plan utilizes the multidisciplinary science of astrobiology as a resource for building stronger learning environments in STEM education. By implementing formal education programs that encourage and foster student learning in STEM fields, we intend to (1) increase the efficiency with which students move from high school into STEM-related undergraduate programs, (2) improve the corresponding transfer rate from community colleges to advanced degree programs in STEM at the 4-year university level, and (3) create more opportunities for students to become involved in meaningful research as they progress in their studies. To ensure the success of these programs, we will partner with teachers from local high schools and community colleges, and UCLA's Center X. By being geographically located in Los Angeles County, having one of the highest URM populations in the United States (US Census Bureau, 2007), and partnering with Hampton University (HU) in Virginia, whose student body is 91% African American, we are in a position to make a large impact on diversity. To further ensure the success of our EPO, an independent evaluator will measure and track the following program objectives: increase (1) post-secondary STEM enrollment; (2) community college student transfer rates into four-year universities as STEM majors; (3) science knowledge and effective pedagogical practices for high school and community college teachers; and (4) collaboration between UCLA astrobiology scientists, high school teachers, and community college instructors. Building stronger learning environments for STEM students should result in higher retention rates through the various academic transitions toward the bachelor's, increasing the probability of graduation. Educating the community informally is also important for cultivating students' interest and success in STEM education. In the informal education part of our EPO plan, we will partner with Astronomy Without Borders (AWB) to disseminate planetary and astronomical results to the public, contribute to a series of public astrobiology talks at The Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, and participate in the Exploring Your Universe / UCLA Science Day event held every year to bring science to the community. Helping young learners achieve success in STEM education through EPO programs that afford meaningful STEM experiences is the ultimate goal of UCLA's iPLEX EPO plan. We hope to make a significant impact on our community and build upon the efforts of our colleagues in STEM education to increase the retention of students pursuing degrees in STEM fields.

Increasing URM Undergraduate Student Success through Assessment-Driven Interventions: A Multiyear Study Using Freshman-Level General Biology as a Model System

PubMed Central

Carmichael, Mary C.; St. Clair, Candace; Edwards, Andrea M.; Barrett, Peter; McFerrin, Harris; Davenport, Ian; Awad, Mohamed; Kundu, Anup; Ireland, Shubha Kale

2016-01-01

Xavier University of Louisiana leads the nation in awarding BS degrees in the biological sciences to African-American students. In this multiyear study with ∼5500 participants, data-driven interventions were adopted to improve student academic performance in a freshman-level general biology course. The three hour-long exams were common and administered concurrently to all students. New exam questions were developed using Bloom’s taxonomy, and exam results were analyzed statistically with validated assessment tools. All but the comprehensive final exam were returned to students for self-evaluation and remediation. Among other approaches, course rigor was monitored by using an identical set of 60 questions on the final exam across 10 semesters. Analysis of the identical sets of 60 final exam questions revealed that overall averages increased from 72.9% (2010) to 83.5% (2015). Regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between high-risk students and their averages on the 60 questions. Additional analysis demonstrated statistically significant improvements for at least one letter grade from midterm to final and a 20% increase in the course pass rates over time, also for the high-risk population. These results support the hypothesis that our data-driven interventions and assessment techniques are successful in improving student retention, particularly for our academically at-risk students. PMID:27543637

Ethnic and Gender Diversity in Radiology Fellowships.

PubMed

West, Derek L; Nguyen, HaiThuy

2017-06-01

The purpose of the study is to assess ethnic and gender diversity in US radiology fellowship programs from 2006 to 2013. Data for this study was obtained from Journal of the American Medical Association supplements publications from 2005 to 2006 to 2012-2013 (Gonzalez-Moreno, Innov Manag Policy Pract. 15(2):149, 2013; Nivet, Acad Med. 86(12):1487-9, 2011; Reede, Health Aff. 22(4):91-3, 2003; Chapman et al., Radiology 270(1):232-40, 2014; Getto, 2005; Rivo and Satcher, JAMA 270(9):1074-8, 1993; Schwartz et al., Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 149(1):71-6, 2013; Simon, Clin Orthop Relat Res. 360:253-9, 1999) and the US census 2010. For each year, Fisher's exact test was used to compare the percentage of women and under-represented minorities in each Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-certified radiology fellowship to the percentage of women and under-represented minorities in (1) all ACGME-certified radiology fellowships combined, (2) radiology residents, (3) ACGME-certified fellows in all of medicine combined, (4) ACGME-certified residents in all of medicine combined, and (5) graduating medical students. Chi-Squared test was used to compare the percentage of women and under-represented minorities and the 2010 US census. p < 0.05 was used as indicator of significance. Interventional radiology and neuroradiology demonstrated the highest levels of disparities, compared to every level of medical education. Abdominal and musculoskeletal radiology fellowships demonstrated disparity patterns consistent with lack of female and URM medical graduates entering into radiology residency. All radiology fellowships demonstrated variable levels of gender and ethnic disparities. Outreach efforts, pipeline programs, and mentoring may be helpful in addressing this issue.

Addressing Underrepresentation: Physics Teaching for All

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rifkin, Moses

2016-02-01

Every physics teacher wants to give his or her students the opportunity to learn physics well. Despite these intentions, certain groups of students—including women and underrepresented minorities (URMs)—are not taking and not remaining in physics. In many cases, these disturbing trends are more significant in physics than in any other science. This is a missed opportunity for our discipline because demographic diversity strengthens science. The question is what we can do about these trends in our classrooms, as very few physics teachers have been explicitly prepared to address them. In this article, I will share some steps that I've taken in my classroom that have moved my class in the right direction. In the words of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Carl Wieman and psychologists Lauren Aguilar and Gregory Walton: "By investing a small amount of class time in carefully designed and implemented interventions, physics teachers can promote greater success among students from diverse backgrounds. Ultimately, we hope such efforts will indeed improve the diversity and health of the physics profession."

Views of Iranian medical journal editors on medical research publication.

PubMed

Etemadi, Arash; Raiszadeh, Farbod; Alaeddini, Farshid; Azizi, Fereidoun

2004-01-01

Medical journal editors play an important role in optimizing research publication. This study evaluates the views of Iranian medical journal editors, and their knowledge of medical publication standards. In May 2001, 51 editors from all journals approved by the Ministry of Health were invited to participate, 27 of whom completed the study. A self-administered questionnaire, based on the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (URMS) was used which consisted of 28 questions in 9 subject fields. These fields included: peer review, conflicts of interest, authorship criteria, publication ethics, duplicate publication, mass media, advertising, competing manuscripts, and the Internet. The knowledge of the editors was assessed by a scoring system, with a range of -46 to +44 points. Twenty-three of the participants were editors-in-chief and 4 were managing editors. Their average age was 47.3 +/- 8.7 years and 25 were male. All journals were peer-reviewed, most having 2 or 3 reviewers for each manuscript. Of the journals, 92.6% accepted or rejected an article on the basis of the views of most reviewers and 52%, sometimes or always, used a statistician as a reviewer. Most of the editors believed that writing the first draft and designing the study are authorship criteria, and most of them believed that these 2 are stated in URMS. Seven journals (25.9%) never published advertisements. Among journals that sold advertisements, the most popular policy (85%) was the rejection of advertisements because they advertised harmful products. Out of 27 journals, 12 were accessible on the Internet, and 7 had independent websites. Of the editors, 81.5% thought that a website is useful for their journal. The average knowledge score of the editors was 6.5 +/- 7.5. None had a negative score, 33% scored zero, 45% obtained average scores and 22% obtained good scores. The results show that peer review is favored by all the editors studied, though it seems that journals do not follow clear-cut policies in this regard. Most of the editors, agreed with the statements of URMS to some extent and generally most have average to high knowledge of URMS.

A survey of medical quality assurance programs in Ontario hospitals.

PubMed Central

Barrable, B

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and types of medical quality assurance practices in Ontario hospitals. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: All teaching, community, chronic care, rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals that were members of the Ontario Hospital Association as of May 1990. PARTICIPANTS: The person deemed by the chief executive officer of each hospital to be most responsible for medical administration. INTERVENTION: A questionnaire to obtain information on each hospital's use of criteria audit, indicators inventory, occurrence screening and reporting, and utilization review and management (URM) activities. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of the use of the quality assurance activities, the people responsible for the activities and the relative success of the URM program in modifying physicians' performance. RESULTS: Of the 245 member hospitals participants from 179 (73%) responded. Criteria audits were performed in 136 (76%), indicators inventory in 43 (24%), occurrence screening in 44 (25%), occurrence reporting in 61 (34%) and URM in 123 (69%). In-hospital deaths were reviewed in 157 (88%) of the hospitals. In all, 87 (55%) of the respondents from hospitals that had a URM program or were developing one indicated that their program was successful in modifying physicians' practices, and 29 (18%) reported that it was not successful; 26 (16%) stated that the effect was still unknown, and 16 (10%) did not respond. Seventy (40%) stated that results of tissue reviews were reported at least 10 times per year and 94 (83%) that medical record reviews were reported at least as often. The differences in the prevalence of the quality assurance activities between the hospitals were not found to be significant. CONCLUSIONS: Many Ontario hospitals are conducting a wide variety of quality assurance activities. Further study is required to determine whether the differences in prevalence of these activities between hospitals would be significant in a larger, perhaps national, sample. Strategies are needed to ensure universal involvement and participation in the improvement of the quality of care and the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of health care treatments. Recommendations to achieve these objectives are suggested. PMID:1735040

External and Internal Barriers to Studying Can Affect Student Success and Retention in a Diverse Classroom.

PubMed

Clement, Laurence

2016-12-01

Although a majority of under-represented minority (URM) students begin their postsecondary education at community colleges, little is known about barriers to success and retention for transfer-bound science students. This study focuses on some of the barriers that affect these students' ability to study adequately for a community college "gateway" course. It tests whether instructors' expectations of study time were realistic for community college students and whether students reported facing external barriers, such as job and family responsibilities, or internal barriers to studying, such as lack of motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive abilities, all of which have been shown to impact academic success and retention. It also tests whether students who faced such barriers were less likely to succeed in and complete the course, as well as whether time spent studying was related to course success. The findings reported here show that community college students do not have enough available time to study and that external and internal barriers are both prevalent among these students. In addition, students who faced such barriers are more likely to fail or drop the class. Results also show that study time is positively correlated with retention, but not performance, as well as with some motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive dimensions of self-regulated learning. These findings lead to new questions, including whether student success in a community college class is associated with the use of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies for students with no prior degrees, and whether increased course structure may improve success for college students with lower self-regulated abilities.

Factors detracting students from applying for an obstetrics and gynecology residency.

PubMed

Gariti, Dominique L; Zollinger, Terrell W; Look, Katherine Y

2005-07-01

This study compares perception about the characteristics of obstetrics-gynecology (OG) of medical students who choose to pursue a residency in OG and those students who choose to enter another specialty. Fourth-year medical students were asked to complete a survey addressing their perceptions about OG. Responses were compared of (1) those entering OG to those entering other specialties, (2) those entering OG to those who seriously considered entering OG but chose another discipline, and (3) males to females. Chi-square tests were used for the comparisons. Of the 267 eligible students, 137 (51.1%) completed the survey. Clerkship satisfaction was rated as high by 88.9% of students choosing OG vs 10.2% (P<.0005) of those who chose another discipline. The emerging predominance of female providers detracted 38.5% of males vs 10.2% of females (P<.0005). Student perception of an OG clerkship may detract them from pursuing OG as a career.

External and Internal Barriers to Studying Can Affect Student Success and Retention in a Diverse Classroom

PubMed Central

Clement, Laurence

2016-01-01

Although a majority of under-represented minority (URM) students begin their postsecondary education at community colleges, little is known about barriers to success and retention for transfer-bound science students. This study focuses on some of the barriers that affect these students’ ability to study adequately for a community college “gateway” course. It tests whether instructors’ expectations of study time were realistic for community college students and whether students reported facing external barriers, such as job and family responsibilities, or internal barriers to studying, such as lack of motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive abilities, all of which have been shown to impact academic success and retention. It also tests whether students who faced such barriers were less likely to succeed in and complete the course, as well as whether time spent studying was related to course success. The findings reported here show that community college students do not have enough available time to study and that external and internal barriers are both prevalent among these students. In addition, students who faced such barriers are more likely to fail or drop the class. Results also show that study time is positively correlated with retention, but not performance, as well as with some motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive dimensions of self-regulated learning. These findings lead to new questions, including whether student success in a community college class is associated with the use of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies for students with no prior degrees, and whether increased course structure may improve success for college students with lower self-regulated abilities. PMID:28101261

Experimental and numerical analysis of metal leaching from fly ash-amended highway bases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cetin, Bora; Aydilek, Ahmet H., E-mail: aydilek@umd.edu; Li, Lin

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study is the evaluation of leaching potential of fly ash-lime mixed soils. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This objective is met with experimental and numerical analysis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zn leaching decreases with increase in fly ash content while Ba, B, Cu increases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Decrease in lime content promoted leaching of Ba, B and Cu while Zn increases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Numerical analysis predicted lower field metal concentrations. - Abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate the leaching potential of unpaved road materials (URM) mixed with lime activated high carbon fly ashes and to evaluate groundwater impacts of barium, boron, copper, and zinc leaching. Thismore » objective was met by a combination of batch water leach tests, column leach tests, and computer modeling. The laboratory tests were conducted on soil alone, fly ash alone, and URM-fly ash-lime kiln dust mixtures. The results indicated that an increase in fly ash and lime content has significant effects on leaching behavior of heavy metals from URM-fly ash mixture. An increase in fly ash content and a decrease in lime content promoted leaching of Ba, B and Cu whereas Zn leaching was primarily affected by the fly ash content. Numerically predicted field metal concentrations were significantly lower than the peak metal concentrations obtained in laboratory column leach tests, and field concentrations decreased with time and distance due to dispersion in soil vadose zone.« less

Innovative Training Experience for Advancing Entry Level, Mid-Skilled and Professional Level URM Participation in the Geosciences Workforce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okoro, M. H.; Johnson, A.

2015-12-01

The representation of URMs in the U.S. Geosciences workforce remains proportionally low compared to their representation in the general population (Bureau of Labor Sta.s.cs, 2014). Employment in this and related industries is projected to grow 32% by 2030 for minority workers (Gillula and Fullenbaum, 2014), corresponding to an additional 48,000 jobs expected to be filled by minorities (National Research Council, 2014). However, there is a shortage of employees with proper training in the hard sciences (Holeywell, 2014; Ganzglass, 2011), as well as craft skills (Hoover and Duncan, 2013), both important for middle skill employment. Industry recognizes the need for developing and retaining a diverse workforce, therefore we hightlight a program to serve as a potential vanguard initative for developing an innovative training experience for URM and underserved middle skilled workers with essential knowledge, experience and skills necessary to meet the demands of the Geosciences industry's growing need for a safe, productive and diverse workforce. Objectives are for participants to achieve the following: understanding of geosciences workforce trends and associated available opportunities; mastery of key environmental, health and safety topics; improvements in decision making skills and preparedness for responding to potential environmental, health and safety related situations; and engagement in one-on-one coaching sessions focused on resume writing, job interviewing and key "soft skills" (including conflict resolution, problem solving and critical observation, representing 3 major skills that entry- level workers typically lack.

Recruiting Faculty Leaders at U.S. Medical Schools: A Process Without Improvement?

PubMed

Marsh, James D; Chod, Ronald

2017-11-01

Recruiting faculty leaders to work in colleges of medicine is a ubiquitous, time-consuming, costly activity. Little quantitative information is available about contemporary leadership recruiting processes and outcomes. In this article, the authors examine current recruiting methods and outcomes in colleges of medicine and compare academic search approaches with the approaches often employed in intellectual-capital-rich industries.In 2015, the authors surveyed chairs of internal medicine at U.S. medical schools regarding their recruiting practices and outcomes-specifically their selection methods, the duration of searches, the recruitment of women and minorities underrepresented in medicine (URM), and their satisfaction with search outcomes.The authors found that department chairs were extensively engaged in numerous searches for leaders. The recruitment process most commonly required 7 to 12 months from initiation to signed contract. Interestingly, longer searches (19+ months) were much more frequently associated with a recruitment outcome that chairs viewed as unsatisfactory or very unsatisfactory. Most leadership searches produced very few women and URM finalists. The biggest perceived hurdles to successful recruitment were the need to relocate the candidate and family and the shortage of good candidates.The process of recruiting leaders in academic medicine has changed little in more than 25 years. Process improvement is important and should entail carefully structured search processes, including both an overhaul of search committees and further emphasis on leadership development within the college of medicine. The authors propose specific steps to enhance recruitment of members of URM groups and women to leadership positions in academic medicine.

Small Groups, Big Change: Preliminary Findings from the Sparks for Change Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirsch, R.; Batchelor, R. L.; Habtes, S. Y.; King, B.; Crockett, J.

2017-12-01

The geoscience professoriate continues to under represent women and minorities, yet the value of diversity, both for science as well as recruiting and retaining diverse students, is well known. While there are growing numbers of early career tenure-track minority faculty, low retention rates pose a challenge for sustained diversity in the professoriate. Part of this challenge is the lack of institutional support and recognition in tenure and promotion pathways for faculty who undertake broadening participation efforts. Sparks for Change is a NSF Geoscience Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity (GOLD)-funded project that aims to change departmental culture to better value and reward inclusion and broadening participation efforts. By encouraging, recognizing, and rewarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at the department level, we aim to support and retain underrepresented minority (URM) faculty, who often disproportionately undertake these efforts, and to build more inclusive environments for faculty, staff and students alike. Sparks for Change utilizes a small group theory of change, arguing that the effort of a small group of committed individuals inside the organization is the best way to overcome the institutional inertia of academic departments that makes them resistant to change. For this effort, we propose that the ideal composition of these small groups is a junior faculty URM who is interested in DEI in the geosciences, a senior member of that same department who can lend weight to efforts and is positioned to help enact department policy, and an external broadening participation expert who can share best practices and provide accountability for the group. Eleven of these small groups, representing a range of institutions, will be brought together at the Sparks for Change Institute in Boulder, CO, in September. There they will receive leadership training on adaptive, transformative, and solidarity practices, share DEI experiences and best practices, build a community of "change agents", and develop department-specific action plans for their own institution. In this talk we will discuss our findings from the institute and highlight some of the action plans the small groups developed for changing their department.

Assessing Health Professional Students' Cultural Competence Using a Global Perspective.

PubMed

Jones, Sophia; Pinto-Zipp, Genevieve

2017-01-01

The United States has become a diverse society, and healthcare professionals must view culture from a global perspective. The purpose of this study was to determine cultural competence levels of entering and exiting health science students within and across differing professional programs using the Global Worldview Cultural Competence Survey (GWCCS). 196 students participated in the study: 146 were entering students and 59 were exiting students. From the 146 entering students, 138 surveys were usable in the data analysis, and 58 of the 59 exiting were usable. Two separate cohorts of health professional students completed the GWCCS. Cohort 1 completed the GWCCS during the first 2 weeks of their academic program, and Cohort 2 completed the GWCCS in their final-year post-clinical experience. A significant difference in GWCCS total score was observed between entering and exiting students in health sciences, with the exiting students being more culturally competent. Although this study did not utilize a longitudinal study design, the findings demonstrate that the exiting cohort of health science students was more culturally competent than the entering cohort of health science students as determined by the GWCCS. However, neither cohort of students reached the level of proficiency.

Graduation Outcomes of Students Who Entered New York City Public Schools in Grade 5 or 6 as English Learner Students. REL 2017-237

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieffer, Michael J.; Parker, Caroline E.

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study analyzes high school graduation outcomes of students who entered New York City public schools in grade 5 or 6 as English learner students. It extends the work of Kieffer and Parker (2016) by investigating the high school graduation rates and the types of diploma earned by the 1,734 students who entered New York City public…

Sense of Direction: The Importance of Helping Community College Students Select and Enter a Program of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Colleen; Shulock, Nancy

2011-01-01

The California Community Colleges (CCC) are committed to increasing the rate at which entering students persist to completion of a certificate or degree or transfer to a university. Recent research suggests that efforts to increase student success in community colleges need to focus on helping new students choose and enter a program of study. Too…

Mental health issues in unaccompanied refugee minors

PubMed Central

Huemer, Julia; Karnik, Niranjan S; Voelkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Dervic, Kanita; Friedrich, Max H; Steiner, Hans

2009-01-01

Previous studies about unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) showed that they are a highly vulnerable group who have greater psychiatric morbidity than the general population. This review focuses on mental health issues among URMs. Articles in databases PsycINFO, Medline and PubMed from 1998 to 2008 addressing this topic were reviewed. The literature had a considerable emphasis on the assessment of PTSD symptoms. Results revealed higher levels of PTSD symptoms in comparison to the norm populations and accompanied refugee minors. In several studies, age and female gender predicted or influenced PTSD symptoms. The existing literature only permits limited conclusions on this very hard to reach population. Future research should include the analysis of long-term outcomes, stress management and a more thorough analysis of the whole range of psychopathology. Additionally, the development of culturally sensitive norms and standardized measures for diverse ethnic groups is of great importance. PMID:19341468

The significance of recruiting underrepresented minorities in medicine: an examination of the need for effective approaches used in admissions by higher education institutions.

PubMed

Figueroa, Obed

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the significance of recruiting underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM). This would include African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. The research findings support the belief that URMs, upon graduating, are more likely to become practitioners in underserved communities, thereby becoming a resource that prompts us to find effective ways to help increase their college enrollments statewide. This paper analyzes the recruitment challenges for institutions, followed by a review of creative and effective approaches used by organizations and universities. The results have shown positive outcomes averaging a 50% increase in minority enrollments and retention. In other areas, such as cognitive development, modest gains were achieved in programs that were shorter in duration. The results nevertheless indicated steps in the right direction inspiring further program developments.

The significance of recruiting underrepresented minorities in medicine: an examination of the need for effective approaches used in admissions by higher education institutions

PubMed Central

Figueroa, Obed

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the significance of recruiting underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM). This would include African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. The research findings support the belief that URMs, upon graduating, are more likely to become practitioners in underserved communities, thereby becoming a resource that prompts us to find effective ways to help increase their college enrollments statewide. This paper analyzes the recruitment challenges for institutions, followed by a review of creative and effective approaches used by organizations and universities. The results have shown positive outcomes averaging a 50% increase in minority enrollments and retention. In other areas, such as cognitive development, modest gains were achieved in programs that were shorter in duration. The results nevertheless indicated steps in the right direction inspiring further program developments. PMID:25192970

Personality disorder in convicted Jamaican murderers.

