It’s complicated: a multi-method approach to broadening participation in STEM

• Published date: 15 April 2019
• Pages: 349-361
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-09-2017-0200
• Date: 15 April 2019
• Author: Valerie Gray Hardcastle,Stacie Furst-Holloway,Rachel Kallen,Farrah Jacquez
• Subject Matter: Hr & organizational behaviour

It’s complicated: a multi-method

approach to broadening

participation in STEM

Valerie Gray Hardcastle

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Stacie Furst-Holloway

Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Rachel Kallen

Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and

Farrah Jacquez

Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Abstract

Purpose –A lot is known about systemic barriers to broadening participation (BP) in STEM. Empirical

research has demonstrated the existenceand impact of implicit bias, stereotype threat, and micro-aggressions

on a sense of belonging,organizational productivityand leadership opportunities.We also know that achieving

greater participation of women and faculty of color in the STEM disciplines is complicated and depends on

altering complexand multi-layered interactionsbetween activities and actors.Further, because researcher and

institutionalgoals vary as a function of targetpopulation and context,generalizable models can strugglein the

face oflarger BP efforts. Throughthe authors experienceas an NSF ADVANCE-IT awardee,the authors believe

that a dynamic, multi-scaled and organizational level approach is required to reflect the reciprocal dialogue

among research questions, best practices, tailored applications and quantifiable goals. The authors describe

several examplesof research, programming activities and program evaluation that illustratethis approach. In

particular,the authors describe boththe programming successes andchallenges, with the aim of helpingothers

to avoid common mistakesby articulating very broad and, the authors’hope,generalizable “lessons learned.”

The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach –To better understand the barriers for women in STEM, the authors

utilized an iterative methodology. Specifically, the authors conducted a social network analysis, an exit

survey of departed faculty, longitudinal analysis of career trajectories and research productivity, and a

survey on the interaction between values and climate.

Findings –The analyses suggest three strategies better retain women in STEM: improve women’s

professional networks; re-aling policy documents and departmental practices to better reflect faculty values;

and improve departmental climate.

Practical implications –The pay-off for using this more complex research approach to triangulate onto

specific challenges is that the interventions are more likely to be successful, with a longer-lasting impact.

Originality/value –With continuous institutional research, metric refinement, and program evaluation the

authors are better able to develop targeted programming, policy reform, and changes in institutional practice.

The interventions should result in permanent institutional and systemic change by integrating multi-method

qualitative and quantitative research into BP practices, which the authors couple with longitudinal analysis

that can quantify success of the authors’efforts.

Keywords Gender,Organizational culture, Higher education, Career development, Sciences, Diversification

Paper type Case study

In the sections that follow, we detail what has emerged from our experiences. We begin by

presenting a range of data and data sources that shed light on how the various components

of the transformation process fit together into a complex, dynamical whole and where the

most pressing issues arose. We then introduce several initiatives and programs that

emanated from this process, discussing why some of these initiatives were successful while

others were not, as well as how the successful initiatives continue to evolve as our institution

and its personnel change and grow.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 38 No. 3, 2019

pp. 349-361

© Emerald PublishingLimited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-09-2017-0200

Received 30 September 2017

Revised 9 February 2018

9 July 2018

Accepted 6 August 2018

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/2040-7149.htm

349

A multi-

method

approach to

BP in STEM