Reflections on Broadening Participation in STEM: What Do We Know? What Do We Need to Know? Where Do We Go From Here?

Abstract

Over 50 years ago, concerns about the adequacy of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent in the United States were the catalyst to develop programs to ensure that the STEM workforce would be adequate to meet scientific challenges. To date, there have been considerable investments in these programs. To determine where we go from here requires appraising where we stand and reviewing how far we have come. This article presents reflections from my experiences conducting both research and evaluations on broadening participation in STEM in the United States.