PubMed

Hickling, F W; Walcott, G

2013-01-01

To establish the aetiology and historical prevalence of personality disorder in violent homicidal men in Jamaica. Examination and analysis of primary data from the psychosocial case study interviews of 36 convicted murderers from the Jamaican Government Barnett Commission of Enquiry in 1976. The disaggregated social and clinical data were analysed using a Chi-square statistical analysis. The mean age at time of arrest for the male convicted murderers was 24.26 ± 8.48 years. Twenty-three (66%) of the subjects had loving relationships with mothers, particularly in those men reared in the rural areas. Twenty-one (59%) cases showed marked paternal rejection and absence of integrated family life. Twenty-four (69%) of the cases experienced severe parental disciplinary methods, and two-thirds were illiterate or barely literate. Twenty-nine (83%) were from very poor socio-economic conditions. Thirty (86%) of all the murder victims were adult males. There were significant differences between the urban reared murderers (URM) and rural reared murderers (RRM). Sixteen (94%) of the victims of the URM ensued from robbery and police confrontation, while 13 (72%) of the victims of the RRM resulted from domestic disputes (p < 0.00). Seventeen (49%) of the men had normal personalities; 18 (51%) were diagnosed as having antisocial and inadequate personalities. Diagnosis of primary data using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria revealed 23 (66%) men with Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). There were significantly more APD in the URM than the RRM (p < 0.01). Antisocial personality disorder as an aetiological precursor of homicidal violence represents a major public health problem in contemporary Jamaica.

Seismic vulnerability assessment to earthquake at urban scale: A case of Mostaganem city in Algeria

PubMed Central

Benanane, Abdelkader; Boutaraa, Zohra

2018-01-01

The focus of this study was the seismic vulnerability assessment of buildings constituting Mostaganem city in Algeria. Situated 320 km to the west of Algiers, Mostaganem city encompasses a valuable cultural and architectural built heritage. The city has suffered several moderate earthquakes in recent years; this has led to extensive structural damage to old structures, especially unreinforced historical buildings. This study was divided into two essential steps, the first step being to establish fragility curves based on a non-linear static pushover analysis for each typology and height of buildings. Twenty-seven pushover analyses were performed by means of SAP2000 software (three analyses for each type of building). The second step was to adopt the US HAZUS software and to modify it to suit the typical setting and parameters of the city of Mostaganem. A seismic vulnerability analysis of Mostaganem city was conducted using HAZUS software after inputting the new parameters of the fragility curves established within the first step. The results indicated that the number of poor-quality buildings expected to be totally destroyed under a 5.5 Mw earthquake scenario could reach more than 28 buildings. Three percent of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings were completely damaged and 10% were extensively damaged. Of the concrete frame buildings, 6% were extensively damaged and 19% were moderately damaged. According to the built year, 6% of both concrete frame and URM buildings built before 1980 are estimated to be collapsing. Buildings constructed between 1980 and 1999 are more resistant; 8% of those structures were extensively damaged and 18% were moderately damaged. Only 10% of buildings constructed after 1999 were moderately damaged. The results also show that the main hospital of the city, built before 1960, will be extensively damaged during an earthquake of 5.5 Mw. The number of human casualties could reach several hundreds – 10.5% of residents of URM buildings are injured or dead. Compared with the URM buildings, concrete frame buildings have lower casualty rates of 1.5% and 0.5% for those built before and after 1980, respectively. It was concluded that Mostaganem city belongs to seismic vulnerable zones in Algeria; in this regard, an action plan is needed for the rehabilitation of old constructions. In addition, the effectiveness of establishing and introducing new and appropriate fragility curves was demonstrated.

Experiential Journey of Females Who Enter or Re-Enter College Later in Life to Degree Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Rita Audy

2017-01-01

Given the scope and paucity of knowledge about the lived experiences of the female adult student entering or re-entering college later in life to degree completion, this research study identified significant themes in their lived experiences. With an appreciative eye, this study captured the female adult students' lived experiences conveyed in a…

Factors Associated with Engagement Levels among Entering and Returning Hispanic College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Napoles, Gerald F.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the engagement levels among entering and returning Hispanic community college students. This study provides needed data focused specifically on Hispanic student engagement. Limited data exist on the persistence of community college students in general, and Hispanic students in particular. The data were…

The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP): Broadening Participation in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, O.; Jearld, A., Jr.; Liles, G.; Gutierrez, B.

2015-12-01

In March 2009, the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative launched the Partnership Education Program (PEP), a multi-institutional effort to increase diversity in the student population (and ultimately the work force) in the Woods Hole science community. PEP, a summer research internship program, is open to students of all backgrounds but is designed especially to provide opportunities for URM in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). PEP is a 10-week program which provides intensive mentored research, a credit-bearing course and supplemental career and professional development activities. Students have opportunities to work in various research areas of geosciences. PEP is emerging as an effective and sustainable approach to bringing students into the STEM research community. PEP is carefully structured to provide critical support for students as they complete their undergraduate experience and prepare for geosciences careers and/or graduate school. The PEP experience is intended to provide students with an entry into the Woods Hole science community, one of the most vibrant marine and environmental research communities in the world. The program aims to provide a first-hand introduction to emerging issues and real-world training in the research skills that students need to advance in science, either as graduate students or bachelors-level working scientists. This is a long-recognized need and efforts are being made to ensure that the students begin to acquire skills and aptitudes that position them to take advantage of a wide range of opportunities. Of note is that the PEP is transitioning into a two year program where students are participating in a second year as a research intern or employee. Since 2013, at least four partner institutions have invited PEP alumni to participate in their respective programs as research assistants and/or full-time technicians.

Factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life - A scoping literature review.

PubMed

Järvinen, Tiina; Eklöf, Niina; Salminen, Leena

2018-03-01

The aim of this scoping literature review was to identify the factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life. The literature search was carried out in autumn 2017 in PubMed and CINAHL databases. The studies selected for this review (n = 17) were analyzed thematically with inductive content analysis. Four subthemes that were combined into two main factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life were found. The main factors found were 1) educational factors and 2) personal factors. Educational factors consisted of professional competence and clinical practice, while personal factors consisted of nursing students' background and feelings. Some nursing students tend to feel insecure about entering working life as a newly graduated nurse. This literature review also supports the importance of clinical practice periods in nursing education and for readiness for working life. Nurse education needs to ensure clinical practice periods which support nursing students' professional growth. Further research is needed on how the factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life correlate with each other. Particularly, the association between competence, readiness and positive feelings towards graduation needs further investigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of MSW Education on Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Substance Abusing Clients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senreich, Evan; Straussner, Shulamith Lala A.

2013-01-01

Entering ("n"?=?475) and graduating ("n"?=?454) students at 3 master's of social work programs in the northeast were compared regarding their knowledge and attitudes concerning working with substance abusing clients. In comparison to entering students, graduating students demonstrated modestly higher levels of knowledge, role…

Flourishing, Substance Use, and Engagement in Students Entering College: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Kathryn Graff

2011-01-01

Objective: The present study explores the association between positive mental health or flourishing, depression, and engaged learning in undergraduates. Participants: Entering first year students (N = 428) at a liberal arts college. Methods: Students completed measures of depression, flourishing, substance use, and student engagement. Results:…

Faculty Self-reported Experience with Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Academic Medicine

PubMed Central

Peterson, Neeraja B; Friedman, Robert H; Ash, Arlene S; Franco, Shakira; Carr, Phyllis L

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND Despite the need to recruit and retain minority faculty in academic medicine, little is known about the experiences of minority faculty, in particular their self-reported experience of racial and ethnic discrimination at their institutions. OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of self-reported experience of racial/ethnic discrimination among faculty of U.S. medical schools, as well as associations with outcomes, such as career satisfaction, academic rank, and number of peer-reviewed publications. DESIGN A 177-item self-administered mailed survey of U.S. medical school faculty. SETTING Twenty-four randomly selected medical schools in the contiguous United States. PARTICIPANTS A random sample of 1,979 full-time faculty, stratified by medical school, specialty, graduation cohort, and gender. MEASUREMENTS Frequency of self-reported experiences of racial/ethnic bias and discrimination. RESULTS The response rate was 60%. Of 1,833 faculty eligible, 82% were non-Hispanic white, 10% underrepresented minority (URM), and 8% nonunderrepresented minority (NURM). URM and NURM faculty were substantially more likely than majority faculty to perceive racial/ethnic bias in their academic environment (odds ratio [OR], 5.4; P < .01 and OR, 2.6; P < .01, respectively). Nearly half (48%) of URM and 26% of NURM reported experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination by a superior or colleague. Faculty with such reported experiences had lower career satisfaction scores than other faculty (P < .01). However, they received comparable salaries, published comparable numbers of papers, and were similarly likely to have attained senior rank (full or associate professor). CONCLUSIONS Many minority faculty report experiencing racial/ethnic bias in academic medicine and have lower career satisfaction than other faculty. Despite this, minority faculty who reported experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination achieved academic productivity similar to that of other faculty. PMID:15009781

Faculty self-reported experience with racial and ethnic discrimination in academic medicine.

PubMed

Peterson, Neeraja B; Friedman, Robert H; Ash, Arlene S; Franco, Shakira; Carr, Phyllis L

2004-03-01

Despite the need to recruit and retain minority faculty in academic medicine, little is known about the experiences of minority faculty, in particular their self-reported experience of racial and ethnic discrimination at their institutions. To determine the frequency of self-reported experience of racial/ethnic discrimination among faculty of U.S. medical schools, as well as associations with outcomes, such as career satisfaction, academic rank, and number of peer-reviewed publications. A 177-item self-administered mailed survey of U.S. medical school faculty. Twenty-four randomly selected medical schools in the contiguous United States. A random sample of 1,979 full-time faculty, stratified by medical school, specialty, graduation cohort, and gender. Frequency of self-reported experiences of racial/ethnic bias and discrimination. The response rate was 60%. Of 1,833 faculty eligible, 82% were non-Hispanic white, 10% underrepresented minority (URM), and 8% non-underrepresented minority (NURM). URM and NURM faculty were substantially more likely than majority faculty to perceive racial/ethnic bias in their academic environment (odds ratio [OR], 5.4; P <.01 and OR, 2.6; P <.01, respectively). Nearly half (48%) of URM and 26% of NURM reported experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination by a superior or colleague. Faculty with such reported experiences had lower career satisfaction scores than other faculty (P <.01). However, they received comparable salaries, published comparable numbers of papers, and were similarly likely to have attained senior rank (full or associate professor). Many minority faculty report experiencing racial/ethnic bias in academic medicine and have lower career satisfaction than other faculty. Despite this, minority faculty who reported experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination achieved academic productivity similar to that of other faculty.

A Model for Postdoctoral Education That Promotes Minority and Majority Success in the Biomedical Sciences.

PubMed

Eisen, Arri; Eaton, Douglas C

2017-01-01

How does the United States maintain the highest-quality research and teaching in its professional science workforce and ensure that those in this workforce are effectively trained and representative of national demographics? In the pathway to science careers, the postdoctoral stage is formative, providing the experiences that define the independent work of one's first faculty position. It is also a stage in which underrepresented minorities (URMs) disproportionately lose interest in pursuing academic careers in science and, models suggest, a point at which interventions to increase proportions of URMs in such careers could be most effective. We present a mixed-methods, case study analysis from 17 years of the Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) postdoctoral program, to our knowledge the largest and longest continuously running science postdoctoral program in the United States. We demonstrate that FIRST fellows, in sharp contrast to postdocs overall, are inclusive of URMs (50% African American; 70% women) and as or more successful in their fellowships and beyond as a comparison group (measured by publication rate, attainment of employment in academic science careers, and eventual research grant support). Analysis of alumni surveys and focus group discussions reveals that FIRST fellows place highest value on the cohort-driven community and the developmental teaching and research training the program provides. © 2017 A. Eisen and D. C. Eaton. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The reasons students choose to undertake a nursing degree.

PubMed

Wilkes, Lesley; Cowin, Leanne; Johnson, Maree

2015-01-01

Determining the reasons people choose to study nursing may help educators and managers develop student-focussed and enticing nursing programmes. In Australia, little research has been undertaken with students entering nursing programmes and the reasons for their choice. The aim of this study was to determine why new students choose to enter nursing at university. A descriptive survey design. An urban university in Sydney, Australia. Undergraduate nursing students at the beginning of their first year of study. An open-ended question relating to the reasons for students' choice of a nursing programme was included in the survey. The transcribed textual data were content analysed for words related to the students' choice. The students' reasons for entering nursing programmes were both personal and career related, with personal being more dominant. The reasons to start nursing were: being able to help and care for people, job security, the ability to enter tertiary education and the enjoyment or love of nursing. Nursing remains a career of choice for young and mature students entering university. It is seen to provide security, interest and opportunity to help and care for others. Universities must focus on this as they develop programmes for a generation where multiple changes of career appear inevitable during their lifetime. The nursing profession needs to look at career pathways after graduation that provide these challenges within nursing itself.

75 FR 152 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-04

... OMB Review; Comment Request Title: Refugee Unaccompanied Minor Placement Report & Minor Progress... to administer the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program. The ORR-3 (Placement Report) is submitted to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) by the State agency at initial placement within 30...

Involvement of a eukaryotic-like ubiquitin-related modifier in the proteasome pathway of the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjum, Rana S.; Bray, Sian M.; Blackwood, John K.; Kilkenny, Mairi L.; Coelho, Matthew A.; Foster, Benjamin M.; Li, Shurong; Howard, Julie A.; Pellegrini, Luca; Albers, Sonja-Verena; Deery, Michael J.; Robinson, Nicholas P.

2015-09-01

In eukaryotes, the covalent attachment of ubiquitin chains directs substrates to the proteasome for degradation. Recently, ubiquitin-like modifications have also been described in the archaeal domain of life. It has subsequently been hypothesized that ubiquitin-like proteasomal degradation might also operate in these microbes, since all archaeal species utilize homologues of the eukaryotic proteasome. Here we perform a structural and biochemical analysis of a ubiquitin-like modification pathway in the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. We reveal that this modifier is homologous to the eukaryotic ubiquitin-related modifier Urm1, considered to be a close evolutionary relative of the progenitor of all ubiquitin-like proteins. Furthermore we demonstrate that urmylated substrates are recognized and processed by the archaeal proteasome, by virtue of a direct interaction with the modifier. Thus, the regulation of protein stability by Urm1 and the proteasome in archaea is likely representative of an ancient pathway from which eukaryotic ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis has evolved.

More Top Students Answer the Ministry's Call

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supiano, Beckie

2008-01-01

In an effort to help reverse a decades-long decline in the number of top students entering seminaries, the Lilly Endowment invited colleges to compete for grants to be used for three related purposes: (1) to help students explore the relationship between faith and work; (2) to encourage talented students to consider entering Christian ministry;…

Comparison of Spatial Skills of Students Entering Different Engineering Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veurink, N.; Sorby, S. A.

2012-01-01

Spatial skills have been shown to be important to success in an engineering curriculum, and some question if poor spatial skills prevent students from entering STEM fields or if students with weak spatial skills avoid engineering disciplines believed to highly spatially-oriented. Veurink and Hamlin (2011) found that freshmen students entering…

Changing Patterns in Vocational Entry Qualifications, Student Support and Outcomes in Undergraduate Degree Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Robin; Masardo, Alex

2015-01-01

This study investigates the differences in degree attainment between students entering higher education through vocational qualification pathways and students entering through traditional A-level routes. The report also analyses how well students with vocational qualifications are prepared for and supported in their studies at higher education.…

Implementation of a Study Skills Program for Entering At-Risk Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cynthia J.

2014-01-01

While the first year of medical school is challenging for all students, there may be specific issues for students from rural areas, economically disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minorities, or nontraditional age groups. A Summer Prematriculation Program (SPP) was created to prepare entering at-risk students for the demands of medical school. For…

A Smooth Transition? Education and Social Expectations of Direct Entry Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barron, Paul; D'Annunzio-Green, Norma

2009-01-01

While the most common type of student entering higher education falls within the 17-19-year-old age group, universities in the UK are keen to accept other categories of students onto programmes as a means of increasing diversity and maintaining student numbers in the latter portion of a programme. One such category is those students who enter a…

Persistence of New Students Who Entered College of the Desert, Fall 1991 and Fall 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breindel, Matthew D.

A study was undertaken at California's College of the Desert to determine the persistence rates of new students who entered the college in fall 1991 and fall 1992. Course enrollment was tracked for these students through fall 1996, with outcomes examined by student gender, ethnicity, and age; student enrollment in credit or non-credit courses;…

The Influence of Parents on Undergraduate and Graduate Students' Entering the STEM Disciplines and STEM Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Cheryl J.; Verma, Rakesh; Stokes, Donna; Evans, Paige; Abrol, Bobby

2018-01-01

This research examines the influence of parents on students' studying the STEM disciplines and entering STEM careers. Cases of two graduate students (one female, one male) and one undergraduate student (male) are featured. The first two students in the convenience sample are biology and physics majors in a STEM teacher education programme; the…

Increasing URM Undergraduate Student Success through Assessment-Driven Interventions: A Multiyear Study Using Freshman-Level General Biology as a Model System.

PubMed

Carmichael, Mary C; St Clair, Candace; Edwards, Andrea M; Barrett, Peter; McFerrin, Harris; Davenport, Ian; Awad, Mohamed; Kundu, Anup; Ireland, Shubha Kale

2016-01-01

Xavier University of Louisiana leads the nation in awarding BS degrees in the biological sciences to African-American students. In this multiyear study with ∼5500 participants, data-driven interventions were adopted to improve student academic performance in a freshman-level general biology course. The three hour-long exams were common and administered concurrently to all students. New exam questions were developed using Bloom's taxonomy, and exam results were analyzed statistically with validated assessment tools. All but the comprehensive final exam were returned to students for self-evaluation and remediation. Among other approaches, course rigor was monitored by using an identical set of 60 questions on the final exam across 10 semesters. Analysis of the identical sets of 60 final exam questions revealed that overall averages increased from 72.9% (2010) to 83.5% (2015). Regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between high-risk students and their averages on the 60 questions. Additional analysis demonstrated statistically significant improvements for at least one letter grade from midterm to final and a 20% increase in the course pass rates over time, also for the high-risk population. These results support the hypothesis that our data-driven interventions and assessment techniques are successful in improving student retention, particularly for our academically at-risk students. © 2016 M. C. Carmichael et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Preparing physics students for careers outside of academia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redmond, Kendra; Czujko, Roman; Sauncy, Toni

2014-03-01

Most undergraduate physics programs focus on preparing students for physics graduate school, but in reality around 40% of physics bachelor's degree recipients go directly into the workforce. In response to calls for more STEM workers and a desire to see more students of all ambitions benefit from a physics education, the American Institute of Physics has been exploring how physics departments can better prepare their students to enter the STEM workforce after the bachelor's degree, and how students can better prepare themselves to enter the STEM workforce. This poster will include results from this NSF-funded Career Pathways Project, including an overview of common features of departments that successfully prepare students to enter the workforce and a career toolbox we have created for physics students. Work supported by NSF award 1011829.

The Influence of Religion and High School Biology Courses on Students' Knowledge of Evolution When They Enter College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Randy; Cotner, Sehoya; Bates, Alex

2009-01-01

Students whose high school biology course included evolution but not creationism knew more about evolution when they entered college than did students whose courses included evolution plus creationism or whose courses included neither evolution nor creationism. Similarly, students who believed that their high school biology classes were the…

Differences in Stress and Social Support among Students Entering Urban, Urban Fringe, or Suburban Middle Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenz-Gross, Melodie; Parker, Robin

Noting that both stress and social support play an important role in middle school students' adjustment and motivation for school, two studies compared the stress and social support experienced by students entering middle school in different settings. The two studies of middle school students included overlapping measures of stress, social…

START! The Successful Transitions and Retention Track Program: A Comprehensive Approach to Supporting GED Holders Entering College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nix, J. Vincent; Michalak, Megan B.

2012-01-01

Students entering college face many obstacles to success. Students who received a General Education Development (GED) face additional barriers that must be addressed in order for success in higher education. The Successful Transitions and Retention Track Program employs a holistic approach to addressing the needs of GED holders entering college.

Intervention to Improve Engineering Self-Efficacy and Sense of Belonging of First-Year Engineering Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Kari L.

The percentage of bachelor's degrees in STEM awarded to women and underrepresented minority students needs to increase dramatically to reach parity with their majority counterparts. While three key underrepresented minority (URM) groups, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, and Native Americans constitute some 30 percent of the overall undergraduate student population in the United States, the share of engineering degrees earned by members of these groups declines as degree level increases. Underrepresented minority students accounted for about 12% of engineering bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009, 7% of master's degrees and 3% of doctorates (NSF Science Resource Statistics, 2009). The percent in engineering has been steadily decreasing, while overall participation in higher education among these groups has increased considerably. Keeping those thoughts in mind it is important to examine the historical theories and frameworks that will help us not only understand why underrepresented minority students pursue and persist in STEM majors in low numbers, but to also develop interventions to improve the alarming statistics that hamper engineering diversity. As indicated by our past two U.S. Presidents, there has been an increased discussion on the national and state level regarding the number of students entering engineering disciplines in general and underrepresented minority students in particular. Something happens between a student's freshman year and the point they decide to either switch their major or drop out of school altogether. Some researchers attribute the high dropout rate of underrepresented minority students in engineering programs to low engineering self-efficacy (e.g. Jordan et al., 2011). A student's engineering self-efficacy is his/her belief that he/she can successfully navigate the engineering curriculum and eventually become a practicing engineer. A student's engineering self-efficacy is formed by mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, his/her physiological state, and social persuasions, such as student-professor interaction. Increasing the awareness of a student's engineering self-efficacy could potentially improve sense of belonging and persistence for underrepresented minority students in engineering. The hypothesis of this study is that an intervention during the first semester of an incoming freshman's tenure can help improve their engineering self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and overall retention in the engineering program. This study explored the following research questions: 1. What are the differences in engineering self-efficacy, and sense of belonging for first-year underrepresented minority engineering students compared to majority students? 2. What factors or variables should be considered and/or addressed in designing an intervention to increase engineering self-efficacy and sense of belonging amongst first-year underrepresented minority engineering students? 3. Can a small intervention during the beginning of the first semester improve a student's sense of belonging, engineering self-efficacy, and student-professor interaction? Using the race, social fit, and achievement study by Walton and Cohen as a model, the author developed an intervention consisting of short compelling videos of upperclass engineering students from diverse backgrounds. In these videos, students discussed their pursuit of the engineering degree, what obstacles they faced in terms of sense of belonging and coping efficacy, and how they overcame those obstacles. Treatment groups of students watched the videos during the first few weeks of the semester, and pre and post tests were administered to measure mean gains in the student's engineering self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and other variables. The results showed that underrepresented minority students had a lower sense of belonging than whites. The intervention used in the study contributed to mean gain increases in participants' engineering self-efficacy, which could ultimately improve persistence. A single intervention did not show a significant increase in students' sense of belonging; more work needs to be done to develop an effective intervention. The intervention is easily adaptable with insignificant cost, making it attractive for Minority Engineering Program (MEP) and other success program whose aim is to increase students' engineering self-efficacy.

Recruitment and Retention of Minority Students Entering Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Thomas W.

There has been a severe decline in minority students entering preservice teacher education programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, during the current decade. This paper outlines the recruiting and retention strategies directed toward high school students by the university to encourage them to choose teaching as a career. (JD)

Rhetorical Analysis as Introductory Speech: Jumpstarting Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Marc P.

