TY - JOUR
T1 - Increasing the trickle
T2 - A proposed critical multiculturalist conceptual model to increase the pipeline to a more diverse STEM doctorate population
AU - Smith, Allison
AU - García, Hugo A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2018/8/13
Y1 - 2018/8/13
N2 - Purpose: For several decades, human and financial resources have been the focus of academic institutions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields of study because of low matriculation and graduation involving diverse student populations. However, there is a paucity of research about pathways to doctoral-level education and completion for these underrepresented populations. The purpose of this paper is to explore conceptually how STEM doctoral programs can implement a critical multiculturalist framework to recruit, increase persistence and completion to abate the attrition rate of women and students of color in doctoral programs. Design/methodology/approach: Through a critical multiculturalist framework, issues of access and attainment central to the pipeline of traditionally underrepresented populations in to the STEM fields are addressed in this paper in an effort to support equity and inclusion at the doctoral level. Approaching this issue through critical multiculturalism takes the issue of access and attainment beyond sheer numbers by addressing the limited opportunity of women and students of color to see themselves in graduate faculty within STEM. Findings: This paper reviews literature regarding the STEM pipeline’s “glass ceiling” that exists at the graduate level for students from marginalized communities, including gender and race. This paper proposes a multicultural doctoral persistence model. Originality/value: Despite the efforts of many institutions of higher education to diversify the STEM fields, a “glass ceiling” remains at the doctoral level. There appears to be a pipeline for women and minorities from K-12 to the undergraduate level, but the doctoral level has been largely left out of the conversation.
AB - Purpose: For several decades, human and financial resources have been the focus of academic institutions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields of study because of low matriculation and graduation involving diverse student populations. However, there is a paucity of research about pathways to doctoral-level education and completion for these underrepresented populations. The purpose of this paper is to explore conceptually how STEM doctoral programs can implement a critical multiculturalist framework to recruit, increase persistence and completion to abate the attrition rate of women and students of color in doctoral programs. Design/methodology/approach: Through a critical multiculturalist framework, issues of access and attainment central to the pipeline of traditionally underrepresented populations in to the STEM fields are addressed in this paper in an effort to support equity and inclusion at the doctoral level. Approaching this issue through critical multiculturalism takes the issue of access and attainment beyond sheer numbers by addressing the limited opportunity of women and students of color to see themselves in graduate faculty within STEM. Findings: This paper reviews literature regarding the STEM pipeline’s “glass ceiling” that exists at the graduate level for students from marginalized communities, including gender and race. This paper proposes a multicultural doctoral persistence model. Originality/value: Despite the efforts of many institutions of higher education to diversify the STEM fields, a “glass ceiling” remains at the doctoral level. There appears to be a pipeline for women and minorities from K-12 to the undergraduate level, but the doctoral level has been largely left out of the conversation.
KW - Access
KW - Diversity
KW - Gender
KW - Graduate education
KW - STEM doctoral education
KW - Students of color
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064344117&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/JME-09-2016-0052
DO - 10.1108/JME-09-2016-0052
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85064344117
VL - 12
SP - 206
EP - 220
JO - Journal for Multicultural Education
JF - Journal for Multicultural Education
SN - 2053-535X
IS - 3
ER -