Using Supplemental Instruction through the EMPOWER Program to Increase Diversity in STEM Fields

Abstract

The underrepresentation of women and racial minorities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is of national concern. Despite recent increases, females continue to be underrepresented in math, physical science, and engineering related fields compared to their male counterparts. There is also evidence showing a troubling inequity trend in enrollment of most graduate and all post graduate degrees in STEM fields. These factors ultimately impact the workforce with women less likely than men with similar degrees to actually be employed in these fields, constituting 23% of the science and engineering labor force and only 10 % of employed physicists. Well-structured interventions are needed to support African American women in overcoming barriers to increase their representation in STEM. What is Needed to Make a Difference? Extracurricular instruction in the form of supplemental educational programming is needed to identify, engage and retain African American female students to ensure their level of post-secondary education STEM success and beyond. The R25 Summer Research Education Program is designed to support education activities that complement and or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. Methods: The Engaging Multidisciplinary Professional Opportunities for Women in Environmental Research (EMPOWER) program was created to address the diversity in STEM. This summer research experience program was developed to educate high school science teachers in tandem with outstanding African American and Hispanic women from metro Atlanta high schools in the research approaches and competencies required for a deeper understanding of how to measure and assess environmental exposures, including air and water in the urban environment and link them to health effects. Results/Discussion: Students and teachers participated in a four-week summer program. The primary objectives of EMPOWER were two-fold including:1) Enhance teaching capacity within the sciences and assist in the development of public and environmental health curriculum along with in class activities intended to promote interest in STEM. 2) Provide African-American and LatinX women opportunities to engage in faculty lead research projects, obtain hands-on training in tandem with professional and soft skill development. EMPOWER’s major contribution will be to continue to enhance STEM education in high schools leading to higher quality post-secondary opportunities and greater workforce diversity. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.