2012-01-01

When students enter the basic public speaking classroom,When students enter the basic public speaking classroom, they are asked to develop an introductory speech. This assignment typically focuses on a speech of self-introduction for which there are several pedagogical underpinnings: it provides an immediate and relatively stress-free speaking…

Factors Influencing Senior Athletic Training Students' Preparedness to Enter the Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Benes, Sarah S.

2014-01-01

Context: Athletic training education programs must provide the student with opportunities to learn the roles and responsibilities of the athletic trainer. Objective: Investigate factors that help prepare the athletic training student (ATS) to successfully enter the workplace upon graduation from her undergraduate program. Design: Exploratory…

Longitudinal Study of Performance of Students Entering Harper College, Years 1967-1975. Vol. IX, No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, John A.

Analysis of the transcripts of 200 full-time and 200 part-time beginning traditional credit students randomly sampled from the population of students entering each fall from 1967 to 1975 at William Rainey Harper College indicated that: (1) overall student grade point average rose in direct relationship to changes in grading policy; (2) the grade…

Addressing the Needs of Under-Prepared Students in Higher Education: Does College Remediation Work? NBER Working Paper No. 11325

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bettinger, Eric P.; Long, Bridget Terry

2005-01-01

Each year, thousands of students graduate high school academically unprepared for college. As a result, approximately one-third of entering postsecondary students require remedial or developmental work before entering college-level courses. However, little is known about the causal impact of remediation on student outcomes. At an annual cost of…

Entering research: A course that creates community and structure for beginning undergraduate researchers in the STEM disciplines.

PubMed

Balster, Nicholas; Pfund, Christine; Rediske, Raelyn; Branchaw, Janet

2010-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences have been shown to enhance the educational experience and retention of college students, especially those from underrepresented populations. However, many challenges still exist relative to building community among students navigating large institutions. We developed a novel course called Entering Research that creates a learning community to support beginning undergraduate researchers and is designed to parallel the Entering Mentoring course for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty serving as mentors of undergraduate researchers. The course serves as a model that can be easily adapted for use across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines using a readily available facilitator's manual. Course evaluations and rigorous assessment show that the Entering Research course helps students in many ways, including finding a mentor, understanding their place in a research community, and connecting their research to their course work in the biological and physical sciences. Students in the course reported statistically significant gains in their skills, knowledge, and confidence as researchers compared with a control group of students, who also were engaged in undergraduate research but not enrolled in this course. In addition, the faculty and staff members who served as facilitators of the Entering Research course described their experience as rewarding and one they would recommend to their colleagues.

Comparing Entering Freshmen's Perceptions of Campus Marijuana and Alcohol Use to Reported Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Gregg J.; Nguyen, Alyssa T.

2009-01-01

Use of marijuana and alcohol among current college students (N = 1101) was compared to the perceptions and use of entering freshmen (N = 481) surveyed before the start of classes. Entering freshmen significantly misperceived campus norms for marijuana use, over-estimating that almost every student used in the last 30 days, p less than 0.001.…

MD/MBA Students: An Analysis of Medical Student Career Choice.

PubMed

Sherrill, Windsor Westbrook

2004-12-01

An increasing number of medical schools are offering dual degree MD/MBA programs. Career choices and factors influencing students to enter these programs provide an indicator of the roles in which dual degree students will serve in health care as well as the future of dual degree programs. Using career choice theory as a conceptual framework, career goals and factors influencing decisions to enter dual degree programs were assessed among dual degree medical students. Students enrolled at dual degree programs at six medical schools were surveyed and interviewed. A control group of traditional medical students was also surveyed. Factors influencing students to seek both medical and business training are varied but are often related to a desire for leadership opportunities, concerns about change in medicine and job security and personal career goals. Most students expect to combine clinical and administrative roles. Students entering these programs do so for a variety of reasons and plan diverse careers. These findings can provide guidance for program development and recruitment for dual degree medical education programs.

Seeking Mathematics Success for College Students: A Randomized Field Trial of an Adapted Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gula, Taras; Hoessler, Carolyn; Maciejewski, Wes

2015-01-01

Many students enter the Canadian college system with insufficient mathematical ability and leave the system with little improvement. Those students who enter with poor mathematics ability typically take a developmental mathematics course as their first and possibly only mathematics course. The educational experiences that comprise a developmental…

Career Development for College Students with Asperger's Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mynatt, Blair Sumner; Gibbons, Melinda M.; Hughes, Amber

2014-01-01

An increasing number of students with Asperger's syndrome are entering college today. Students with Asperger's syndrome face complex symptomology such as difficulty with social skills, narrowed interests, sensory issues, and lack of self-awareness that may affect their ability to complete college and successfully enter the workforce.…

Who Are the Future Teachers in Turkey? Characteristics of Entering Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksu, Meral; Demir, Cennet Engin; Daloglu, Aysegul; Yildirim, Soner; Kiraz, Ercan

2010-01-01

This exploratory study examines the background characteristics, socio-cultural values and pedagogical beliefs that entering student teachers bring with them into the faculties of education and explores their possible implications for teacher education in the Turkish context. The study comprised 18,226 first-year student teachers from 51 faculties…

Analysis and Classification of Entering Freshmen Mathematic Students Using Multiple Discriminate Function Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahrens, Steve

Predictor variables that could be used effectively to place entering freshmen methematics students into courses of instruction in mathematics were investigated at West Virginia University. Multiple discriminant analysis was used with nearly 6,000 student records collected over a three-year period, and a series of predictive equations were…

Exploring the Experiences of Female Student Veterans with Disabilities Entering Higher Education during Reintegration: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Beverly Tillery

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of female student veterans with disabilities entering higher education during reintegration in order to improve programs, services, and support available to female student veterans with disabilities. A screening questionnaire,…

They Do Not Buy It: Exploring the Extent to Which Entering First-Year Students View Themselves as Customers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

While a number of scholars have discussed the pervasiveness of the conceptualization of students as customers, to date there has been limited reliable research examining the extent to which students actually view themselves as customers. Using a survey that was administered to a census of entering first-year students at a large public research…

DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE, MULTISCALE "ONE ATMOSPHERE" MODELING SYSTEM: APPLICATION TO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS. (R826372)

EPA Science Inventory

A comprehensive three-dimensional Eulerian photochemical model (URM-1ATM) was developed that simulates urban and regional gas and size-resolved aerosol concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere and both wet and dry deposition. In this study, RAMS and EMS-95 are used to ge...

tRNA tKUUU, tQUUG, and tEUUC wobble position modifications fine-tune protein translation by promoting ribosome A-site binding.

PubMed

Rezgui, Vanessa Anissa Nathalie; Tyagi, Kshitiz; Ranjan, Namit; Konevega, Andrey L; Mittelstaet, Joerg; Rodnina, Marina V; Peter, Matthias; Pedrioli, Patrick G A

2013-07-23

tRNA modifications are crucial to ensure translation efficiency and fidelity. In eukaryotes, the URM1 and ELP pathways increase cellular resistance to various stress conditions, such as nutrient starvation and oxidative agents, by promoting thiolation and methoxycarbonylmethylation, respectively, of the wobble uridine of cytoplasmic (tK(UUU)), (tQ(UUG)), and (tE(UUC)). Although in vitro experiments have implicated these tRNA modifications in modulating wobbling capacity and translation efficiency, their exact in vivo biological roles remain largely unexplored. Using a combination of quantitative proteomics and codon-specific translation reporters, we find that translation of a specific gene subset enriched for AAA, CAA, and GAA codons is impaired in the absence of URM1- and ELP-dependent tRNA modifications. Moreover, in vitro experiments using native tRNAs demonstrate that both modifications enhance binding of tK(UUU) to the ribosomal A-site. Taken together, our data suggest that tRNA thiolation and methoxycarbonylmethylation regulate translation of genes with specific codon content.

Can Low-Cost Online Summer Math Programs Improve Student Preparation for College-Level Math? Evidence from Randomized Experiments at Three Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chingos, Matthew M.; Griffiths, Rebecca J.; Mulhern, Christine

2017-01-01

Every year many students enter college without the math preparation needed to succeed in their desired programs of study. Many of these students struggle to catch up, especially those who are required to take remedial math courses before entering college-level math. Increasing the number of students who begin at the appropriate level of math has…

Student Retention-Attrition Entering Freshmen--Fall 1968. Report 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Coll. Association, Murfreesboro. Center for Higher Education.

This document presents a report of a study that was designed to determine the rate of retention of students enrolled in colleges and universities in Tennessee that physical facility needs of institutions in the state might be determined. The first year of study, 1968, was spent in compiling information on students entering Tennessee colleges and…

Student Retention-Attrition Entering Freshmen--Fall 1968. Report 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Coll. Association, Murfreesboro. Center for Higher Education.

This document presents a report of a study that was designed to determine the rate of retention of students enrolled in colleges and universities in Tennessee that physical facility needs of institutions in the state might be determined. The first year of the study, 1968, was spent in compiling information on students entering Tennessee colleges…

The Development of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator Role in a Higher Education Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Mark

2005-01-01

UK higher education appears to have generally been slow to adopt an organised means of provision for special educational needs for its students. This may be due to the fact that, historically, relatively few disabled students entered UK higher education. However, there is a growing number of disabled students entering UK higher education…

Facilitating the Learning Journey from Vocational Education and Training to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catterall, Janice; Davis, Janelle; Yang, Dai Fei

2014-01-01

An increase in students who enter higher education in Australia following their studies in the vocational education and training (VET) sector has led to heightened national interest in the transition experiences of these students. This paper reports on the experiences of students who, as a result of their VET studies, entered a relatively new,…

Importance of Computer Competencies for Entering JCCC Students: A Survey of Faculty and Staff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weglarz, Shirley

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) conducted a survey in response to faculty comments regarding entering students' lack of rudimentary computer skills. Faculty were spending time in non-computer related classes teaching students basic computer skills. The aim of the survey was to determine what the basic computer competencies for entering…

Formal Qualifications for Language Tutors in Higher Education: A Case for Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Lynne

2006-01-01

There is clear evidence that increasing numbers of deaf students are now beginning to enter higher education (http://www.natdisteam.ac.uk). However, it is also evident that many of these students enter university presenting at below national norms in terms of their literacy. In short, many pre-lingual deaf students face an incredible language…

First-Generation, Low-Income College Students during the First Semester in Higher Education: Challenges and Successes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chhen Stewart, Lee May

2012-01-01

Typically, studies first-generation, low-income students have focused on the financial aid and academic preparedness to enter college and persist. These researchers have found little data about first-generation, low-income students once they enter higher education. One question largely unexplored has been why some first-generation, low-income…

Overconfidence of Vocational Education Students When Entering Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowden, Mark P.; Abhayawansa, Subhash; Bahtsevanoglou, John

2015-01-01

Purpose: There is evidence that students who attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) prior to entering higher education underperform in their first year of study. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of self-efficacy in understanding the performance of students who completed TAFE in the previous year in a first year subject of…

Longitudinal Study of Students Entering High School in 1979: The Relationship between First Term Performance and School Completion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troob, Charles

A longitudinal analysis of students who entered New York City high schools in 1979 supports the perception that most future dropouts can be identified at the beginning of their high school careers. This study examined the records of more than a quarter of the 1979 entering class at New York City high schools. Analyses were performed on attendance,…

Diversity by race, Hispanic ethnicity, and sex of the United States medical oncology physician workforce over the past quarter century.

PubMed

Deville, Curtiland; Chapman, Christina H; Burgos, Ramon; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Both, Stefan; Thomas, Charles R

2014-09-01

To assess the medical oncology (MO) physician workforce diversity by race, Hispanic ethnicity, and sex, with attention to trainees. Public registries were used to assess 2010 differences among MO practicing physicians, academic faculty, and fellows; internal medicine (IM) residents; and the US population, using binomial tests with P < .001 significance adjusting for multiple comparisons. Significant changes in fellow representation from 1986 to 2011 were assessed. Female representation as MO fellows (45.0%) was significantly increased compared with faculty (22.4%) and practicing physicians (27.4%); was no different than IM residents (44.7%, P = .853); and increased significantly, by 1.0% per year. Women were significantly underrepresented as practicing physicians, faculty, and fellows compared with the US population (50.8%). Traditionally underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM) were significantly underrepresented as practicing physicians (7.8%), faculty (5.7%), and fellows (10.9%), versus US population (30.0%). Hispanic MO fellows (7.5%) were increased compared with faculty (3.9%) and practicing physicians (4.1%); Black fellows (3.1%) were no different than faculty (1.8%, P = .0283) or practicing physicians (3.5%, P = .443). When comparing MO fellows versus IM residents, there were no differences for American Indians/Alaska Natives/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (0.3%, 0.6%, respectively, P = .137) and Hispanics (7.5%, 8.7%, P = .139), unlike Blacks (3.1%, 5.6%, P < .001). There has been no significant change in URM representation, with negligible changes every 5 years for American Indians/Alaska Natives/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (-0.1%), Blacks (-0.3%), and Hispanics (0.3%). Female fellow representation increased 1% per year over the quarter century indicating historical gains, whereas URM diversity remains unchanged. For Blacks alone, representation as MO fellows is decreased compared with IM residents, suggesting greater disparity in MO training. Copyright © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Are There Delays in Reporting Dyslexia in University Learners? Experiences of University Learning Support Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Paul

2017-01-01

The number of students entering higher education in the UK has increased over the last few years due to the previous Labour Government directives to widen participation to a range of socially disadvantaged and/or under-represented groups. Dyslexic students form the largest single group of minority students currently entering higher education.…

Entering Freshman Transfer and Career Students: A Comparison of Selected Educational Objectives with Recommendations for Transfer and Academic Advisement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padula, Mary S.

The descriptive study investigated the extent to which entering freshman students and transfer students at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) are enrolled in degree programs that are compatible with their stated educational objectives, transfer intents, and degree intents. Subjects (N=376) enrolled in a mandatory orientation course were…

Benchmarking First-Year English: An Analysis of the Language Proficiencies Required for Entry into First-Year English Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostler, Catherine; Sheldrake, Charlotte; Vogel, Vicki; West, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

Increasing numbers of ESL (English as a Second Language) students are entering college and university programs, and educators in these programs are concerned about student preparedness. ESL students enter the post-secondary system from a variety of places, resulting in a lack of uniformity in entry level academic skills. A significant associated…

Dimensions of Self-Perceived Employability in First Year IT Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonio, Amy; Tuffley, David

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students entering university arrive with certain expectations as to how their degree program will equip them to enter the world of work. Students are aware of the competitive nature of the modern day labor market and, as seen in this study, there is a majority belief that their program of choice and the good reputation of the…

Fitness Profiles and Activity Patterns of Entering College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Edgar F.; And Others

1992-01-01

Entering college students were evaluated for performance on maximal oxygen consumption, body composition, muscle endurance, muscle strength, and joint flexibility tests to determine the relationship of physical activity patterns to fitness levels. Results supported previous research indicating reduced fitness levels in young adults. (SM)

Beyond the Classroom: The Impact of Informal STEM Experiences on Student Attitudes and Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scinski, Lidia

A lack of social capital can be a critical factor impeding underrepresented minority (URM) students from obtaining the mathematical and scientific background required to achieve educational and career success in STEM fields. In this study, the effects of generating and utilizing social capital within an informal STEM outreach summer camp are examined as resources in strengthening the academic pipeline for Hispanic students towards careers in STEM. Empirical studies have shown that economically disadvantaged and minority students experience larger learning losses during "unschooled" periods of time than their middle-class and White counterparts. The "faucet theory" explains how the achievement gap widens during unschooled periods of time when the resource faucet is turned off and families of students from disadvantaged backgrounds are unable to make up for these resources. Consequently, minority and students of disadvantaged backgrounds are quickly shortcircuited in taking advantage of opportunities to pursue careers in STEM fields. To address the research questions, this study employed a qualitative research design, specifically an instrumental case study design using mixed methods within a bounded program. The methods included multiple measures to collect and analyze data from focus group interviews, electronic documents, observations, and survey administrations. The sample population included forty-nine Hispanic 7th and 8th grade students from middle schools in San Diego County. Results of the study demonstrated that the informal STEM outreach summer camp positively impacted Hispanic students and increased interest and attitudes toward STEM choices. STEM programs offered during out-of-school time need to be relationship based to support young students' social and emotional development (Goldstein, Lee, & Chung, 2010). The resource faucet continued to flow during the summer for iQUEST science camp participants because they were able to tap into social capital in the surrounding community. More specifically, participants were able to generate social capital in two key forms of institutional support: "funds of knowledge" and "emotional and moral support".

The Nation's Colleges Show a Modest Improvement in African-American Graduation Rates, but a Huge Racial Gap Remains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 2003

2003-01-01

Nationwide, fewer than two out of five entering black college students earn their degrees, while three out of five entering white students go on to graduate. Nearly 19 out of 20 black students at highly competitive universities earn their diplomas. Black women outpace black men in college completion. Examines trends in black graduation rates at…

Improving Positive Experiences for Middle School Minority Students Entering a Suburban Community, through Intervention Programs Involving Staff, Parents, and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piscitelli, Christine D.

This practicum was designed to increase the positive experiences of middle school minority students entering a suburban community. The problem for racial and ethnic minorities is how to have full access to and participation in the educational life of the community without surrendering their language and cultural distinctiveness. The goals of this…

Whatever Happened to the Class of 1994? A Three-Year Longitudinal Study of Traditional Freshmen Entering Frederick Community College in the Fall 1994 Semester.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holton, James M.

Traditional freshmen, or first-time students who enter college immediately after graduating high school, represent the largest identifiable group of students within Frederick Community College's (FCC) student body. They are afforded a considerable amount of resources from college staff, and for them the college follows various measurements of…

Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College: Increasing First-Year Student Engagement and Success. The First-Year Experience Monograph Series Number 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Thomas, Ed.; King, Margaret C., Ed.; Stanley, Patricia, Ed.

2011-01-01

For the past three decades, American higher education has paid increasing attention to the beginning college experience--to ensuring that entering students make a successful transition to college. Yet, much of the extant research and practice literature focuses on the experience of first-year students entering four-year colleges and universities.…

Discriminant Analysis as a Tool for Admission Selection to Special Academic Programs. AIR 1986 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissel, Mary Ann

The use of stepwise discriminant analysis as a means to select entering students who would benefit from a special program for the disadvantaged was studied. In fall 1984, 278 full-time black students were admitted as first-time students to a large urban university. Of the total, 200 entered a special program for the disadvantaged and 78 entered…

The influence of parents on undergraduate and graduate students' entering the STEM disciplines and STEM careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig, Cheryl J.; Verma, Rakesh; Stokes, Donna; Evans, Paige; Abrol, Bobby

2018-04-01

This research examines the influence of parents on students' studying the STEM disciplines and entering STEM careers. Cases of two graduate students (one female, one male) and one undergraduate student (male) are featured. The first two students in the convenience sample are biology and physics majors in a STEM teacher education programme; the third is enrolled in computer science. The narrative inquiry research method is used to elucidate the students' academic trajectories. Incidents of circumstantial and planned parent curriculum making surfaced when the data was serially interpreted. Other themes included: (1) relationships between (student) learners and (teacher) parents, (2) invitations to inquiry, (3) modes of inquiry, (4) the improbability of certainty, and (5) changed narratives = changed lives. While policy briefs provide sweeping statements about parents' positive effects on their children, narrative inquiries such as this one illuminate parents' inquiry moves within home environments. These actions became retrospectively revealed in their adult children's lived narratives. Nurtured by their mothers and/or fathers, students enter STEM disciplines and STEM-related careers through multiple pathways in addition to the anticipated pipeline.

Undergraduate and Graduate Study in Scientific Fields.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisconti, Ann S.; Astin, Helen S.

This nationwide survey statistically documents the academic aspirations and achievements of students entering 248 institutions of higher learning in 1961. A second group of students entering in 1966 were chosen for comparison. The major portion of the study is devoted to statistical tables compiling the results of questionnaires completed by the…

An Examination of Assessment Scores between Students Who Attend Public Schools and Students Who Were Homeschooled Prior to Entering a Virtual Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Catherine

2010-01-01

Virtual charter schools, emerging in the 1990s, are a recent development in the education field and reflect today's technology-oriented society. This study examined existing data to evaluate what, if any, difference existed between students who attended public school and those who were homeschooled prior to entering the virtual charter school. …

Trends in Algebra II Completion and Failure Rates for Students Entering Texas Public High Schools. REL 2018-289

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoker, Ginger; Mellor, Lynn; Sullivan, Kate

2018-01-01

This study examines Algebra II completion and failure rates for students entering Texas public high schools from 2007/08 through 2014/15. This period spans the time when Texas students, beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, were required to take four courses each in English, math (including Algebra II), science, and social studies (called the…

Tracking reflective practice-based learning by medical students during an ambulatory clerkship.

PubMed

Thomas, Patricia A; Goldberg, Harry

2007-11-01

To explore the use of web and palm digital assistant (PDA)-based patient logs to facilitate reflective learning in an ambulatory medicine clerkship. Thematic analysis of convenience sample of three successive rotations of medical students' patient log entries. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. MS3 and MS4 students rotating through a required block ambulatory medicine clerkship. Students are required to enter patient encounters into a web-based log system during the clerkship. Patient-linked entries included an open text field entitled, "Learning Need." Students were encouraged to use this field to enter goals for future study or teaching points related to the encounter. The logs of 59 students were examined. These students entered 3,051 patient encounters, and 51 students entered 1,347 learning need entries (44.1% of encounters). The use of the "Learning Need" field was not correlated with MS year, gender or end-of-clerkship knowledge test performance. There were strong correlations between the use of diagnostic thinking comments and observations of therapeutic relationships (Pearson's r=.42, p<0.001), and between diagnostic thinking and primary interpretation skills (Pearson's r=.60, p<0.001), but not between diagnostic thinking and factual knowledge (Pearson's r =.10, p=.46). We found that when clerkship students were cued to reflect on each patient encounter with the electronic log system, student entries grouped into categories that suggested different levels of reflective thinking. Future efforts should explore the use of such entries to encourage and track habits of reflective practice in the clinical curriculum.

Emotional expressiveness and avoidance in narratives of unaccompanied refugee minors

PubMed Central

Huemer, Julia; Nelson, Kristin; Karnik, Niranjan; Völkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Seidel, Stefan; Ebner, Nina; Ryst, Erika; Friedrich, Max; Shaw, Richard J.; Realubit, Cassey; Steiner, Hans; Skala, Katrin

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to examine a cohort of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) by means of psycholinguistic methods in order to obtain a more subtle picture of their degree of traumatization. Methods Twenty-eight participants were included in the Stress-Inducing Speech Task (SIST) consisting of a free association (FA) and a stress (STR) condition. Narratives were examined by means of (1) quantitative parameters (word count); (2) psycholinguistic variables (temporal junctures, TJs), narrative structure, referential activity (RA)—a measure of emotional expressivity; and (3) content analysis ratings. Results Word count was significantly lower than in age-matched norms. In the FA condition, TJs were lower, but in the STR condition, rates were comparable. RA was significantly higher in both conditions. Content analysis ratings showed that the experiences described by these youths were potentially traumatic in nature. Conclusions This pattern of narrative shows a mixture of fulfilling the task demand, while containing an emotionally charged narrative. Narrative structure was absent in the FA condition, but preserved in the STR condition, as URMs struggled with the description of non-normative events. This indicates that these youths have not yet emotionally dealt with and fully integrated their trauma experiences. PMID:26955827

Generic learning skills in academically-at-risk medical students: a development programme bridges the gap.

PubMed

Burch, Vanessa C; Sikakana, Cynthia N T; Gunston, Geney D; Shamley, Delva R; Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah

2013-08-01

Widening access to medical students from diverse educational backgrounds is a global educational mandate. The impact, on students' generic learning skills profiles, of development programmes designed for students at risk of attrition is unknown. This study investigated the impact of a 12-month Intervention Programme (IP) on the generic learning skills profile of academically-at-risk students who, after failing at the end of the first semester, completed the IP before entering the second semester of a conventional medical training programme. This prospective study surveyed medical students admitted in 2009 and 2010, on entry and on completion of first year, on their reported practice and confidence in information handling, managing own learning, technical and numeracy, computer, organisational and presentation skills. Of 414 first year students, 80 (19%) entered the IP. Levels of practice and confidence for five of the six skills categories were significantly poorer at entry for IP students compared to conventional stream students. In four categories these differences were no longer statistically significant after students had completed the IP; 62 IP students (77.5%) progressed to second year. A 12-month development programme, the IP, effectively addressed generic learning skills deficiencies present in academically-at-risk students entering medical school.

College students and computers: assessment of usage patterns and musculoskeletal discomfort.

PubMed

Noack-Cooper, Karen L; Sommerich, Carolyn M; Mirka, Gary A

2009-01-01

A limited number of studies have focused on computer-use-related MSDs in college students, though risk factor exposure may be similar to that of workers who use computers. This study examined computer use patterns of college students, and made comparisons to a group of previously studied computer-using professionals. 234 students completed a web-based questionnaire concerning computer use habits and physical discomfort respondents specifically associated with computer use. As a group, students reported their computer use to be at least 'Somewhat likely' 18 out of 24 h/day, compared to 12 h for the professionals. Students reported more uninterrupted work behaviours than the professionals. Younger graduate students reported 33.7 average weekly computing hours, similar to hours reported by younger professionals. Students generally reported more frequent upper extremity discomfort than the professionals. Frequent assumption of awkward postures was associated with frequent discomfort. The findings signal a need for intervention, including, training and education, prior to entry into the workforce. Students are future workers, and so it is important to determine whether their increasing exposure to computers, prior to entering the workforce, may make it so they enter already injured or do not enter their chosen profession due to upper extremity MSDs.

Burnout among Entering MSW Students: Exploring the Role of Personal Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Meekyung; Lee, Sang E.; Lee, Peter Allan

2012-01-01

Although individual susceptibility to burnout within a similar structural context is well-documented in other helping professions, little is known about the relationship between personal attributes and burnout in social work. Furthermore, despite a large number of entering MSW students with prior work experience, there is a paucity of research…

False Equivalence? Differences in the Post-16 Qualifications Market and Outcomes in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Robin; Masardo, Alexander

2018-01-01

This paper investigates differences in higher education outcomes according to the qualifications with which students enter university. The study is situated in the context of increasing marketization, competition and privatization in post-16 qualifications, combined with an increase in students entering higher education with either vocational…

Does the Statue of Liberty Still Face out? The Diversion of Foreign Students from the United States to Canada in the Post 9/11 Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Richard E.

2009-01-01

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have resulted in the increased scrutiny of both immigrants and non-immigrants entering the United States. The latter group includes students who enter the country on temporary visas to complete programs of higher education. Depending on the source, the number of foreign students in the United States has…

Career influences among final year dental students who plan to enter private practice.

PubMed

Nashleanas, Benjamin M; McKernan, Susan C; Kuthy, Raymond A; Qian, Fang

2014-03-08

Existing research about the influence of educational debt on students' decision to enter general practice immediately after graduation is conflicting. Other potential factors that could affect this decision include the influence of a spouse or other family member, the importance of a mentoring dentist, and how students perceive the burden of their debt. The goal of this study was to examine the importance of debt on career decision-making while also considering the role of other influences. Responses to a self-completed questionnaire of all final (fourth) year students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry from 2007 through 2010 were analyzed to identify the importance of educational debt and the influence of spouses, other family members, and mentoring dentists in the decision to enter private general practice immediately after graduation. Statistical analysis included bivariate tests (t-tests and Chi-square tests) and multivariable logistic regression. 58.9% of respondents (N = 156) planned to immediately enter private practice after dental school. Bivariate analyses revealed women to be more likely to enter private practice than their male counterparts (69.0% vs. 51.8%, p = .006). Students planning to enter practice immediately did not differ significantly from those with other career plans on the basis of marital status or having a family member in dentistry. Anticipated educational debt of at least $100,000 was positively associated with plans to enter private practice immediately after graduation. Self-reported importance of educational debt was not associated with career plans. However, the influence of a spouse, other family members, and family dentists were also positively associated with the decision to enter private practice. These factors all maintained significance in the final multivariable model (p < 0.05); however, educational debt of at least $100,000 was the strongest predictor of plans to enter private practice (OR = 2.34; p = 0.023). Since the 1970s, increasing numbers of dentists in the U.S. have pursued specialty training after dental school. However, rising educational debts may counter this trend as increasing numbers of dentists choose to immediately pursue general dentistry at graduation. This project has demonstrated the significant influence of educational debt, beyond other external influences.

An investigation on the level of awareness, attitude, and interest among medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy students toward their majors on entering university: The case of Islamic Azad University, Tehran medical sciences branch.

PubMed

Moghadam, Farhad Adhami; Azad, Sara Afshari; Sahebalzamani, Mohammad; Farahani, Hojjatollah; Jamaran, Mojgantabatabaee

2017-01-01

Having awareness, interest, and positive attitude toward one's fields of study leads to the development of a compatibility between demands and expectations on the one hand and future career on the other hand. This study was carried out to determine the level of awareness, attitude, and interest of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch toward their own field of study on entering university. This research is a basic descriptive study conducted on 273 students who had just entered university. This study was performed using census. Data collection instrument was a four-part questionnaire which included demographic information, and questions measuring students' awareness, attitude, and interest. With regard to their field of study, there was no statistically significant difference in the average of students' awareness ( P = 0.731). The attitude of medicine students was significantly more positive than pharmacy and dentistry students ( P < 0.001), and the attitude of dentistry students was significantly more positive than that of pharmacy students ( P = 0.460). Medical students' interest level was significantly higher than that of pharmacy and dentistry students ( P < 0.05), and the interest level of dentistry students was significantly greater than the interest level of pharmacy students ( P = 024/0). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between awareness and attitude and between awareness and interest in all of the study subjects ( P < 0.001). The study results indicated that having a high level of awareness toward one's major led students studying in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy to experience a more positive attitude and a higher level of interest. Thus, before entering the university, academic counseling will be beneficial for acquiring a better understanding of most majors, a goal which could be provided through school, social media, and family.

On the Learning Behaviours of English Additional-Language Speakers Entering Engineering Education in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woollacott, L.; Simelane, Z.; Inglis, J.

2011-01-01

This article reports the findings of an inductive study on the learning behaviours and language difficulties of a small group of English additional-language students entering a school of chemical and metallurgical engineering in South Africa. Students were interviewed in their home language. While they appeared to have had a reasonable grounding…

A Decade of Change in NYC Schools. IESP Policy Brief No. 02-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debraggio, Elizabeth; Nazar de Jaucourt, Lila; Ruble, Emilyn; Schwartz, Amy Ellen; Stiefel, Leanna; Weinstein, Meryle

2011-01-01

Schools are not static entities--reforms are enacted, curriculums change, new principals and teachers arrive and others leave, and, importantly, students exit and enter the school system. These students may be graduating or reaching a terminal grade, beginning school, entering from local private or parochial schools, moving from another district,…

Academic Advising and the Persistence Intentions of Community College Students in Their First Weeks in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatch, Deryl K.; Garcia, Crystal E.

2017-01-01

Given community colleges' open enrollment policies and their numerous instructional missions (A. M. Cohen & Brawer, 2008), students enter and re-enter with various and often multiple objectives but not always with clear knowledge of how to clarify and accomplish them. Among early intake activities, the role of academic advising in particular…

From Further to Higher Education: Transition as an On-Going Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tett, Lyn; Cree, Viviene E; Christie, Hazel

2017-01-01

This paper argues that transition is not a one-off event that occurs when students first enter universities but is an on-going process that is repeated over time. We draw on qualitative data from a longitudinal project on "non-traditional" students who entered a research-intensive university in Scotland direct from further education…

Changing the Chairs: Impact of Workshop Activities in Assisting Chemistry Department Chairs in Achieving Racial and Ethnic Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Jessica; Lewis, Priscilla A.; Richmond, Geraldine L.; Stockard, Jean

2011-01-01

To address the low levels of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in top-ranked chemistry departments, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the National Institutes of Health jointly sponsored a workshop for academic chemistry leaders in September 2007. The goal of the two-and-a-half-day workshop was to create an…

Institutional NIH Research Funding and a Culture of Support for Family Medicine-Their Relationship to Family Medicine Specialty Choice.

PubMed

Mainous, Arch G; Porter, Maribeth; Agana, Denny Fe; Chessman, Alexander W

2018-05-01

The United States suffers from a low proportion of medical students pursuing family medicine (FM). Our objective was to examine institutional characteristics consistent with a focus on National Institutes of Health (NIH) research, institutional support for FM education, and the proportion of medical students choosing FM. The 2015 CERA Survey of Family Medicine Clerkship Directors was merged with institutional NIH funding data from 2014 and medical student specialty choice in 2015. Institutional educational support was operationalized as (1) clerkship director's perception of medical school environment toward FM, and (2) amount of negative comments about FM made by faculty in other departments. The outcome was the percentage of students selecting FM. Bivariate statistics were computed. As NIH funding increases, the proportion of students entering FM decreases (r=-.22). Institutions with higher NIH funding had lower clerkship director perceptions of medical school support toward FM (r=-.38). Among private institutions, the negative correlation between NIH funding and the proportion of students entering FM strengthens to r=-.48, P=.001. As perceptions of support for FM increase, the proportion of students entering FM increase (r=.47). Among private schools, perceptions of support toward family medicine was strongly positively correlated with the proportion of students entering FM (r=.72, P=.001). Higher institutional NIH funding is associated with less support for FM and lower proportions of students choosing FM. These issues appear to be even more influential in private medical schools. Understanding how to integrate the goals of NIH-level research and increasing primary care workforce so that both can be achieved is the next challenge.

The problems program directors inherit: medical student distress at the time of graduation.

PubMed

Dyrbye, Liselotte N; Moutier, Christine; Durning, Steven J; Massie, F Stanford; Power, David V; Eacker, Anne; Harper, William; Thomas, Matthew R; Satele, Daniel; Sloan, Jeff A; Shanafelt, Tait D

2011-01-01

Distress is prevalent among residents and often attributed to rigors of training. To explore the prevalence of burnout and depression and measured mental quality of life (QOL) among graduating medical students shortly before they began residency. Pooled analysis of data from 1428 fourth year medical students who responded to 1 of 3 multi-institutional studies. Students completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, PRIME MD, and SF-8 to measure burnout, depression, and low mental QOL (defined as mean mental SF-8 scores ½ a standard deviation below the population norm) and answered demographic items. Shortly before beginning residency, 49% of responding medical students had burnout, 38% endorsed depressive symptoms, and 34% had low mental QOL. While no differences in the prevalence of distress was observed by residency specialty area, there were subtle differences in the manifestation of burnout by specialty. Medical students entering surgical fields had lower mean emotional scores, students entering primary care fields had lower mean depersonalization scores, and students entering non-primary care/non-surgical fields reported the lowest mean personal accomplishment scores (all p ≤ 0.03). Our results indicate a high prevalence of distress among graduating medical students across all specialty disciplines before they even begin residency training.

Allied health careers special resources and services program: increasing the probabilities of success for 'high risk' students in allied health career programs.

PubMed

Murtha, J P; Grimm, F M

1979-11-01

This article describes a successful developmental program specifically designed for academically "high risk" students entering a two-year community college career program in allied health. The program consisted of providing an intensive three-week instructional program to students before they entered the allied health career program, and subsequently providing an ongoing support system of tutoring, counseling and career development activities. Participants attained higher levels of academic performance and retention than nonparticipants.

Communication Skill Attributes Needed for Vocational Education enter The Workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, L. M.; Masih, I. K.; Rejeki, I. N. Mei

2018-01-01

Communication skills are generic skills which need to be developed for success in the vocational education entering the workforce. This study aimed to discover the attributes of communication skill considered important in entering the workforce as perceived by vocational education students. The research was conducted by survey method using questionnaire as data collecting tool. The research population is final year student of D3 Vocational education Program and D4 Managerial Vocational education in academic year 2016/2017 who have completed field work practice in industry. The sampling technique was proportional random sampling. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and independent sampel t-test. Have ten communication skills attributes with the highest important level required to enter the workplace as perceived by the vocational education diploma. These results indicate that there was the same need related communication skills to enter the workforce

Entering First-Year Residents' Experiences and Knowledge of Infection Control of Hepatitis B and HIV, at Five University-Affiliated Hospitals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetz, Angella; And Others

1992-01-01

A survey of 149 entering first-year medical residents concerning experiences with and knowledge of infection control investigated occurrence and patterns of accidental needle-sticking and reporting, student immunization for Hepatitis B, and instruction in universal precautions. It is concluded that students are at risk for needle-sticking, but…

Using Neural Network and Logistic Regression Analysis to Predict Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Academic Success upon Entering Graduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahadir, Elif

2016-01-01

The ability to predict the success of students when they enter a graduate program is critical for educational institutions because it allows them to develop strategic programs that will help improve students' performances during their stay at an institution. In this study, we present the results of an experimental comparison study of Logistic…

High School Reform and Work: Facing Labor Market Realities. Policy Information Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Paul E.

2006-01-01

The focus of the current high school reform movement goes beyond qualifying students to enter college. It extends to raising the rigor of coursework so that students are prepared for college-level classes, rather than forced to enter remedial courses. This need is based on extensive study of the gap between college admissions criteria and the more…

The Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences: A Program Exemplifying Diversity and Excellence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morria, V. R.; Demoz, B.; Joseph, E.

2017-12-01

The Howard University Graduate Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS) is the first advanced degree program in the atmospheric sciences instituted at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) or at a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). MSI in this context refers to academic institutions whose histories are grounded in serving minority students from their inception, rather than institutions whose student body demographics have evolved along with the "browning of America" and now meet recent Federal criteria for "minority-serving". HUPAS began in 1996 when initiatives within the Howard University Graduate School overlapped with the motivations of investigators within a NASA-funded University research center for starting a sustainable interdisciplinary program. After twenty years, the results have been the production of greater institutional depth and breadth of research in the geosciences and significant production of minority scientists contributing to the atmospheric sciences enterprise in various sectors. This presentation will highlight the development of the Howard University graduate program in atmospheric sciences, its impact on the national statistics for the production of underrepresented minority (URM) advanced degree holders in the atmospheric sciences, and some of the program's contributions to the diversity in geosciences and the National pipeline of talent from underrepresented groups. Over the past decade, Howard University is leading producer of African American and Hispanic female doctorates in atmospheric sciences - producing nearly half of all degree holders in the Nation. Specific examples of successful partnerships between this program and federal funding agencies such as NASA and NOAA which have been critical in the development process will also be highlighted. Finally, some of the student recruitment and retention strategies that have enabled the success of this program and statistics of student graduation will also be shared and challenges to continued progress in diversifying the atmospehric sciences will be discussed.

Chances of success in and engagement with mathematics for students who enter university with a weak mathematics background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varsavsky, Cristina

2010-12-01

An increasing number of Australian students elect not to undertake studies in mathematical methods in the final years of their secondary schooling. Some higher education providers now offer pathways for these students to pursue mathematics studies up to a major specialization within the bachelor of science programme. This article analyses the performance in and engagement with mathematics of the students who elect to take up this option. Findings indicate that these are not very different when compared to students who enter university with an intermediate mathematics preparation. The biggest contrast in performance and engagement is with those students who have studied mathematics in senior secondary school to an advanced level.

An investigation on the level of awareness, attitude, and interest among medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy students toward their majors on entering university: The case of Islamic Azad University, Tehran medical sciences branch

PubMed Central

Moghadam, Farhad Adhami; Azad, Sara Afshari; Sahebalzamani, Mohammad; Farahani, Hojjatollah; Jamaran, Mojgantabatabaee

2017-01-01

Introduction: Having awareness, interest, and positive attitude toward one's fields of study leads to the development of a compatibility between demands and expectations on the one hand and future career on the other hand. This study was carried out to determine the level of awareness, attitude, and interest of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch toward their own field of study on entering university. Materials and Methods: This research is a basic descriptive study conducted on 273 students who had just entered university. This study was performed using census. Data collection instrument was a four-part questionnaire which included demographic information, and questions measuring students’ awareness, attitude, and interest. Results: With regard to their field of study, there was no statistically significant difference in the average of students’ awareness (P = 0.731). The attitude of medicine students was significantly more positive than pharmacy and dentistry students (P < 0.001), and the attitude of dentistry students was significantly more positive than that of pharmacy students (P = 0.460). Medical students’ interest level was significantly higher than that of pharmacy and dentistry students (P < 0.05), and the interest level of dentistry students was significantly greater than the interest level of pharmacy students (P = 024/0). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between awareness and attitude and between awareness and interest in all of the study subjects (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The study results indicated that having a high level of awareness toward one's major led students studying in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy to experience a more positive attitude and a higher level of interest. Thus, before entering the university, academic counseling will be beneficial for acquiring a better understanding of most majors, a goal which could be provided through school, social media, and family. PMID:29564264

Analysis of Postdoctoral Training Outcomes That Broaden Participation in Science Careers

PubMed Central

Rybarczyk, Brian J.; Lerea, Leslie; Whittington, Dawayne; Dykstra, Linda

2016-01-01

Postdoctoral training is an optimal time to expand research skills, develop independence, and shape career trajectories, making this training period important to study in the context of career development. Seeding Postdoctoral Innovators in Research and Education (SPIRE) is a training program that balances research, teaching, and professional development. This study examines the factors that promote the transition of postdocs into academic careers and increase diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Data indicate that SPIRE scholars (n = 77) transition into faculty positions at three times the national average with a greater proportion of underrepresented racial minorities (URMs) and females represented among SPIRE scholars. Logistic regression models indicate that significant predictors are the intended career track at the start of the postdoctoral training and the number of publications. Factors necessary for successful transition are teaching experience as independent instructors, professional development opportunities, and the experience of balancing teaching with research. Scholars’ continued commitment to increasing diversity in their faculty roles was demonstrated by their attainment of tenure-track positions at minority-serving institutions, continued mentorship of URMs, and engagement with diversity initiatives. These results suggest that a postdoctoral program structured to include research, teaching, and diversity inclusion facilitates attainment of desired academic positions with sustained impacts on broadening participation. PMID:27543634

Diversity Exiting the Academy: Influential Factors for the Career Choice of Well-Represented and Underrepresented Minority Scientists

PubMed Central

Layton, Rebekah L.; Brandt, Patrick D.; Freeman, Ashalla M.; Harrell, Jessica R.; Hall, Joshua D.; Sinche, Melanie

2016-01-01

A national sample of PhD-trained scientists completed training, accepted subsequent employment in academic and nonacademic positions, and were queried about their previous graduate training and current employment. Respondents indicated factors contributing to their employment decision (e.g., working conditions, salary, job security). The data indicate the relative importance of deciding factors influencing career choice, controlling for gender, initial interest in faculty careers, and number of postgraduate publications. Among both well-represented (WR; n = 3444) and underrepresented minority (URM; n = 225) respondents, faculty career choice was positively associated with desire for autonomy and partner opportunity and negatively associated with desire for leadership opportunity. Differences between groups in reasons endorsed included: variety, prestige, salary, family influence, and faculty advisor influence. Furthermore, endorsement of faculty advisor or other mentor influence and family or peer influence were surprisingly rare across groups, suggesting that formal and informal support networks could provide a missed opportunity to provide support for trainees who want to stay in faculty career paths. Reasons requiring alteration of misperceptions (e.g., limited leadership opportunity for faculty) must be distinguished from reasons requiring removal of actual barriers. Further investigation into factors that affect PhDs’ career decisions can help elucidate why URM candidates are disproportionately exiting the academy. PMID:27587854

Requalification of a Brazilian Trichoderma Collection and Screening of Its Capability to Decolourise Real Textile Effluent.

PubMed

Silva Lisboa, Dianny; Santos, Cledir; Barbosa, Renan N; Magalhães, Oliane; Paiva, Laura M; Moreira, Keila A; Lima, Nelson; Souza-Motta, Cristina M

2017-04-01

Water contamination with large amounts of industrial textile coloured effluents is an environmental concern. For the treatment of textile effluents, white-rot fungi have received extensive attention due to their powerful capability to produce oxidative (e.g., ligninolytic) enzymes. In addition, other groups of fungi, such as species of Aspergillus and Trichoderma , have also been used for textile effluents treatment. The main aim of the present study was to requalify a Brazilian Trichoderma culture collection of 51 Trichoderma strains, isolated from different sources in Brazil and preserved in the oldest Latin-American Fungal Service Culture Collection, The Micoteca URM WDCM 804 (Recife, Brazil). Fungal isolates were re-identified through a polyphasic approach including macro- and micro-morphology and molecular biology, and screened for their capability to decolourise real effluents collected directly from storage tanks of a textile manufacture. Trichoderma atroviride URM 4950 presented the best performance on the dye decolourisation in real textile effluent and can be considered in a scale-up process at industrial level. Overall, the potential of Trichoderma strains in decolourising real textile dye present in textile effluent and the production of the oxidative enzymes Lac, LiP and MnP was demonstrated. Fungal strains are available in the collection e-catalogue to be further explored from the biotechnological point of view.

[Psychological features and cognitive styles of students entering medicine and other careers at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile].

PubMed

Bitran, Marcela; Zúñiga, Denisse; Lafuente, Montserrat; Viviani, Paola; Mena, Beltrán

2004-07-01

The similarity between the psychological features of medical school freshmen of different cohorts suggests that Medicine attracts students with specific psychological types. However, it is also possible that medical students are similar to the students admitted to any other career with high admission requirements. To determine if medical school freshmen are different from those of Engineering, Architecture, Psychology and Journalism. The Spanish version of the Myers Briggs Psychological Type Indicator (MBTI) was applied to two cohorts of Medical School freshmen (90 students of the 2000 cohort and 91 students of the 2001 cohort) and to a sample of 669 freshmen from the careers of Engineering, Psychology, Architecture and Journalism. Students entering Medical School are similar to the students admitted to Engineering and different from those that entered Architecture, Psychology and Journalism in the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 2000 and 2001. Medicine attracts a larger proportion of concrete and practical students that have an objective and systematic approach to study and to life in general. Unlike Medicine, Psychology and Architecture attract more students that have a cognitive style characterized by an intuitive perception, and that face life with an open and flexible attitude. This study reveals that the psychological features of undergradutate students are associated to their career choice. These psychological variables, therefore, may be relevant to the students' vocational preferences and possibly to their future specialty choice.

Socioeconomic Characteristics and Motivations for Entering a Medical College--Differences between Graduate and Undergraduate Saudi Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AL-Jahdali, Hamdan; Alqarni, Turki; AL-Jahdali, Sarah; Baharoon, Salim A.; AL-Harbi, Abdullah S.; Binsalih, Salih A.; Alshimemeri, Abdulah; Al Sayyari, Abdullah A.

2014-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons for and the factors associated with deciding to enter a medical school in our graduate and undergraduate medical students and whether differ between the two groups. Method: This is a cross-sectional study. The survey we developed to investigate demographic and socioeconomic data and…

Institutionalization: A Model of Retention Through Student Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, E. J.; Campbell, A.; Strand, D.

2005-12-01

Bowie State University and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center have, for the past 10 years, worked diligently together to enhance the science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) domain. Efforts made because of a Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) Award have changed the landscape of the SMET domain by increasing the retention and graduation rates, the number of students entering graduate and professional schools, and the number of students entering SMET related careers. Several initiatives - a Scholarship program, PRISEM Tutoring Center, Safenet Program, Research Emphasis, Focused Mentoring, a Summer Academy for accepted and enrolled incoming students, a Bridge Program for students needing assistance being admitted to the University, the RISE Program and the Bowie State Satellite Operations and Control Center - provides the nurturing and mentoring focus, and opportunities that have resulted in a retention rate of approximately 80%, a 40% increase in the graduation rate, and an 85% increase in the number of students interested/entering graduate school. Successes that have documented by various assessment activities have led to the institutionalization of the retention model of the MIE Initiative. It is anticipated that University-wide application of the retention model will provide the incentives necessary to obtain similar results as has the MIE Initiative.

The Empirical Impact of the Graduate Record Examination and Grade Point Average on Entry and Success in Graduate School at Texas A&M University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooksey, Lana; Stenning, Walter F.

The use of the restructured Graduate Record Examination (GRE), students' entering grade point averages (GPAs), and other variables as predictors of success in graduate school at Texas A&M University (TAMU) was studied. Comparisons were also made to a similar study (Kunze, 1974). A sample of 564 entering graduate students who had taken the…

Career influences among final year dental students who plan to enter private practice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Existing research about the influence of educational debt on students’ decision to enter general practice immediately after graduation is conflicting. Other potential factors that could affect this decision include the influence of a spouse or other family member, the importance of a mentoring dentist, and how students perceive the burden of their debt. The goal of this study was to examine the importance of debt on career decision-making while also considering the role of other influences. Methods Responses to a self-completed questionnaire of all final (fourth) year students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry from 2007 through 2010 were analyzed to identify the importance of educational debt and the influence of spouses, other family members, and mentoring dentists in the decision to enter private general practice immediately after graduation. Statistical analysis included bivariate tests (t-tests and Chi-square tests) and multivariable logistic regression. Results 58.9% of respondents (N = 156) planned to immediately enter private practice after dental school. Bivariate analyses revealed women to be more likely to enter private practice than their male counterparts (69.0% vs. 51.8%, p = .006). Students planning to enter practice immediately did not differ significantly from those with other career plans on the basis of marital status or having a family member in dentistry. Anticipated educational debt of at least $100,000 was positively associated with plans to enter private practice immediately after graduation. Self-reported importance of educational debt was not associated with career plans. However, the influence of a spouse, other family members, and family dentists were also positively associated with the decision to enter private practice. These factors all maintained significance in the final multivariable model (p < 0.05); however, educational debt of at least $100,000 was the strongest predictor of plans to enter private practice (OR = 2.34; p = 0.023). Conclusions Since the 1970s, increasing numbers of dentists in the U.S. have pursued specialty training after dental school. However, rising educational debts may counter this trend as increasing numbers of dentists choose to immediately pursue general dentistry at graduation. This project has demonstrated the significant influence of educational debt, beyond other external influences. PMID:24606674

Assessing Students' Moral Reasoning of a Values-Based Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

You, Di; Penny, Neil H.

2011-01-01

Students' moral reasoning was assessed at a religiously affiliated liberal arts university. Cohort data were collected from undergraduate students who had entered the university as freshmen: 364 students in 2007 and 264 students in 2009. The results indicated that there was a significant increase in students' post-conventional moral reasoning…

Cohort Graduation Rate: Policy and Technical Manual. 2016-17 Graduation Rates Based on Students First Entering High School during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon Department of Education, 2017

2017-01-01

High School graduation rates are key indicators of accountability for high schools and school districts in Oregon. Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) implemented the cohort method of calculating graduation rates. The cohort method identifies the year the student entered high school for the first time…

The Science Identity and Entering a Science Occupation*

PubMed Central

Stets, Jan E.; Brenner, Philip S.; Burke, Peter J.; Serpe, Richard T.

2016-01-01

The initiative to increase the number of students in STEM disciplines and train them for a science-related job is a current national focus. Using longitudinal panel data from a national study that followed underrepresented college students in STEM fields, we investigate the neglected role that social psychological processes play in influencing science activity among the young. We study the impact of identity processes related to being a science student on entering a science occupation. More broadly, we examine whether an identity formulated in one institutional setting (education) has effects that persist to another institutional setting (the economy). We find that the science identity positively impacts the likelihood of entering a science occupation. It also serves as a mediator for other factors that are related to educational success. This provides insight into how an identity can guide behavior to move persons into structural positions across institutional domains. PMID:28364837

Information and informatics literacy: skills, timing, and estimates of competence.

PubMed

Scott, C S; Schaad, D C; Mandel, L S; Brock, D M; Kim, S

2000-01-01

Computing and biomedical informatics technologies are providing almost instantaneous access to vast amounts of possibly relevant information. Although students are entering medical school with increasingly sophisticated basic technological skills, medical educators must determine what curricular enhancements are needed to prepare learners for the world of electronic information. The purpose was to examine opinions of academic affairs and informatics administrators, curriculum deans and recently matriculated medical students about prematriculation competence and medical education learning expectations. Two surveys were administered: an Information Literacy Survey for curriculum/informatics deans and a Computing Skills Survey for entering medical students. Results highlight differences of opinion about entering competencies. They also indicate that medical school administrators believe that most basic information skills fall within the domain of undergraduate medical education. Further investigations are needed to determine precise entry-level skills and whether information literacy will increase as a result of rising levels of technical competence.

Nursing Students' Readiness for the Numeracy Needs of Their Program: Students' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galligan, Linda; Frederiks, Anita; Wandel, Andrew P.; Robinson, Clare; Abdulla, Shahab; Hussain, Zanubia

2017-01-01

Numeracy needs of nursing students are often underestimated by students when they enter university. Even when students are aware of the mathematics required, students underestimate or overestimate the skills they have. Research has highlighted the mathematics and numeracy skills required of nurses and nursing students and numerous studies have…

Staging a Reflective Capstone Course to Transition PharmD Graduates to Professional Life

PubMed Central

Hobson, Eric H.; Spinelli, Alisa J.

2015-01-01

Objective. To develop and implement a capstone course that would allow students to reflect on their development as a professional, assess and share their achievement of the college’s outcomes, complete a professional portfolio, establish a continuing professional development plan, and prepare to enter the pharmacy profession. Design. Students were required to complete a hybrid course built around 4 online and inclass projects during the final semester of the curriculum. Assessment. Faculty used direct measures of learning, such as reading student portfolios and program outcome reflections, evaluating professional development plans, and directly observing each student in a video presentation. All projects were evaluated using standardized rubrics. Since 2012, all graduating students met the course’s minimum performance requirements. Conclusion. The course provided an opportunity for student-based summative evaluation, direct observation of student skills, and documentation of outcome completion as a means of evaluating readiness to enter the profession. PMID:25741030

Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S) Beyond the PhD Professional Development Program: A Pilot Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, A.; Jearld, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Huggans, M.; Ricciardi, L.; Thomas, S. H.; Jansma, P. E.

2012-12-01

In 2011 the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S)® initiative launched its newest activity entitled the MS PHD'S "Beyond the PhD (B-PhD) Professional Development Program." This exciting new program was designed to facilitate the development of a new community of underrepresented minority (URM) doctoral candidates and recent doctorate degree recipients in Earth system science (ESS)-related fields. The MS PHD'S B-PhD provides customized support and advocacy for MS PHD'S B-PhD participants in order to facilitate smoother and informed transitions from graduate school, to postdoctoral and tenure-track positions, as well as other "first" jobs in government, industry, and non-profit organizations. In November 2011 the first cohort of MS PHD'S B-PhD participants engaged in intensive sessions on the following topics: "Toolkits for Success for Academia, Business/Industry, Federal Government and Non-Profits", "Defining Short, Mid and Long Term Career Goals", "Accessing and Refining Skill Sets and Other Door Openers", "International Preparation and Opportunities", "Paying it Forward/Lifting as You Climb", and "Customized Strategies for Next Steps". This pilot event, which was hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington's (UTA) College of Science, also provided opportunities for participants to serve as guest lecturers in the UTA's Colleges of Science and Engineering and included one-on-one discussions with MS PHD'S B-PhD mentors and guest speakers who are well established within their individual ESS fields. Insights regarding opportunities, challenges and obstacles commonly faced by URMs within the ESS fields, as well as strategies for success were shared by MS PHD'S B-PhD mentors and guest speakers. Survey results indicate that MS PHD'S B-PhD participants appreciated not only the material covered during this pilot activity, but also appreciated the opportunity to become part of a community of young URM ESS professionals who are committed to achieving successful careers and supporting one another. This presentation will discuss outcomes from this pilot project, the use of social media to track and support ongoing MS PHD'S B-PhD activities, and "next steps" for the MS PHD'S B-PhD Professional Development Program.

Institutionalization of a Retention Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, E. J.; Campbell, A.

2006-05-01

Bowie State University and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center have, for the past 10 years, worked diligently together to enhance the science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) domain. Efforts made, because of a Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) Award, have changed the landscape of the SMET domain by increasing the retention and graduation rates, the number of students entering graduate and professional schools, and the number of students entering SMET related careers for minorities and women. Several initiatives a Scholarship Program, PRISEM Tutoring Center, Safety-net Program, Research emphasis, Focused Mentoring, a Summer Academy for accepted incoming students, a Bridge Program for students needing assistance being admitted to the University, the RISE Program and the Bowie State Satellite Operations and Control Center (BSOCC) provide the nurturing, mentoring, and opportunities for our students. As a result of efforts made, the retention rate has increase to approximately 80%, the graduation rate has increased 40%, and 85% of the SMET students are now interested or entering graduate and professional schools. Successes that have been documented by various assessment activities have led to the institutionalization of the Retention Model of the MIE Initiative. It is anticipated that University-wide application of the retention model will prove the incentives necessary to obtain similar results as the MIE Initiative.

The awareness of doctoral-level professions among entering college students.

PubMed

Donai, Jeremy J; Hicks, Candace B; McCart, Mallory

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to survey entering college students’ awareness of the profession of audiology, as well as to compare the students’ awareness of audiology to their awareness of roles in 2 other doctoral-level professions. A survey examining students’ awareness and perception of the profession of audiology was administered in 2009 at the California University of Pennsylvania (Emanuel, Donai, & Araj, 2012). A modified survey, which included questions about awareness of the profession of audiology as well as podiatry and optometry, was distributed in 2012. Survey data suggest that, overall, students were more accurate in describing the profession of optometry compared to audiology, but no difference existed between their awareness of podiatry and audiology. However, students with self-reported awareness of the three professions were more accurate in describing the professions of podiatry and optometry as compared to audiology. Results of this distribution suggest an upward trend in audiology awareness among students. However, the awareness of audiology as a potential career path is low relative to that of the professions of optometry and podiatry for those with self-reported knowledge. Future surveys should be distributed to entering college students at other universities, varying in size, location, and demographics.

AMS/DOE Fellowship Recipients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Armstrong, Stephanie

The AMS/DOE graduate fellowships were awarded to three students entering their first year of graduate study. The funds allowed each student to take a full course load during their first of year of graduate study which helps each of them to enter the professional, scientific community at an earlier date. Each recipient is academically outstanding, received glowing references of support and demonstrated their strong desire to perform scientific research. As part of the fellowship, each of the students was invited to attend the AMS Annual Meeting where they got to participate in the AMS student conference, attend scientific sessions andmore » visit the exhibition hall. In addition, a student awards luncheon was held where each of the recipients got to meet their sponsor and receive a certificate.« less

Why Real-Life Writing Benefits Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, John

1987-01-01

Recent research indicates that journalistic reporting and writing techniques effectively develop language arts competency. Such writing techniques should be taught long before the student enters high school. Benefits of real-life writing to students are discussed. (MT)

Credentialism among Graduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodt, Martha McGinty; Thielens, Wagner, Jr.

1985-01-01

An exploratory study of students entering four elite fields found that most sought both credentials and competence. Stiff competition within chosen occupations led the majority of students to seek every advantage that graduate education could provide. (Author/MLW)

Structural damages of L'Aquila (Italy) earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, H.; Bilgin, H.; Yilmaz, S.; Binici, H.; Öztas, A.

2010-03-01

On 6 April 2009 an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 occurred in L'Aquila city, Italy. In the city center and surrounding villages many masonry and reinforced concrete (RC) buildings were heavily damaged or collapsed. After the earthquake, the inspection carried out in the region provided relevant results concerning the quality of the materials, method of construction and the performance of the structures. The region was initially inhabited in the 13th century and has many historic structures. The main structural materials are unreinforced masonry (URM) composed of rubble stone, brick, and hollow clay tile. Masonry units suffered the worst damage. Wood flooring systems and corrugated steel roofs are common in URM buildings. Moreover, unconfined gable walls, excessive wall thicknesses without connection with each other are among the most common deficiencies of poorly constructed masonry structures. These walls caused an increase in earthquake loads. The quality of the materials and the construction were not in accordance with the standards. On the other hand, several modern, non-ductile concrete frame buildings have collapsed. Poor concrete quality and poor reinforcement detailing caused damage in reinforced concrete structures. Furthermore, many structural deficiencies such as non-ductile detailing, strong beams-weak columns and were commonly observed. In this paper, reasons why the buildings were damaged in the 6 April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy are given. Some suggestions are made to prevent such disasters in the future.

What Do I Want to Be with My PhD? The Roles of Personal Values and Structural Dynamics in Shaping the Career Interests of Recent Biomedical Science PhD Graduates

PubMed Central

Gibbs, Kenneth D.; Griffin, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

Interest in faculty careers decreases as graduate training progresses; however, the process underlying career-interest formation remains poorly defined. To better understand this process and whether/how it differs across social identity (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender), we conducted focus groups with 38 biomedical scientists who received PhDs between 2006 and 2011, including 23 women and 18 individuals from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds. Objective performance and quality of advisor relationships were not significantly different between scientists with high versus low interest in faculty careers. Career interests were fluid and formed in environments that generally lacked structured career development. Vicarious learning shaped similar outcome expectations about academic careers for all scientists; however, women and URMs recounted additional, distinct experiences and expectations. Scientists pursuing faculty careers described personal values, which differed by social identity, as their primary driver. For scientists with low interest in faculty careers, a combination of values, shared across social identity, and structural dynamics of the biomedical workforce (e.g., job market, grant funding, postdoc pay, etc.) played determinative roles. These findings illuminate the complexity of career choice and suggest attracting the best, most diverse academic workforce requires institutional leaders and policy makers go beyond developing individual skill, attending to individuals’ values and promoting institutional and systemic reforms. PMID:24297297

Effects of post-harvest treatment using chitosan from Mucor circinelloides on fungal pathogenicity and quality of table grapes during storage.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Carlos Eduardo Vasconcelos; Magnani, Marciane; de Sales, Camila Veríssimo; Pontes, Alline Lima de Souza; Campos-Takaki, Galba Maria; Stamford, Thayza Christina Montenegro; de Souza, Evandro Leite

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to extract chitosan (CHI) from Mucor circinelloides UCP 050 grown in a corn steep liquor (CSL)-based medium under optimized conditions and to assess the efficacy of the obtained CHI to inhibit the post-harvest pathogenic fungi Aspergillus niger URM 5162 and Rhizopus stolonifer URM 3482 in laboratory media and as a coating on table grapes (Vitis labrusca L.). The effect of CHI coating on some physical, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the fruits during storage was assessed. The greatest amount of CHI was extracted from M. circinelloides UCP 050 grown in medium containing 7 g of CSL per 100 mL at pH 5.5 with rotation at 180 rpm. CHI from M. circinelloides UCP 050 caused morphological changes in the spores of the fungal strains tested and inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination. CHI coating delayed the growth of the assayed fungal strains in artificially infected grapes, as well as autochthonous mycoflora during storage. CHI coating preserved the quality of grapes during storage, as measured by their physical, physicochemical and sensory attributes. These results demonstrate that edible coatings derived from M. circinelloides CHI could be a useful alternative for controlling pathogenic fungi and maintaining the post-harvest quality of table grapes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What do I want to be with my PhD? The roles of personal values and structural dynamics in shaping the career interests of recent biomedical science PhD graduates.

PubMed

Gibbs, Kenneth D; Griffin, Kimberly A

2013-01-01

Interest in faculty careers decreases as graduate training progresses; however, the process underlying career-interest formation remains poorly defined. To better understand this process and whether/how it differs across social identity (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender), we conducted focus groups with 38 biomedical scientists who received PhDs between 2006 and 2011, including 23 women and 18 individuals from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds. Objective performance and quality of advisor relationships were not significantly different between scientists with high versus low interest in faculty careers. Career interests were fluid and formed in environments that generally lacked structured career development. Vicarious learning shaped similar outcome expectations about academic careers for all scientists; however, women and URMs recounted additional, distinct experiences and expectations. Scientists pursuing faculty careers described personal values, which differed by social identity, as their primary driver. For scientists with low interest in faculty careers, a combination of values, shared across social identity, and structural dynamics of the biomedical workforce (e.g., job market, grant funding, postdoc pay, etc.) played determinative roles. These findings illuminate the complexity of career choice and suggest attracting the best, most diverse academic workforce requires institutional leaders and policy makers go beyond developing individual skill, attending to individuals' values and promoting institutional and systemic reforms.

Requalification of a Brazilian Trichoderma Collection and Screening of Its Capability to Decolourise Real Textile Effluent

PubMed Central

Silva Lisboa, Dianny; Santos, Cledir; Barbosa, Renan N.; Magalhães, Oliane; Paiva, Laura M.; Moreira, Keila A.; Lima, Nelson; Souza-Motta, Cristina M.

2017-01-01

Water contamination with large amounts of industrial textile coloured effluents is an environmental concern. For the treatment of textile effluents, white-rot fungi have received extensive attention due to their powerful capability to produce oxidative (e.g., ligninolytic) enzymes. In addition, other groups of fungi, such as species of Aspergillus and Trichoderma, have also been used for textile effluents treatment. The main aim of the present study was to requalify a Brazilian Trichoderma culture collection of 51 Trichoderma strains, isolated from different sources in Brazil and preserved in the oldest Latin-American Fungal Service Culture Collection, The Micoteca URM WDCM 804 (Recife, Brazil). Fungal isolates were re-identified through a polyphasic approach including macro- and micro-morphology and molecular biology, and screened for their capability to decolourise real effluents collected directly from storage tanks of a textile manufacture. Trichoderma atroviride URM 4950 presented the best performance on the dye decolourisation in real textile effluent and can be considered in a scale-up process at industrial level. Overall, the potential of Trichoderma strains in decolourising real textile dye present in textile effluent and the production of the oxidative enzymes Lac, LiP and MnP was demonstrated. Fungal strains are available in the collection e-catalogue to be further explored from the biotechnological point of view. PMID:28368305

International Students' Experiences of Integrating into the Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunes, Sarah; Arthur, Nancy

2013-01-01

This study explored the integration experiences of 16 international students entering the Canadian workforce using a semistructured interview and constant comparison method. The international students were pursuing immigration to Canada, despite unmet job prospects. Students recommended that employers refrain from discriminating against students…

Educational Technology and Student Voice: Examining Teacher Candidates' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byker, Erik Jon; Putman, S. Michael; Handler, Laura; Polly, Drew

2017-01-01

Student Voice is a term that honors the participatory roles that students have when they enter learning spaces like classrooms. Student Voice is the recognition of students' choice, creativity, and freedom. Seminal educationists--like Dewey and Montessori--centered the purposes of education in the flourishing and valuing of Student Voice. This…

Student-Development Preparation and Placement: A Longitudinal Study of Graduate Students' and New Professionals' Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Jayne; Sherman, Karen J.

1991-01-01

Examined graduate students' and new professionals' choices and satisfaction with careers, preparation programs, and mentor relationships. Findings from four phases of longitudinal study begun in 1983 with graduate students in student development field suggest that entering students need to be adequately informed about changing career options in…

The Evolution of Student Identity: A Case of Caveat Emptor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Linda; Spolander, Gary; Ali, Imran; Maas, Beulah

2014-01-01

Engaging students has been seen as the key to promoting their achievement in higher education institutions. However, there is an important stage prior to this: the development of a positive student identity which influences students' motivation to engage. As the student body has evolved from full-time, on-campus students entering university…

Structured Communication: Effects on Teaching Efficacy of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgar, Don W.; Roberts, T. Grady; Murphy, Tim H.

2009-01-01

Teaching efficacy beliefs of agricultural science student teachers during field experiences may affect the number of student teachers entering the profession. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects implementing structured communication between cooperating teachers and student teachers would have on student teachers' self-perceived…

College Students' Preinstructional Ideas about Stars and Star Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Janelle M.; Prather, Edward E.; Johnson, Bruce; Slater, Timothy F.

2009-01-01

This study (Note 1) investigated the beliefs about stars that students hold when they enter an undergraduate introductory astronomy course for nonscience majors. Students' preinstructional ideas were investigated through the use of several student-supplied-response (SSR) surveys, which asked students to describe their ideas about topics such as…

Do They Stay or Do They Go? The Switching Decisions of Individuals Who Enter Gender Atypical College Majors

PubMed Central

Riegle-Crumb, Catherine; King, Barbara; Moore, Chelsea

2016-01-01

Drawing on prior theoretical and empirical research on gender segregation within educational fields as well as occupations, we examine the pathways of college students who at least initially embark on a gender-atypical path. Specifically, we explore whether women who enter fields that are male-dominated are more likely to switch fields than their female peers who have chosen other fields, as well as whether men who enter female-dominated majors are more likely to subsequently switch fields than their male peers who have chosen a more normative field. We utilize a sample of 3702 students from a nationally representative dataset on U.S. undergraduates, the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS 2004/09). Logistic regression models examine the likelihood that students switch majors, controlling for students’ social and academic background. Results reveal different patterns for men and women. Men who enter a female-dominated major are significantly more likely to switch majors than their male peers in other majors. By contrast, women in male-dominated fields are not more likely to switch fields compared to their female peers in other fields. The results are robust to supplementary analyses that include alternative specifications of the independent and dependent variables. The implications of our findings for the maintenance of gendered occupational segregation are discussed. PMID:27152062

Entering Research: A course that creates community and structure for beginning undergraduate researchers in the STEM disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balster, N.

2009-12-01

The benefits of undergraduate research are well documented such that these experiences have been incorporated into many school curricula. However, students still face many challenges (e.g. community establishment, identifying a mentor) when beginning research or are insufficiently supported to be successful in them. To help students overcome these challenges, we developed a novel course, called Entering Research, which helps undergraduates navigate the research experience and provides a supportive community of peers and experienced researchers as course facilitators. Following a teaching as research model, we studied the impact of this course over the three years it has been offered (2006-09). To date, 83 students who completed the course were given a pre and post assessment of learning gains (77% response). These students were also asked to answer a series of questions related to confidence, skills, and knowledge at course end, which we also compared to a group of similar students (n=92) who did not take the course, but were engaged in undergraduate research (63% response). Overall, we found that students value the Entering Research course, as they rated all of the topics covered in the seminar as helpful to their learning. Learning about research ethics and developing a research proposal were rated as most helpful, while web-based discussions and visiting peer laboratories were ranked lowest among the 20 survey questions. Relative to the post assessments, when aggregated by category, confidence, skill, and knowledge all significantly increased: knowledge at 22%, followed by skills (13%), and confidence (10%). All but two areas of confidence were self-rated as significant gains (p<0.01). All but two skills showed significant increases (p<0.01). And all five knowledge questions increased significantly (p<0.01). To test if these gains were related to the course, we compared these results to control group assessments. Students in the Entering Research course were significantly more confident in their ability to identify scientific misconduct (p<0.01), as well as in their ability to make connections between their research experience and their biology or physical sciences coursework (p<0.01). The Entering Research students self-reported greater skill in developing a research project, conducting a research project, and analyzing data (p<0.05). There were similar significant gains in knowledge. Importantly, almost a third of the students enrolled in Entering Research indicate that they would not have pursued independent research without the support of the course. This course was equally rewarding to faculty facilitators who were also assessed as part of this three-year study. The results of this study demonstrate the value in a course that supports beginning undergraduate research. We hypothesize that the implementation of similar courses at other institutions will increase the attraction of science to diverse students, and provide a mechanism for creating community and connections that transcended individual research projects.

Preceptors' Expectations of Nursing Students' Preparation before Placement in Psychiatry: Ability and Will to Reflect on and Exercise Knowledge.

PubMed

Kirkbakk-Fjær, Kari; Andfossen, Nina Beate; Hedelin, Birgitta

2015-04-01

Nursing students must be prepared to provide nursing care regardless of the patient's illness. This requires that nursing education, including clinical placements, strengthen knowledge and skills in mental health nursing. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe 15 preceptors' expectations of nursing students' preparedness before they entered the psychiatric field. Data was collected with focus group interviews and analysed using conventional content analysis. The findings show that preceptors are concerned about the nursing students' will and ability to reflect on and exercise knowledge for managing the student role and themselves; for adapting their perspective on humanity; for their understanding of illness and how they are interacting with persons with mental illness. The conclusion is that the preceptors expect the educators to give sufficient theoretical knowledge and assess the students' personal maturity prior to entering the psychiatric field.

First year medical student experiences with being discouraged from entering medical school.

PubMed

Imperato, P J; Nayeri, K

1991-06-01

Three hundred and fourteen first year medical students from two consecutive classes were surveyed for their experiences with being discouraged from entering medical school. Sixty-eight percent (215) had been discouraged from becoming physicians. The sources of discouragement were varied, with 43% citing physician acquaintances and 40% friends and neighbors. Parents were the principal source of encouragement (58%) followed by friends and neighbors (47%). More students (34%) were encouraged by undergraduate professors and advisors than by their family doctor (23%), a physician relative (18%), or a physician acquaintance (31%). Discouragement centered on three broad areas: diminished financial rewards, increased financial costs, and quality of life.

Career and training patterns of students entering Canadian medical schools in 1965.

PubMed Central

Roos, N. P.; Fish, D. G.

1975-01-01

This paper follows the careers of the 1128 students who entered Canadian medical schools in 1965, most of whom graduated in 1969. The type of career pursued (whether general or specialty practice or some combination thereof), the type of specialty undertaken, the place of internship and residency training and the 1973 practice location of the graduates are examined. The wide variation in careers followed by the 12 schools' graduates provides the major focus of the paper. PMID:1109728

Advising African American and Latino Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roscoe, Jason L.

2015-01-01

The volume of minority students entering colleges and universities will increase significantly over the next thirty-five years. Many of these students are statistically under-prepared both academically and socially for the higher education environment. To meet the needs of current and future minority students, particularly those from African…

Hypothetical Biotechnology Companies: A Role-Playing Student Centered Activity for Undergraduate Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuck, Jo-Anne

2011-01-01

Science students leaving undergraduate programs are entering the biotechnology industry where they are presented with issues which require integration of science content. Students find this difficult as through-out their studies, most content is limited to a single subdiscipline (e.g., biochemistry, immunology). In addition, students need…

What Can We Expect from A-Level Mathematics Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Duncan

1997-01-01

Discusses the results obtained by students with A-level mathematics on Coventry University's diagnostic test in October 1997. Compares these results with those of students who entered the university in 1991. Provides detailed analysis of specific questions that indicate those areas in which students with grade A clearly outperform students with…

Distress under Duress: The Relationship between Campus Climate and Depression in Asian American College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cress, Christine M.; Ikeda, Elaine K.

2003-01-01

Student perceptions of negative campus climate were predictive of Asian American students' depression levels in spite of students' entering proclivities toward depression and in spite of varying institutional types. Higher education institutions that are perceived by students to discriminate against individuals may put their Asian American…

The Mediating Effects of Approaches to Learning on the Academic Success of First-Year College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valadas, Sandra T.; Almeida, Leandro S.; Araújo, Alexandra M.

2017-01-01

Students' personal predictors of academic success are particularly relevant for first-year college students, given the specific challenges that these students face when entering higher education (HE). Academic success in HE has been related to multiple factors, including the students' approaches to learning (SAL), satisfaction (linked to…

Stress and cardiometabolic manifestations among Saudi students entering universities: a cross-sectional observational study.

PubMed

Al-Daghri, Nasser M; Al-Othman, Abdulaziz; Al-Attas, Omar S; Alkharfy, Khalid M; Alokail, Majed S; Albanyan, Abdulmajeed; Sabico, Shaun; Chrousos, George P

2014-04-23

In this observational study, we aimed to see whether transition in Saudi students entering university life could be a breeding stage for cardiometabolic risk factor emergence and clustering. A total of 1878 apparently healthy Saudi students of the Preparatory Year, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA (1112 men and 766 women) spanning 2 academic years were included. They were divided into 2 groups based on the validated perceived stress test (PST). Anthropometrics were obtained and fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of fasting blood glucose and a lipid profile. PST score (>27) considered indicative of stress was noted in 44.4% of students. The prevalence of this score was higher in women than in men (49.7% versus 40.7%). The prevalence of obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in men than women (p < 0.01), and this was even more apparent among stressed men, who had a significantly higher prevalence of all the above cardiometabolic factors than the non-stressed ones (p < 0.01). Perceived stress is alarmingly high among Saudi students entering universities. This study sheds light on the social responsibility of universities in promoting a healthy lifestyle, particularly in this age group, when exposure to different kinds of stressors may result in body weight and metabolic changes.

Why Underprepared Students Drop out College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattison, Helen

2012-01-01

Many students are entering college underprepared and do not earn a degree because of the many barriers they encounter. The purpose of this study was to identify reasons underprepared students did not complete college and to examine strategies, resources, and programs that underprepared students could have used to persist in college. The…

Can't Do Maths--Understanding Students' Maths Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metje, N.; Frank, H. L.; Croft, P.

2007-01-01

The number of students continuing with their mathematics education post GCSE level has declined in recent years and hence students entering Engineering degrees are reducing. The University of Birmingham recognized this problem and introduced the Suite of Technology programme (STP) which no longer requires students to have A-level mathematics.…

At Issue: Developmental Education and the Success of Our Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daiek, Deborah; Dixon, Shirley; Talbert, Linda

2012-01-01

The growing national evidence on the number of students who enter community colleges with weak academic skills demonstrates the dramatic increase in the incidence of underprepared students matriculating into postsecondary education. But the same evidence demonstrates that what happens to these developmental students upon enrolling into…

Experiences of Students with Visual Impairments in Canadian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Maureen; Curtis, Kathryn

2012-01-01

Introduction: This article presents a study of the higher education experiences of students with visual impairments in Canada. Methods: Students with visual impairments and the staff members of disability programs were surveyed and interviewed regarding the students' experiences in entering higher education and completing their higher education…

Listening to Students and Faculty: The Value to Developmental Education Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifton, Connie J.

2013-01-01

Helping students complete developmental course sequences and graduate from college is one of the biggest challenges facing community college leaders and educators. The majority of entering students need one or more developmental courses yet most of these students never finish the developmental sequence. Colleges are continuously developing new…

Secondary Students' Views on Occupational Sex Stereotyping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Diane S.

A study of Indiana high school students sought to identify the extent of nontraditional occupational selection, awareness by the students of sex stereotyping influences, and their strategies for the promotion of educational equity. Results indicated that almost all students (80%) planned to enter occupations traditional for their sex. More females…

Facts & Figures on 199 Colleges & Universities for American Indian Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winds of Change, 1999

1999-01-01

Provides statistical data on 199 colleges that have an American Indian community to provide student support and that graduate a good percentage of their Indian undergraduates. Includes enrollment; affiliations; costs; data on all students, faculty, and entering freshmen; data on Indian students and graduates; and financial, academic, and support…

Using Narrative Career Counseling with the Underprepared College Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Amber N.; Gibbons, Melinda M.; Mynatt, Blair

2013-01-01

An increasing number of students enter college underprepared. These students do not have the academic skills to take college-level courses and are placed in remedial classes. Career counseling can help underprepared college students make educated career decisions based on their current situations. This article explores the characteristics of…

Students' Perceptions toward Academic Competencies: The Case of German First-Year Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mah, Dana-Kristin; Ifenthaler, Dirk

2018-01-01

Students often enter higher education academically unprepared and with unrealistic perceptions and expectations regarding academic competencies for their studies. However, preparedness and realistic perceptions are important factors for student retention. With regard to a proposed model of five academic competencies (time management, learning…

Small-Group Interview-Based Discussions about Diffused Shadow.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eshach, Haim

2003-01-01

Investigates students' changes in conception about diffused shadows during Nussbaum and Novick's suggested sequence of teaching. Reports that (a) students'"entering" ideas were unstable, (b) language and materialistic views of light influenced students' ideas, (c) students' ideas were influenced by group concepts of the nature of light,…

Student Characteristics Mediating Engagement-Outcome Relationships in Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Stephen

This study investigated the relationship between engagement and achievement for college students in an intermediate swimming class. It also examined this relationship for students who entered the class with different initial skill levels, different previous experience with the subject matter, and for students of different gender. The methodology…

National Study of Student Support Services. Third-Year Longitudinal Study Results and Program Implementation Study Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaney, Bradford; Muraskin, Lana; Cahalan, Margaret; Rak, Rebecca

This follow-up study, part of the National Study of Student Support Services compared the status of 2,900 disadvantaged students receiving student support services (SSS) since entering college 3 years earlier and 2,900 nonparticipating comparable students. Services offered varied among institutions but were all intended to help students stay in…

First impressions count: does FAIRness affect adaptation of clinical clerks in their first clinical placement?

PubMed

Edafe, Ovie; Mistry, Natasha; Chan, Philip

2013-09-01

FAIRness (Feedback, Activity, Individualisation, Relevance) teaching is a structured program, comprising series of classes in which student work is anonymised and reviewed by the whole class, as well as students receiving private feedback on their written work. The class work emphasises logic, structure and order in history and examination, with a diagnostic and management focus. The effect of FAIRness teaching methods on the adaptation of medical students entering their first clinical rotations was studied. 18 students in FAIRness placements and 72 students in conventional placements, all in medical/surgical units in the same University teaching hospital were studied. They completed questionnaires relating to effectiveness and quality of clinical teaching. Some students additionally attended focus groups, at the start of placement to discuss their expectations, and after 3 weeks, to discuss their adaptation to the clinical learning environment. All students entering clinical placements had low expectations of their future teaching. Students in standard placements still expressed negative attitudes after 3 weeks, while students on FAIRness placements felt positive. Students in FAIRness placements scored significantly higher on questions related to feedback and review of student work. FAIRness teaching practices help students to adapt to their first clinical placements.

Actively Encouraging Learning and Degree Persistence in Advanced Astrophysics Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Daniel H.

2018-01-01

The need to grow and diversify the STEM workforce remains a critical national challenge. Less than 40% of college students interested in STEM achieve a bachelor's degree. These numbers are even more dire for women and URMs, underscoring a serious concern about the country's ability to remain competitive in science and tech. A major factor is persistent performance gaps in rigorous 'gateway' and advanced STEM courses for majors from diverse backgrounds leading to discouragement, a sense of exclusion, and high dropout rates. Education research has clearly demonstrated that interactive-engagement (`active learning') strategies increase performance, boost confidence, and help build positive 'identity' in STEM. Likewise, the evidence shows that traditional science education practices do not help most students gain a genuine understanding of concepts nor the necessary skill set to succeed in their disciplines. Yet, lecture-heavy courses continue to dominate the higher-ed curriculum, thus, reinforcing the tired notion that only a small percentage of 'special' students have the inherent ability to achieve a STEM degree. In short, very capable students with less experience and confidence in science, who belong to groups that traditionally are less identified with STEM careers, are effectively and efficiently 'weeded out' by traditional education practices. I will share specific examples for how I successfully incorporate active learning in advanced astrophysics courses to encourage students from all backgrounds to synthesize complex ideas, build bedrock conceptual frameworks, gain technical communication skills, and achieve mastery learning outcomes all necessary to successfully complete rigorous degrees like astrophysics. By creating an inclusive and active learning experience in junior-level extragalactic and stellar interiors/atmospheres courses, I am helping students gain fluency in their chosen major and the ability to 'think like a scientist', both critical to improving STEM degree retention and degree-completion rates. My long-term mission is to see STEM degree programs at U.S. colleges and universities adopt active learning strategies as the curricular norm. Understanding the benefits of this evidence-based best practice is a key step to increasing and diversifying the national STEM degree recipient pool.

Attractiveness of family medicine for medical students: influence of research and debt.

PubMed

Vanasse, Alain; Orzanco, Maria Gabriela; Courteau, Josiane; Scott, Sarah

2011-06-01

To examine the association between students' personal characteristics, backgrounds, and medical schools and their intention to enter a family medicine (FM) specialty. Descriptive study using data from the 2007 National Physician Survey. Canada. Clinical (n=1109) and preclinical (n=829) medical student respondents to the 2007 National Physician Survey. The main variable was hoping to enter an FM specialty, and 40 independent variables were included in regression and classification-tree models. Fewer than 1 medical student in 3 (30.2% at the preclinical level and 31.4% at the clinical level) hoped to enter into an FM career. Those who did were more likely to be female, were slightly older, were more frequently married or living with partners, were typically born in Canada, and were more likely to have previous exposure to non-urban environments. The most important predictor for both populations was the debt related to medical studies, which acted in the opposite direction of whether or not students were interested in research. Students interested in research were attracted by specialties with high earning potential, while those not interested in research looked for short residency programs, such as FM, so they could begin to pay off debt sooner. Therefore, the interest in research appears to be inversely related to the choice of FM. Less than one-third of medical students were looking for residencies in FM in Canada. This is far below the goals of 45% set at the national level and 50% set by some provinces like Quebec. Debt and interest in research have strong influences on the choice of residency by medical students.

A National Study of Student Early Alert Programs at Two-Year Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Darla Michelle Keel

2012-01-01

Approximately half of students at the community college level leave the institution before degree completion. Community college students are more likely than four-year students to be first-generation students, attend school part-time, be less prepared academically, work full-time, have family responsibilities, and have entered college later in…

College Student Employment: Patterns and Profiles. Maryland Longitudinal Study Research Highlights. Research Report 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Univ., College Park. Maryland Longitudinal Study Steering Committee.

As part of the Maryland Longitudinal Study of 772 students entering the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) in the fall of 1980, a study was conducted to determine patterns of college student employment and profiles of students in different employment categories. Findings included the following: (1) approximately 40% of students were…

Factors Influencing Student Prerequisite Preparation for and Subsequent Performance in College Chemistry Two: A Statistical Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easter, David C.

2010-01-01

For students entering Chemistry Two following a Chemistry One course, an assessment exam was given and the results were evaluated in combination with other variables to develop a predictive model that forecasts student achievement in the course. Variables considered in the analysis included student major, GPA, classification (student standing:…

Reverse Transfer Student Characteristics--Fall 1979. Office of Institutional Research, Research Report 80-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drakulich, J. Scott; Karlen, Janice M.

In order to determine the characteristics of students who transferred to Essex County College from four-year institutions in Fall 1979, the responses of 88 reverse transfer students (RTS's) to 84 items on the entering student demographic questionnaire were compared to the responses of 2,087 new Fall 1979 students. The questionnaire solicited…

Student Retention at Prince George's Community College. Research Brief RB89-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Craig A.

A study was conducted at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) to examine student retention in two ways. First, the percentage of fall 1987 students who returned for classes the following spring was calculated for several student groups. Second, students entering PGCC for the first time in 1980 were tracked in terms of attendance and degree…

Using Self-Determination Theory to build communities of support to aid in the retention of women in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell, Elizabeth M.; Verhoeven, Yen; Christman, Jeanne W.; Garrick, Robert D.

2018-05-01

Diverse perspectives are required to address the technological problems facing our world. Although women perform as well as their male counterparts in math and science prior to entering college, the numbers of women students entering and completing engineering programmes are far below their representation in the workforce. This paper reports on a qualitative, multiyear study of the experiences of women students in an Engineering Technology programme. The project addressed some of the unique, fundamental challenges that female students face within their programmes, and the authors describe a programmatic framework based on Self-Determination Theory as an intervention for the recruitment and retention of female engineering students. Data from focus groups and interviews show how students were supported in their undergraduate experiences and how inclusive learning environments are needed to further improve outcomes. Conceptual issues and methodological considerations of our outcomes are presented.

Who Becomes a Physics Major? A Long-term Longitudinal Study Examining the Roles of Pre-college Beliefs about Physics and Learning Physics, Interest, and Academic Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, Katherine K.; Gratny, Mindy

2010-10-01

In this paper, we examine the correlation between students' beliefs upon entering college and their likelihood of continuing on to become a physics major. Since 2004, we have collected CLASS survey and self-reported level-of-interest responses from students in the first-term, introductory calculus-based physics course (N>2500). Here, we conduct a retrospective analysis of students' incoming CLASS scores and level of interest, comparing those students who go on to become physics majors with those who do not. We find the incoming CLASS scores and reported interest of these future physics majors to be substantially higher than the class average, indicating that these students enter their first college course already having quite expert-like beliefs. The comparative differences are much smaller for grades, SAT score, and university predicted-GPA.

Integrating independent research into science curricula to foster STEM leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queenan, Craig; Calabro, Alyssa; Becker, David

2013-05-01

Preparing students for college and future careers is one of the main goals of K-12 education, but current STEM teaching methods do not do enough to interest students and leave them prepared to enter into and succeed in STEM careers. While measures to implement unifying standards for science education across the country are aimed at ensuring that all students are taught the same material at each grade level, a shift in the way science is taught to is needed to complete the redesign of science education. The independent research model described here aligns with the new content standards and focuses on developing the principles of perspective, purpose, resources, collaboration, analysis, and presentation. These principles not only engage students in the classroom, but also leave students prepared to enter into science programs in college and succeed in leadership roles in the STEM workforce.

Auto Service. Vocational Preparation Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usoro, Hogan

Intended for instructors serving the occupational needs of disadvantaged and handicapped students, this curriculum guide contains 21 units for an auto service program. Its purposes are to provide minimum skills for students entering the mainstream, supplement vocational skills of students already mainstreamed, and provide vocational instructional…

The motivation of massage therapy students to enter professional education.

PubMed

Finch, Paul

2004-12-01

In Ontario massage therapy is a regulated health profession, and it has been speculated that massage therapy students are motivated primarily by altruistic values, as has been documented in medicine. Students at Sutherland-Chan School and Teaching Clinic in Ontario were surveyed regarding their motivation to enter massage therapy education, with the intention of assessing the influence of certain value complexes on their decision. The results indicate that their decision was influenced more strongly by intrinsic values related to helping and working with people than by the prospect of extrinsic rewards (p < 0.0005). This supports a belief commonly held within the professional community, and bodies well for the future of massage therapy as a caring profession.

The relationship between preadmission indicators and basic math skills at a new school of pharmacy.

PubMed

Grillo, J A; Latif, D A; Stolte, S K

2001-02-01

To examine the relationship between preadmission indicators of 49 PharmD students entering their first professional year at a new school of pharmacy and their scores on a Basic Math Skills Test (BMST). A secondary objective was to determine what factors, if any, contributed to the successful completion of the BMST. This cross-sectional investigation used a convenience sample of PharmD students entering the first professional year at a three-year-old, private, southeastern school of pharmacy. All first-year students who took the mandatory BMST, as part of a math mentor plot program, were eligible for enrollment. The BMST covered nine different competencies and was validated at the grade-8 level. Math test scores, the student's Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT), and other demographic and scholastic information was obtained from the student's application file in a retrospective manner. All identifiers were removed before the data were submitted to the investigators. Statistical analysis suggested that two preadmission indicators strongly influenced BMST performance: percentile scores on the quantitative section of the PCAT (POAT-OP) and whether the student attended a private or public university prior to admission to the pharmacy school. In addition, four factors significantiy contributed to successful completion of the BMST: math/science grade point average (MS-GPA), PCAT percentile scores, PCAT-QP percentile scores, and the number of BMST Items left blank. A relationship exists between preadmission indicators of PharmD students entering their first professional year and their BMST score. In addition, certain identifiable factors impact BMST scores of first-year PharmD students. Admissions committees may find this useful in identifying students who may need remedial math assistance prior to beginning math-intensive courses such as pharmaceutical calculations and pharmacokinetics.

Traditional learning and problem-based learning: self-perception of preparedness for internship.

PubMed

Millan, Laís Pereira Bueno; Semer, Beatriz; Rodrigues, José Mauro da Silva; Gianini, Reinaldo José

2012-01-01

This study aims to evaluate Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) medical students' perception of their preparedness to attend the internship course by comparing students who entered the internship in 2009, who were taught according to the traditional learning method, and those who entered the internship in 2010, who were taught according to the new method, i.e. problem-based learning (PBL). 50 traditional learning method students answered a standard Lickert scale questionnaire upon entering internship in 2009. In 2010, the process was repeated with PBL students. The questionnaire was based upon the Preparation for Hospital Practice Questionnaire. This questionnaire was evaluated by professors from three medical schools in Brazil regarding its applicability. The original questions were classified according to the importance these professors attributed to them, and less important questions were removed. Scores obtained from the Student's t-test were considered significant with p < 0.05. A significant statistical difference was observed in 16 questions, and the traditional learning method students reported higher average scores. When questions were divided into dimensions, a significant statistical difference appeared in the dimensions " social aspects of health", "medical skills", and "ethical concepts"; traditional learning method students again reported higher scores (p < 0.001 for all dimensions). Higher scores were also reported when the average of the answers to the whole questionnaire was calculated. Traditional learning method students consider themselves to be better prepared for internship activities than PBL students, according to the following three comparative means: by analyzing the answers to each question, by grouping these answers into dimensions, and by calculating the means of answers to the whole questionnaire.

Teaching Public Administration in a Post-Literate Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brumback, Richard A.

1988-01-01

The problem of students entering universities and graduate programs with sub-standard communication skills is becoming more pronounced. Teaching communication skills is an important vehicle for enhancing student work. (BSR)

Are STEM High School Students Entering the STEM Pipeline?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franco, M. Suzanne; Patel, Nimisha H.; Lindsey, Jill

2012-01-01

This study compared the career skills and interests for students in two STEM schools to national data. Students completed the KUDER skills assessment and career planning online tools. Results were compared across school, grade level, and sex. The results provided evidence that STEM high school students expressed career intents in predominately…

Understanding and Working with Attention Deficit Disorder Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttery, Thomas J.

2009-01-01

From a holistic perspective the term attention refers to a student's capacity to focus, direct and sustain their attention on a particular stimulus within their environment for a significant period of time. The development of students' attention spans develops progressively from the time they enter school. From the beginning some students have…

Debunking the Librarian "Gene": Designing Online Information Literacy Instruction for Incoming Library Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Annette

2017-01-01

Information workers are not born information fluent. Like other students, incoming library science students enter graduate programs with a broad range of information and technology skills. The aim of this study was to determine if systematically designed online tutorials would be effective in preparing university students with information literacy…

Biennial Transfer Student Report, 1994/1995 and 1995/1996 Academic Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umbach, Paul; Harrell, Sally

This report presents information on the academic achievement of students who transferred from Tidewater Community College (TCC) (Virginia) to four-year institutions. Based on student data from 1994-1996, and the results of a transfer survey of students entering four-year institutions in 1995-1996, statistics are provided that include: (1) between…

Personal Factors that Influence Deaf College Students' Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albertini, John A.; Kelly, Ronald R.; Matchett, Mary Karol

2012-01-01

Research tells us that academic preparation is key to deaf students' success at college. Yet, that is not the whole story. Many academically prepared students drop out during their first year. This study identified entering deaf college students' personal factors as assessed by their individual responses to both the "Noel-Levitz College…

Differences in Student Engagement of Entering Texas Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Trevena B.

2013-01-01

Improving the academic achievement of students for success in college in ways that lead to college degree attainment is a growing concern for our nation. Educators are exploring the topic of student engagement to better understand critical issues surrounding college degree attainment. Through analysis of data collected from the Survey of Entering…

Increasing Student Engagement with Practical Classes through Online Pre-Lab Quizzes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cann, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Laboratory practicals classes are an essential component of all science degrees, but are a pinch point because of rising student numbers, rising student expectations and falling student exposure to laboratory work prior to entering higher education. Augmentation of physical laboratory work with online interventions is not new, but as virtual…

Influences of Cultural Characteristics of Minority Students on Academic Choices at a Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Anthony Daron

2012-01-01

This quantitative quasi experimental study compared and analyzed African American/black, Hispanic/Latino, and Caucasian/white American students' selection to enter a certificate, technical, or transferable degree program at a community college. This study explored the relationship between students' race/ethnicity and the students'…

Testing the Utility of Person-Environment Correspondence Theory with Instructional Technology Students in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkmen, Serkan

2012-01-01

The main objective of this study was to examine the validity and usefulness of the person-environment correspondence theory with instructional technology students in Turkey. The participants included 211 students and three teachers. Results revealed that instructional technology students value achievement most and that they believe that entering a…

Designing Differentiated Mathematics Games: "Discarding" the One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Educational Game Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trinter, Christine P.; Brighton, Catherine M.; Moon, Tonya R.

2015-01-01

Primary grade students enter the mathematics classroom with a range of differences including students' mathematical readiness, mathematical conceptions, interests, and learning profiles. Addressing the learning needs of students is not a trivial task, but accounting for these needs is essential for supporting students as they continually work…

Students' Perceptions of Business Ethics: Using Cheating as a Surrogate for Business Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Lynnette S.; Davis, James R.; Kroncke, Charles O.

2009-01-01

Today's college students are entering the workplace at a time when ethical issues are under greater scrutiny. Thus, the authors examined students' perceptions of varying ethical situations, sampling 786 college students at 3 institutions (1 public, 1 Baptist affiliated, 1 Catholic affiliated). The authors used an anonymous survey and statistically…

Opinions of English Major Students about Their Departments' Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zengin, Bugra; Arikan, Arda; Dogan, Duygu

2011-01-01

University websites serve as sharing information with students whether prospective or enrolled. Often, before entering their departments, students visit them to have an idea as to what it would be like to be a part of that university and/or department. In that sense, websites help students in deciding whether the university matches their…

Academic Mentoring and Dropout Prevention for Students in Math, Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larose, Simon; Cyrenne, Diane; Garceau, Odette; Harvey, Marylou; Guay, Frederic; Godin, Fanny; Tarabulsy, George M; Deschenes, Claire

2011-01-01

In this study, we examined the impact of a new academic mentoring program aimed at preventing student dropout in math, science and technology. The MIRES program entails bimonthly meetings between students entering college and university students completing their undergraduate degree in science and engineering. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy; Lapp, Diane

2012-01-01

Students enter the middle grades with varying amounts of background knowledge. Teachers must assess student background knowledge for gaps or misconceptions and then provide instruction to build on that base. This article discusses effective strategies for assessing and developing students' background knowledge so they can become independent…

Understanding Australian Aboriginal Tertiary Student Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Rhonda; Rochecouste, Judith; Bennell, Debra; Anderson, Roz; Cooper, Inala; Forrest, Simon; Exell, Mike

2013-01-01

Drawing from a study of the experiences of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students, this paper presents an overview of the specific needs of these students as they enter and progress through their tertiary education. Extracts from a set of case studies developed from both staff and student interviews and an online…

The Consequences of Delayed Enrollment in Developmental Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fike, David S.; Fike, Renea

2012-01-01

Though a large percentage of U.S. students enter higher education with mathematics deficiencies, many institutions allow these students to decide the timing of their enrollment in developmental mathematics courses. This study of 3476 first-time-in-college students entailed the review of student outcomes (Fall GPA, Fall-to-Spring retention,…

Alcohol Use and American Indian/Alaska Native Student Academic Performance among Tribal Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cometsevah, Cecelia L.

2013-01-01

Student academic performance, persistence, and graduation among American Indian/Alaska Native students in higher education are very low compared to other racial groups. Studies have shown that American Indian students enter higher education with a lack of academic preparedness, financial challenges, lack of social skills development, and lack of…

Knowledge Structures of Entering Computer Networking Students and Their Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiCerbo, Kristen E.

2007-01-01

Students bring prior knowledge to their learning experiences. This prior knowledge is known to affect how students encode and later retrieve new information learned. Teachers and content developers can use information about students' prior knowledge to create more effective lessons and materials. In many content areas, particularly the sciences,…

The Impact of Student Experiences with Diversity on Developing Graduate Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denson, Nida; Zhang, Shirley

2010-01-01

While the emerging body of international research suggests that students' experiences with diversity impact positively on student learning and their preparation for entering a diverse workforce and society, no similar research is available in relation to students in Australian universities. Many of these outcomes, such as problem-solving, ability…

African American Students' Graphic Understanding of the Derivative: Critical Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stringer, Eddy W., III.

2011-01-01

Data suggests that a significant loss of African American students from STEM majors occur between their freshmen and sophomore year. This attrition corresponds to the time period when students encounter the calculus sequence. For this reason, calculus persists as a serious barrier preventing African American students from entering STEM fields.…

An Academic Coaching Model Intervention for College Students on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rando, Heather; Huber, Mary J.; Oswald, Gina R.

2016-01-01

Based on the increasing numbers of students with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering colleges and universities, many schools are at a loss for how to support students needing services outside the typical academic assistance often required by students with disabilities. The diagnostic features and psychiatric characteristics…

Impact of Demographic Variables on African-American Student Athletes' Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Lacey; Fisher, Dwalah; Cavil, J. Kenyatta

2012-01-01

Since the passage of Proposition 48 (NCAA, 1984), African-American student-athletes entering National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) major colleges and universities have meet new challenges in their future as student-athletes. This major change altered the landscape of the future of college athletics particularly for students of color.…

Severity and Gender Effects on Ratings of Sexual Harassment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Mary J.; And Others

Sexual harassment of college students by college faculty is not an uncommon occurrence and may influence women's career decisions to enter male-dominated professions. Attitudes about sexual harassment of college students by professors were examined among 84 male and 84 female college students. Each student was shown one of six scenarios based on…

Professional Knowledge of No-Fee and For-Fee Preservice Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Guang Ping; Zhang, Dewei

2013-01-01

Improving the quality of training for no-fee preservice students is crucial in implementing the no-fee teacher education policy. This study used the Preservice Student Professional Growth Questionnaire to survey the level of professional knowledge of the first class (entering in 2007) of Northeast Normal University preservice students during the…

Who Wants to Become a Teacher? Typology of Student-Teachers' Commitment to Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Ikupa; Berry, Amanda; Saab, Nadira; Admiraal, Wilfried

2017-01-01

Understanding student-teachers' decisions to enter and stay in the teaching profession after graduation could help teacher educators to find appropriate procedures to enhance commitment to teaching. This study classified student-teachers based on their levels of commitment to teaching, and described these types based on student-teachers'…

Participatory Sketching as a Tool to Address Student's Public Speaking Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rattine-Flaherty, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

In a diverse, interconnected, and results-oriented world, students need to be confident and well-prepared public speakers. However, many students entering public speaking classrooms feel anxious and dread having to perform publicly (Bodie, 2010). Students' sense of Communication Apprehension (CA) is likely to increase for any of several…

Distinguishing Differences in the Academic Motivation of Entering and Persisting Transfer Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Forrest C.; Martin, Georgianna L.; Thompson, Ken

2015-01-01

Transfer students make up a significant portion of the student body in higher education today; yet, representation of their college experiences and outcomes in the literature seems sparse. This study explored transfer students to determine whether their level of engagement and belonging in college was related to their academic motivation. We…

Self-Reported Factors That Influence Choice of College-Bound Students in Lebanon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abou-Nassif, Samir M.

2011-01-01

The number of students entering universities in Lebanon has steadily increased in the past ten years. This trend makes it imperative that the different stakeholders, like students, parents, schools, universities, and education officials, understand what influences the decision of a student to choose a specific college. Understanding these factors…

No Exit: Predicting Student Persistence. AIR 1990 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beil, Cheryl; Shope, Janet H.

A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the factors influencing college student persistence in remaining in school. Persistence was examined at two points: after the first year and 4 years after enrollment. The study was conducted at an urban university using the American College Testing's Entering Student Survey and Student Opinion…

Facilitating Experiential Learning of Study Skills in Sports Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groves, Mark; Bowd, Belinda; Smith, Julian

2010-01-01

In recent years the student population in the UK has grown considerably, and students are entering higher education with a more diverse range of qualifications and skills. This is particularly the case in post-1992 universities with a widening participation agenda, as these institutions have a larger share of students from non-traditional…

Differentiated Instructional Strategies to Accommodate Students with Varying Needs and Learning Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Ruben; Sallie, April P.; Sanders, Carrie A.

2013-01-01

Students enter classrooms with different abilities, learning styles, and personalities. Educators are mandated to see that all students meet the standards of their district and state. Through the use of differentiated instructional strategies, teachers can meet the varying needs of all students and help them to meet and exceed the established…

Emotional Intelligence and Nursing Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Victoria Jane

2013-01-01

The study examined the constructs of a Multi-Intelligence Model of Retention with four constructs: cognitive and emotional-social intelligence, student characteristics, and environmental factors. Data were obtained from sophomore students entering two diploma, nine associate, and five baccalaureate nursing programs. One year later, retention and…

Annual Survey of Optometric Educational Institutions, 1984-85.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Optometric Education, 1986

1986-01-01

Tabulations include entering class grade point averages and educational backgrounds, loan and non-loan student financial aid granted by the institutions, resident and nonresident student expenses, full-time male and female enrollment in each class, and minority student enrollment in colleges of optometry. (MSE)

Vocational Preparation Curriculum: Plumbing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usoro, Hogan

This document is a curriculum guide for instructors teaching vocational preparation for plumbing to special needs students. The purpose of the curriculum guide is to provide minimum skills for disadvantaged and handicapped students entering the mainstream; to supplement vocational skills of those students already in a regular training program…

Sinking In

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruse, Jerrid; Wilcox, Jesse

2015-01-01

High school students often enter classrooms with misconceptions about density. While many students may have studied the concept in middle school, they lack the understanding on which to build more advanced concepts, such as the particulate nature of matter. This lack of understanding poses problems for students' learning about Pascal's principle…

Readiness, Behavior, and Foundational Mathematics Course Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Kevin; Zelenka, Richard; Buonaguidi, Larry; Beckman, Robert; Casillas, Alex; Crouse, Jill; Allen, Jeff; Hanson, Mary Ann; Acton, Tara; Robbins, Steve

2013-01-01

This study examines the effects of math readiness and student course behavior (e.g., attendance, participation, homework completion) on knowledge gain and course success using two samples of students enrolled in foundational skills (noncredit-bearing) mathematics courses. As hypothesized, entering student mathematics readiness and course behavior…

Financing Medical Education, 1982-1983.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Charles; And Others

Information is presented on medical student financial aid programs and factors that should be addressed by the professional premedical/medical school advisor or the student about to enter medical school. Topics include the following: cost estimates; financial need and assistance; student expenses; purpose of financial assistance; applications…

The effects of a social media policy on pharmacy students' facebook security settings.

PubMed

Williams, Jennifer; Feild, Carinda; James, Kristina

2011-11-10

To examine how students entering a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program used Facebook privacy settings before and after the college's social media policy was presented to them. The Facebook profiles of all entering first-year pharmacy students across 4 campuses of a college of pharmacy were evaluated. Ten dichotomous variables of interest were viewed and recorded for each student's Facebook account at 3 time points: before the start of the semester, after presentation of the college's social media policy, and at the end of the semester. Data on whether a profile could be found and what portions of the profile were viewable also were collected. After introduction of the policy, a significant number of students increased their security settings (made information not visible to the public) related to Facebook walls, information pages, and links. Making pharmacy students aware of a college's social media policy had a positive impact on their behaviors regarding online security and privacy.

Some observations on attrition of students from canadian medical schools.

PubMed

Anderson, D O; Riches, E

1967-03-18

Students who entered their freshman year for the first time in 1958 and in 1959, from all medical schools in Canada, and those entering the four Western schools in 1960 were studied from the time they matriculated until they either graduated or withdrew from medical school. The rate of attrition is about 15% of matriculants each year, with the lowest rate at the University of Western Ontario (1.7%) and the highest at the University of Ottawa (33.6%) over the time period studied. Attrition was classified as academic and non-academic. Significantly higher rates were found in the case of non-academic attrition for women and in the case of academic attrition for Commonwealth students. Significantly higher rates for both types of attrition were found for older students and students who had attended undergraduate colleges different from their medical school colleges. It would appear from available statistics that the factors which combine to produce attrition are the intellectual and personality characteristics of the student, school promotional policies and evaluation methods.

Graduation and Attrition of Black Students at North Carolina State University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council, Kathryn A.

The graduation and attrition patterns of black students at North Carolina State University are reported in an effort to provide data pertinent to minority students. Black students were identified after 1969 by means of an ethnic card completed during the registration process. The report is based on all black students (N=80) who entered NCSU as new…

Persistence of undergraduate women in STEM fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedone, Maggie Helene

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a complex problem that continues to persist at the postsecondary level, particularly in computer science and engineering fields. This dissertation explored the pre-college and college level factors that influenced undergraduate women's persistence in STEM. This study also examined and compared the characteristics of undergraduate women who entered STEM fields and non-STEM fields in 2003-2004. The nationally representative Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09) data set was used for analysis. BPS:04/09 study respondents were surveyed three times (NPSAS:04, BPS:04/06, BPS:04/09) over a six-year period, which enabled me to explore factors related to long-term persistence. Astin's Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model was used as the framework to examine student inputs and college environmental factors that predict female student persistence (output) in STEM. Chi-square tests revealed significant differences between undergraduate women who entered STEM and non-STEM fields in 2003-2004. Differences in student demographics, prior academic achievement, high school course-taking patterns, and student involvement in college such as participation in study groups and school clubs were found. Notably, inferential statistics showed that a significantly higher proportion of female minority students entered STEM fields than non-STEM fields. These findings challenge the myth that underrepresented female minorities are less inclined to enter STEM fields. Logistic regression analyses revealed thirteen significant predictors of persistence for undergraduate women in STEM. Findings showed that undergraduate women who were younger, more academically prepared, and academically and socially involved in college (e.g., lived on campus, interacted with faculty, participated in study groups, fine arts activities, and school sports) were more likely to persist in STEM fields. This longitudinal study showed that both pre-college and college level factors influenced undergraduate women's persistence in STEM. The research findings offer important implications for policy and practice initiatives in higher education that focus on the recruitment and retention of women in postsecondary STEM fields.

Incorporating Formative Assessment and Science Content into Elementary Science Methods--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brower, Derek John

2012-01-01

Just as elementary students enter the science classroom with prior knowledge and experiences, so do preservice elementary teachers who enter the science methods classroom. Elementary science methods instructors recognize the challenges associated with preparing teachers for the science classroom. Two of these challenges include overcoming limited…

Students' Precollege Engagement and the Development of a Global Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engberg, Mark E.; Davidson, Lisa M.

2016-01-01

Given the growing emphasis on internationalization and the requisite intercultural skills and temperament necessary in a global society, this study examines the relationship between precollege engagement and entering dispositions on a developmentally based set of global perspective outcomes. Based on a multi-institutional sample of 3,131 entering,…

Statistical panorama of female physics graduate students for 2000-2010 in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerón Loayza, María Luisa; Bravo Cabrejos, Jorge Aurelio

2013-03-01

We report the results of a statistical study on the number of women entering the undergraduate and master's programs of physics at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Peru. From 2006 through 2010, 13 female students entered the master's degree program but no females graduated with the degree. Considering that Peru is a developing country, a career in physics is not considered an attractive professional choice even for male students because it is thought that there are no work centers to practice this profession. We recommend that the causes preventing female physics students from completing their studies and research work be analyzed, and that strategies be planned to help women complete their academic work. We are considering getting help from the Peruvian Physics Society (SOPERFI) in order to draw more attention for our plan.

The Dental School Interview As a Predictor of Dental Students' OSCE Performance.

PubMed

Park, Sang E; Price, Mirissa D; Karimbux, Nadeem Y

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the dental school admissions interview score as a noncognitive indicator of performance in predoctoral dental education, with specific attention to whether a correlation existed between the admissions interview scores and performance on the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The study population consisted of all 175 students in the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) DMD Classes of 2012 through 2016. Data on students' gender and age on entering dental school were self-reported using their applications for admission to the HSDM DMD program. Data on students' OSCE scores for three examination sessions were collected from the Office of Dental Education. The results showed that the students' interview scores did not significantly correlate with OSCE performance on any of the three exams. Performance on the first and second OSCEs did, however, correlate with performance on the third OSCE (p<0.05). Age on entering dental school was not significantly associated with performance on any of the three OSCEs; however, among male students, there was a significant negative correlation (p<0.05) between entering age and performance on the second and third OSCEs. There was no significant association between gender and OSCE or interview score. These results suggest that although the admissions interview scores can serve as an important resource in student selection, with the lack of association between interview and OSCE scores, it is possible that the communication skills required for the interview do not directly overlap with those required for OSCE success.

Entry of US Medical School Graduates Into Family Medicine Residencies: 2015-2016.

PubMed

Kozakowski, Stanley M; Travis, Alexandra; Bentley, Ashley; Fetter, Gerald

2016-10-01

This is the 35th national study conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) that reports retrospectively the percentage of graduates from MD-granting and DO-granting medical schools who entered Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited family medicine residency programs as first-year residents. Approximately 8.7% of the 18,929 students graduating from US MD-granting medical schools and 15.5% of the 5,314 students graduating from DO-granting medical schools between July 2014 and June 2015 entered an ACGME family medicine residency in 2015. Together, 10.2% of graduates of MD- and DO-granting schools entered family medicine. Of the 1,640 graduates of the MD-granting medical schools who entered a family medicine residency in 2015, 80% graduated from 70 of the 134 schools (52%). In 2015, DO-granting medical schools graduated 823 into ACGME-accredited family medicine residencies, 80% graduating from 19 of the 32 schools (59%). In aggregate, medical schools west of the Mississippi River represent less than a third of all MD-granting schools but have a rate of students selecting family medicine that is 40% higher than schools located east of the Mississippi. Fifty-one percent (24/47) of states and territories containing medical schools produce 80% of the graduates entering ACGME-accredited family medicine residency programs. A rank order list of MD-granting medical schools was created based on the last 3 years' average percentage of graduates who became family medicine residents, using the 2015 and prior AAFP census data.

Entry of US Medical School Graduates Into Family Medicine Residencies: 2014-2015.

PubMed

Kozakowski, Stanley M; Fetter, Gerald; Bentley, Ashley

2015-10-01

This is the 34th national study conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) that reports retrospectively the percentage of graduates from US MD-granting and DO-granting medical schools who entered Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited family medicine residency programs as first-year residents in 2014. Approximately 8.5% of the 18,241 students graduating from US MD-granting medical schools between July 2013 and June 2014 entered a family medicine residency. Of the 1,458 graduates of the US MD-granting medical schools who entered a family medicine residency in 2014, 80% graduated from 69 of the 131 schools. Eleven schools lacking departments or divisions of family medicine produced only a total of 26 students entering family medicine. In aggregate, medical schools west of the Mississippi River represent less than a third of all US MD-granting schools but have an aggregate rate of students selecting family medicine that is two-thirds higher than schools to the east of the Mississippi. A rank order list of US MD-granting medical schools was created based on the last 3 years' average percentage of graduates who became family medicine residents, using the 2014 and prior AAFP census data. US MD schools continue to fail to produce a primary care workforce, a key measure of social responsibility as measured by their production of graduates entering into family medicine. DO-granting and international medical school graduates filled the majority of ACGME-accredited family medicine first-year resident positions in 2014.

Students' Perceptions of an Independent College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Peter M.; Popovics, Alexander J.

This study was conducted to determine the different perceptions that potential students have concerning Cardinal Stritch College (Wisconsin) and to determine the usefulness of various sources of information about the college. Students (n=76) accepted as entering freshmen were surveyed in order to determine their perceptions of sources of…

Seamless Transfers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Carol

2017-01-01

In 2014, approximately 7.3 million undergraduate students (42 percent) were enrolled in community colleges in the US, the latest statistic offered by the Community College Research Center. At some schools, like Cleveland State University (OH), more transfer students graduated in 2014 with a bachelor's degree than students who entered four-year…

Navigating Transitions: Challenges for Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore-Russo, Deborah; Wilsey, Jillian N.; Parthum, Michael J., Sr.; Lewis, Kemper

2017-01-01

As college students enter engineering, they face challenges when they navigate across various transitions. These challenges impact whether a student can successfully adapt to the rigorous curricular requirements of an engineering degree and to the norms and expectations that are particular to engineering. This article focuses on the transitions…

Respectful Interactions: Learning with International Students in the English-Speaking Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Janette; Viete, Rosemary

2009-01-01

International students entering postgraduate courses in Australian universities encounter numerous challenges in their new environments. Many relate to the academic literacy and pedagogical practices in the English-speaking academic environment, which international students time and again have reported assume local linguistic and cultural…

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF PARENTS AS RELATED TO STUDENTS' FEELINGS ABOUT SELF AND FAMILY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BARGER, BEN; HALL, EVERETTE,

QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING STUDENTS' FEELINGS CONCERNING RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTONOMY, VOCATIONAL CHOICE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ACTIVITIES, PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-DISCLOSURE, SELF-CONCEPTS, AND CERTAIN AREAS OF FAMILY BACKGROUND WERE ADMINISTERED TO ALL NEW LOWER-DIVISION STUDENTS ENTERING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN SEPTEMBER 1966. THE TOTAL…

Identifying STEM Concepts Associated with Junior Livestock Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wooten, Kate; Rayfield, John; Moore, Lori L.

2013-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is intended to provide students with a cross-subject, contextual learning experience. To more fully prepare our nation's students to enter the globally competitive workforce, STEM integration allows students to make connections between the abstract concepts learned in core subject…

Knowledge Acquisition and Readiness Assurance Testing: The Connected Notes Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Mark R.

2016-01-01

The responsibility for knowledge acquisition is increasingly being shifted to students though the utilization of experiential learning, teamwork, online, and flipped classroom pedagogies. Students are expected to enter the classroom prepared to engage in thoughtful knowledge application activities; however, many students have not adequately…

Vocational Preparation Curriculum: Electrical Wiring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usoro, Hogan

This document is a curriculum guide for instructors teaching vocational preparation for electrical wiring to special needs students. The purpose of the curriculum guide is to provide minimum skills for disadvantaged and handicapped students entering the mainstream; to supplement vocational skills of those students already in a regular training…

Experiencing the Barriers: Non-Traditional Students Entering Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowl, Marion

2001-01-01

Examined the educational experiences of nontraditional, ethnic minority, women students in the United Kingdom who were involved in a community-based, flexible access to higher education project in the inner city, highlighting financial and institutional barriers they experienced. Students were frustrated participants in an unresponsive…

Kinematics Card Sort Activity: Insight into Students' Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berryhill, Erin; Herrington, Deborah; Oliver, Keith

2016-01-01

Kinematics is a topic students are unknowingly aware of well before entering the physics classroom. Students observe motion on a daily basis. They are constantly interpreting and making sense of their observations, unintentionally building their own understanding of kinematics before receiving any formal instruction. Unfortunately, when students…

Stress and cardiometabolic manifestations among Saudi students entering universities: a cross-sectional observational study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In this observational study, we aimed to see whether transition in Saudi students entering university life could be a breeding stage for cardiometabolic risk factor emergence and clustering. Methods A total of 1878 apparently healthy Saudi students of the Preparatory Year, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA (1112 men and 766 women) spanning 2 academic years were included. They were divided into 2 groups based on the validated perceived stress test (PST). Anthropometrics were obtained and fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of fasting blood glucose and a lipid profile. Results PST score (>27) considered indicative of stress was noted in 44.4% of students. The prevalence of this score was higher in women than in men (49.7% versus 40.7%). The prevalence of obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in men than women (p < 0.01), and this was even more apparent among stressed men, who had a significantly higher prevalence of all the above cardiometabolic factors than the non-stressed ones (p < 0.01). Conclusion Perceived stress is alarmingly high among Saudi students entering universities. This study sheds light on the social responsibility of universities in promoting a healthy lifestyle, particularly in this age group, when exposure to different kinds of stressors may result in body weight and metabolic changes. PMID:24755010

Core personal competencies important to entering students' success in medical school: what are they and how could they be assessed early in the admission process?

PubMed

Koenig, Thomas W; Parrish, Samuel K; Terregino, Carol A; Williams, Joy P; Dunleavy, Dana M; Volsch, Joseph M

2013-05-01

Assessing applicants' personal competencies in the admission process has proven difficult because there is not an agreed-on set of personal competencies for entering medical students. In addition, there are questions about the measurement properties and costs of currently available assessment tools. The Association of American Medical College's Innovation Lab Working Group (ILWG) and Admissions Initiative therefore engaged in a multistep, multiyear process to identify personal competencies important to entering students' success in medical school as well as ways to measure them early in the admission process. To identify core personal competencies, they conducted literature reviews, surveyed U.S and Canadian medical school admission officers, and solicited input from the admission community. To identify tools with the potential to provide data in time for pre-interview screening, they reviewed the higher education and employment literature and evaluated tools' psychometric properties, group differences, risk of coaching/faking, likely applicant and admission officer reactions, costs, and scalability. This process resulted in a list of nine core personal competencies rated by stakeholders as very or extremely important for entering medical students: ethical responsibility to self and others; reliability and dependability; service orientation; social skills; capacity for improvement; resilience and adaptability; cultural competence; oral communication; and teamwork. The ILWG's research suggests that some tools hold promise for assessing personal competencies, but the authors caution that none are perfect for all situations. They recommend that multiple tools be used to evaluate information about applicants' personal competencies in deciding whom to interview.

Improving the Student Experience: A Practical Guide for Universities and Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Michelle, Ed.

2011-01-01

The landscape of higher education (HE) has dramatically altered in the past 30 years and it continues to evolve and change. More students are entering HE and attending university or college on a global scale than ever before. Supporting and enhancing the undergraduate student experience across the student lifecycle, from first contact through to…

The Emotional Impact of Being Recently Diagnosed with Dyslexia from the Perspective of Chiropractic Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kong, Shelley Young

2012-01-01

Increased awareness and improved tests have contributed to the identification of rising numbers of dyslexic students entering higher education in the United Kingdom. Nearly half of these students are not diagnosed until they start their HE courses. Studies of experiences of dyslexic students diagnosed as children exist; however, there is little…

A Measure of Students' Motivation to Learn Science through Agricultural STEM Emphasis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chumbley, Steven Boot; Haynes, J. Chris; Stofer, Kathryn A.

2015-01-01

There is an increased demand for motivated high school students to enter postsecondary STEM fields. Agriscience education is an innovative curriculum that can motivate students and spark interest in STEM. To recruit students to such programs, we must understand what motivates them. The purpose of this study was to determine how the secondary…

The Role of Students' Home Language in Science Achievement: A Multilevel Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Laere, Evelien; Aesaert, Koen; van Braak, Johan

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to identify the role of both student- and school-level characteristics in primary school students' achievement in the science curriculum. As societies become more culturally and linguistically diverse, many students enter the classroom with a home language that is different from the language of instruction used at school.…

Front Row Friendships: Relational Dialectics and Identity Negotiations by Mature Students at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Boyle, Neil

2014-01-01

When adults enter university after several years of work and life experience, they must negotiate their identity as mature students and their friendship with other students. In this interpretative study, I examined the tensions experienced by 15 such students (aged 28-54) at a university in Ireland where they were attempting to integrate…

Developing Peer Mentoring Support for TAFE Students Entering 1st-Year University Early Childhood Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heirdsfield, Ann; Walker, Sue; Walsh, Kerryann

2005-01-01

At Queensland University of Technology (QUT, Australia), in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) (Early Childhood) (EC), Technical and Further Education (TAFE) students with a diploma enroll with advanced standing (1 year's credit). These students share many challenges faced by 1st-year university students--workload, technology, academic orientation,…

Mathematical Enculturation from the Students' Perspective: Shifts in Problem-Solving Beliefs and Behaviour during the Bachelor Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrenet, Jacob; Taconis, Ruurd

2009-01-01

This study investigates the changes in mathematical problem-solving beliefs and behaviour of mathematics students during the years after entering university. Novice bachelor students fill in a questionnaire about their problem-solving beliefs and behaviour. At the end of their bachelor programme, as experienced bachelor students, they again fill…

Exploring the Use of Faded Worked Examples as a Problem Solving Approach for Underprepared Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesser, Tiffany L.; Gregory, Jess L.

2015-01-01

It is not uncommon for students to find themselves underprepared when entering a post secondary institution. In additional to lower levels of academic achievement, underprepared students may not be aware that they lack the skills needed to be successful and effectively acquire and process information. Because of this, students that enter…

Increasing Student Awareness of Global and Future Issues through a Secondary Level Mini-Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Dianna K.

This study examines the problem of high school students as future leaders entering the adult world unprepared in the areas of global and international issues. The study was conducted with 145 students, teachers, and administrators in a private high school with university affiliations in a large suburban area. Eventually two students became the…

Aligning High School and College Instruction: Preparing Students for Success in College Level Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Julie

2013-01-01

Across the United States, students are entering college with a need for improvement in basic mathematics and communication skills. In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1908 which changed the expectations for the senior year of high school for many students. Students who score within certain levels on the mandatory high school…

Online Options for Math-Advanced Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wessling, Suki

2012-01-01

Once upon a time, a student well advanced past grade level in math would have had few choices. Advanced students would invariably outpace the skills of their elementary teachers, and due to age wouldn't have options such as going to the middle school or community college for classes. Soon thereafter, students would enter middle school only to find…

Digital Students in the Democratic Classroom: Using Technology to Enhance Critical Pedagogy in First-Year Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skurat Harris, Heidi A.

2009-01-01

Students enter composition classrooms in the twenty-first century with various levels of computer proficiency and comfort with technology and digital media. Instructors often make assumptions that their students' are familiar with technology, even though students may be hesitant to use technology in the classroom. This dissertation gathers data…

Students in Rural Schools Have Limited Access to Advanced Mathematics Courses. Issue Brief No. 7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Suzanne E.

2009-01-01

This Carsey brief reveals that students in rural areas and small towns have less access to higher-level mathematics courses than students in urban settings, which results in serious educational consequences, including lower scores on assessment tests and fewer qualified students entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) job…

The Relationship between High School Students' Attributions and Achievement and Their Perceptions of Teachers' Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reader, Tanya

2013-01-01

Students enter secondary classrooms armed with attributions for their own successes or failures, informed by experiences in and out of school, but it is unclear to what degree these attributions affect achievement. Additionally, while the influence teacher expectations can have on student achievement is well documented, students' perceptions of…

How Students' Beliefs about Their Intelligence Influence Their Academic Performance. Information Capsule. Volume 1012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazer, Christie

2011-01-01

Students' academic success may be influenced not only by their actual ability, but also by their beliefs about their intelligence. Studies have found that students enter a classroom with one of two distinct conceptions of their intellectual ability: some students believe their intelligence is expandable (growth mindset), while others believe their…

The Development of the Financial Literacy Program at the Community College of Baltimore County

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reams-Johnson, Ansa; Delker, Susan

2016-01-01

Student debt has increasingly become an important topic in higher education. Many students, particularly low-income and first-generation college students, do not have a solid understanding of managing personal finances. This becomes further compounded upon entering college, as these students lack the financial acumen to understand the long-term…

A Class Exercise in Proofreading: Getting Students To Read What They Write.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conely, James

Since students enter college with a basic knowledge of the mechanics of writing, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation, most student writing mistakes amount to a failure to see what they have actually written. Thus, instructors must help students to apply knowledge they already have and to see their own errors through careful proofreading.…

Derrida Meets IBM: Using Deconstruction To Teach Business Communication Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, H. William

The business communications teacher helps the student learn to write the proposal that wins a promotion or the sales letter that wins new customers. Students poised to enter the business world need language theories as much as students studying literature, for the corporate language culture is as unpredictable and ambiguous as any literary text.…

The AAS to BAS Pathway: Heating Up the Educational Aspiration of CTE Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kujawa, Tricia A.

2013-01-01

The enrollment and transfer behaviors of college students are diverse. As a result, college students travel various pathways to the baccalaureate degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the lived experience of students who entered higher education through an associate of applied science (AAS) program and then…

Affirmation, Validation, and Empowerment: Influences of a Composition Competition on Students' Self-Concepts as Musicians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albert, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in a composition competition influenced four K-12 students' self-concepts as musicians. Research questions explored motivations for these four students to enter into a composition competition, influences of the competition on students' self-concepts as musicians (if at all), and effects…

Factors That Influence the Job Market Decision: The Role of Faculty as a Knowledge Broker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, William A.; Rutherford, Brian; Boles, James; Loe, Terry

2014-01-01

This study examines the perceptions of students, recruiters, and faculty regarding the importance of various workplace attributes to students who are entering the job market. Furthermore, this study discusses the important role that faculty can play as a knowledge broker with both students and recruiters. Looking at students' Top 10…

High School Graduation of Students with Disabilities: How Long Does It Take?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schifter, Laura

2011-01-01

This study explores the high school graduation experiences of students with disabilities, using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2, 2010), and asking: (a) After entering high school, on average, how long does it take for students with disabilities to graduate? (b) Is time to graduation different for students with…

A Study of Attrition among Students at LaGuardia Community College: Report of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Parsons and Associates, Inc., New York, NY.

In 1981-82, a study was conducted to determine why students left LaGuardia Community College (LCC) before completing the requirements for an associate degree. Interviews were conducted with dropout students over the course of the study, and questionnaires were administered to entering and continuing students to provide a comparative framework. The…

Using a Focus on Revision to Improve Students' Writing Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Kathryn S.; Gravois, Renée

2017-01-01

The ability to write clearly and correctly is essential for students both in college and as they enter the workforce. One challenge we find in coaching student writing is that students shy away from engaging fully with writing as a process, especially with revising their drafts. It is important across Business courses, not just in Business…

Where It All Began: Peer Education and Leadership in Student Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganser, Stephanie R.; Kennedy, Tricia L.

2012-01-01

The emergence of undergraduate students serving in peer leader or peer educator roles is relatively recent in the history of higher education. Peer leadership positions were first recorded in 1959 in the field of student services, specifically working with students entering college and living in residence halls. Beginning with the Hazen Report of…

Student Assessment System. Student Performance Record. Task Detailing. Cosmetology. Georgia Vocational Education Program Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia Univ., Athens. Div. of Vocational Education.

This booklet lists tasks and functions the cosmetology student should be able to do upon entering an employment situation or a postsecondary school. (Listings are also available for the areas of allied health occupations/practical nursing and transportation/automotive mechanics.) Tasks are coded to correspond to those on the Student Performance…

Petroleum, Convenience, & Automotive Marketing [Student Book and] Answer Book/Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozek, Ed; Faught, Suzanne G.

This student manual and answer book/teacher's guide focus on the industry-specific information and skills needed by students who plan to enter, or who may already be receiving, training in a petroleum-related business, such as a full-service gas station, convenience store, or automotive specialty service shop. The student manual contains 16…

Engagement in Digital Lecture Halls: A Study of Student Course Engagement and Mobile Device Use during Lecture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witecki, Gwendolyn; Nonnecke, Blair

2015-01-01

Universities have experienced increases in technology ownership and usage amongst students entering undergraduate programs. Almost all students report owning a mobile phone and many students view laptops and tablets as educational tools, though they also report using them for nonacademic activities during lectures. We explored the relationship…

The Effect of Cultures in Eighth Grade Mathematics Classroom: A Case Study of a LEP Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Aki

The fastest-growing sector of the American school population is the limited English proficient (LEP) students, those students whose native language is not English. When mainstreamed they are usually enrolled in physical education, art, and music classes first. The students then enter mathematics classes under the assumption that mathematics is…

Student Persistence through Involvement: The Journey to Graduation for First-Generation Portuguese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieira, Margarida Baganha

2017-01-01

The number of first-generation students entering higher education has increased over the years. Unfortunately, their retention rates are lower than their peers (Cahalan & Perna, 2015; Robb et al., 2012). The Portuguese comprise the largest immigrant population in southern New England, many of whom are first-generation students (MAPS, 2016).…

Potential influence of selection criteria on the demographic composition of students in an Australian medical school

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Prior to 1999 students entering our MBBS course were selected on academic performance alone. We have now evaluated the impact on the demographics of subsequent cohorts of our standard entry students (those entering directly from high school) of the addition to the selection process of an aptitude test (UMAT), a highly structured interview and a rural incentive program. Methods Students entering from 1985 to 1998, selected on academic performance alone (N = 1402), were compared to those from 1999 to 2011, selected on the basis of a combination of academic performance, interview score, and UMAT score together with the progressive introduction of a rural special entry pathway (N = 1437). Results Males decreased from 57% to 45% of the cohort, students of NE or SE Asian origin decreased from 30% to 13%, students born in Oceania increased from 52% to 69%, students of rural origin from 5% to 21% and those from independent high schools from 56% to 66%. The proportion of students from high schools with relative socio-educational disadvantage remained unchanged at approximately 10%. The changes reflect in part increasing numbers of female and independent high school applicants and the increasing rural quota. However, they were also associated with higher interview scores in females vs males and lower interview scores in those of NE and SE Asian origin compared to those born in Oceania or the UK. Total UMAT scores were unrelated to gender or region of origin. Conclusions The revised selection processes had no impact on student representation from schools with relative socio-educational disadvantage. However, the introduction of special entry quotas for students of rural origin and a structured interview, but not an aptitude test, were associated with a change in gender balance and ethnicity of students in an Australian undergraduate MBBS course. PMID:22111521

[Self-directed learning and academic background of 2010 to 2014 cohorts of medical students].

PubMed

Pérez-Villalobos, Cristhian E; Fasce-Henry, Eduardo A; Ortega-Bastidas, Javiera A; Ortiz-Moreira, Liliana E; Bastías-Vega, Nancy; Bustamante-Durán, Carolina E; Ibáñez-Gracia, Pilar; Márquez-Urrizola, Carolina G; Delgado-Rivera, Macarena; Glaría-López, Rocío

2017-07-01

The widespread growth of higher education is increasing the heterogeneity of university students in terms of socioeconomic characteristics, academic story and cultural background. Medical schools are not an exception of this phenomenon. To compare the academic background and self-directed learning behavior of students who entered to a public medial school between 2010 and 2014. A non-probabilistic sample of 527 medical students aged between 17 and 29 years (60% men), was studied. Their academic information was collected from the University data base; they answered the Self-directed learning readiness scale of Fisher. Students from the 2014 cohort had higher high school grades than their counterparts. The scores in mathematics of the Scholarship Aptitude Test (SAT) were higher in the cohorts of 2010 and 2011. Those of the sciences test were superior in the 2013 cohort. The 2014 cohort had the lower general score of self-directed learning behaviors. The lower SAT and self-directed learning scores of the students entering medical school in 2014, indicate the progressive increase in the heterogeneity of Medical students.

Sustained Increased Entry of Medical Students into Surgical Careers: A Student-Led Approach.

PubMed

Salna, Michael; Sia, Tiffany; Curtis, Griffith; Leddy, Doris; Widmann, Warren D

2016-01-01

To determine whether a surgical interest group run entirely by preclinical students can influence medical students to enter general surgery residency programs. Matriculation rates into general surgery and affiliated subspecialties from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons residency match lists were compared to National Residency Match Program data for all U.S. senior students from 2006 to 2014. The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After establishing the interest group, entrance rates into general surgery programs tripled from the early 2000s to more than 12% of 2006 Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons graduates. After 8 years, our data illustrate sustained results, with more than 8% of students entering surgical residencies, significantly higher than the National Residency Match Program's average (p < 0.025). Surgical interest groups spark early and lasting interest in surgery that may influence residency decisions. Moreover, these programs can be successfully run entirely by preclinical students and implemented in other institutions. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Education review: applied medical informatics--informatics in medical education.

PubMed

Naeymi-Rad, F; Trace, D; Moidu, K; Carmony, L; Booden, T

1994-05-01

The importance of informatics training within a health sciences program is well recognized and is being implemented on an increasing scale. At Chicago Medical School (CMS), the Informatics program incorporates information technology at every stage of medical education. First-year students are offered an elective in computer topics that concentrate on basic computer literacy. Second-year students learn information management such as entry and information retrieval skills. For example, during the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course, the student is exposed to the Intelligent Medical Record-Entry (IMR-E), allowing the student to enter and organize information gathered from patient encounters. In the third year, students in the Internal Medicine rotation at Norwalk Hospital use Macintosh power books to enter and manage their patients. Patient data gathered by the student are stored in a local server in Norwalk Hospital. In the final year, we teach students the role of informatics in clinical decision making. The present senior class at CMS has been exposed to the power of medical informatics tools for several years. The use of these informatics tools at the point of care is stressed.

A systematic review of the factors affecting choice of surgery as a career.

PubMed

Peel, John K; Schlachta, Christopher M; Alkhamesi, Nawar A

2018-02-01

Interest in surgical careers among medical students has declined over the past decade. Multiple explanations have been offered for why top students are deterred or rejected from surgical programs, though no consensus has emerged. We conducted a review of the literature to better characterize what factors affect the pursuit of a surgical career. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and performed additional reference checks. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle-Ottawa Education scores were used to evaluate the included data. Our search identified 122 full-text, primary articles. Analysis of this evidence identified 3 core concepts that impact surgical career decision-making: gender, features of surgical education, and student "fit" in the culture of surgery. Real and perceived gender discrimination has deterred female medical students from entering surgical careers. In addition, limited exposure to surgery during medical school and differences between student and surgeon personality traits and values may deter students from entering surgical careers. We suggest that deliberate and visible effort to include women and early-career medical students in surgical settings may enhance their interest in carreers in surgery.

Research Training Program for College and University Students

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA-ORD seeks applications from eligible entities to enter into cooperative agreements with EPA that will provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students on-site at EPA-ORD research facilities located in Cincinnati, OH.

Using Career Pathways to Guide Students through Programs of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra D.; Krismer, Marianne

2016-01-01

This chapter describes career pathways that evolved through a Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training consortium grant designed to help students complete programs of study and enter health care careers.