Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics And Medicine Research Articles

SAGE Ltd: Continuing the Journey to Transform Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Australia’s Higher Education and Research Sector

Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) began as a Pilot program in 2015. It was modelled on the UK’s Athena Swan Charter (Advance HE), a framework for improving gender equity and diversity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM); specifically, within higher education and research.

Reimagining educational equity through strategic alliance partnerships in response to the USA STEM-M diversity gap.

Addressing the USA diversity gap in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEM-M) through strategic alliance partnerships (SAPs) is an innovative solution toward combating the educational inequalities presented in K-12 education for marginalized youth interested in STEM-M professions. We present a model that unites multiple stakeholder s committed to diversifying the workforce in STEM-M, through the implementation of a multi-year high school pipeline program designed to better achieve STEM-M equity, access and opportunity at the secondary school level. We developed a unique model based on an SAP in a large metropolitan area in the Midwest that joins an Academic Medical Center and a local Public High School. Our results involving 46 students over 8 years demonstrate 100% high school graduation rates; 97% college attendance with full or partial scholarship support, and early evidence of post-graduation aspirations in STEM-M careers. Our early progress calls for more rigorous study against standard educational practices. If our program is proven to be more effective, then potentially more strategic public-private partnerships to foster K-12 pipeline programs to better achieve equity through educational access, opportunities and resources should be developed and targeted for those marginalized youth that have been historically denied STEM-M opportunities. After 10 years of dedicated effort, we see evidence of potential benefits of this SAP to develop K-12 pipeline programs with similar aims of STEM-M diversification, particularly by way of more-equitable provision of educational opportunities to students belonging to minority racial and ethnic groups.

Urban high school students’ perceptions of race, gender, and benefits from participating in a STEMM pipeline programme: a sociocultural case study

ABSTRACT Motivated by lack of diversity in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) professions, this case-study explores a group of 25 high achieving, low SES, mostly female, majority-minority high school students’ perception of race, ethnicity, and gender as factors for success in their future as STEMM professionals. Additionally, the study elucidates the benefits of participating in a pipeline programme designed to promote high skill and high wage jobs in the medical and health fields. Emergent themes of race and merit prominently surfaced. Responses to the effect of race and gender varied by subgroup, with the themes of the ‘power of personal merit’ over sociocultural factors emerging as the most striking theme. Participants’ perceived benefits aligned with the programme goals: broadening of STEM knowledge, access to role-models, and hands-on experience. Teachings on social inequality and more access to female, minority role-models are suggested to prepare participants for their entrance into the STEMM field.

Intentional mentoring: maximizing the impact of underrepresented future scientists in the 21st century.

ABSTRACTMentoring is a developmental experience intended to increase the willingness to learn and establish credibility while building positive relationships through networking. In this commentary, we focus on intentional mentoring for underrepresented mentees, including individuals that belong to minority racial, ethnic and gender identity groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields. Intentional mentoring is the superpower action necessary for developing harmony and comprehending the purpose and value of the mentor/mentee relationship. Regardless of a mentor's career stage, we believe the strategies discussed may be used to create a supportive and constructive mentorship environment; thereby improving the retention rates of underrepresented mentees within the scientific community.

Decolonization in a higher education STEMM institution – is ‘epistemic fragility’ a barrier?

Central to the decolonial debate is how high-income countries (HICs) have systematically negated ways of knowing from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and yet the paucity of empirical decolonization studies leaves educators relatively unsupported as to whether, and how, to address privilege in higher education. Particularly in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) institutions, there are few published examples of attempts to engage faculty in these debates. In 2018–19, we invited faculty on a master’s in public health course to engage with the decolonization debate by providing: (1) descriptive reading list analyses to all 16 module leads in the master’s programme to invite discussion about the geographic representation of readings; (2) an implicit association test adapted to examine bias towards or against research from LMICs; (3) faculty workshops exploring geographic bias in the curriculum; and (4) interviews to discuss decolonization of curricula and current debates. These initiatives stimulated debate and reflection around the source of readings for the master’s course, a programme with a strong STEMM focus, and the possibility of systemic barriers to the inclusion of literature from universities in LMICs. We propose the notion of epistemic fragility, invoking DiAngelo’s (2011) ‘white fragility’, because some of the responses appeared to result from the challenge to perceived meritocracy, centrality, authority, individuality and objectivity of the HIC episteme that this initiative invites. We posit that the effortful reinstatement of a status quo regarding knowledge hierarchies in the global context, although not a representative reaction, can lead to a significant impact on the initiative in general. Efforts to decolonize curricula require actions at both the individual and organizational levels and, in particular, a managed process of careful engagement so that fragility reactions, if and where they occur, are given the time and space to be navigated in the open. Based on our experiences, we offer recommendations for policy and practice for those engaged in this movement and potential research questions to explore epistemic fragility in higher education.

Sex and Gender Health: A Pilot Study of a Sex and Gender Specific Medical Curriculum for High School Students Interested in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) Careers (4491)

Sex and Gender Health: A Pilot Study of a Sex and Gender Specific Medical Curriculum for High School Students Interested in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) Careers (4491)

COVID-19 Viewed from a Different Lens

It is time the world came to view the COVID-19 pandemic through a different lens. The view presented in this paper essentially says that no matter what we do with our present state of knowledge in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) in dealing with the pandemic, it will not change the form of the final outcome but only the trajectory to the catastrophe that awaits humankind. This pandemic is a gathering storm, creating an amalgam of out-of-control climate change; expansion of the gig economy through accelerating advances in artificial intelligence; global socio-economic instability created by China through abuse of its membership of the World Trade Organization in trade and through aggressive and hegemonic political moves with the intent to impose communism everywhere; and the difficulty of nations and multinationals, which blindly became dependent on China in trade and manufacturing over decades, in disentangling without major disruptions. Each problem became chronic through benign neglect and is now unsolvable by humans. Now that Nature “red in tooth and claw” has taken over, the law of the survival of the fittest will prevail. We are on the verge of speciation because our brains need to evolve to adapt to the crisis.

The effectiveness of university regulations to foster science-based entrepreneurship

In this study, we analyze the effect of the introduction of university regulations supporting academic entrepreneurship. Using a sample of 611 companies spun-off from the 64 Italian Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) universities between 2002 and 2012, we show that university regulations in support of academic entrepreneurship have a positive effect on the creation of academic spin-offs. Nevertheless, their effectiveness is conditioned by specific contingencies. First, the characteristics of university departments influence the positive effect of the regulation: in some cases, there is a substitution effect rather than a complementary one. Second, the design of the regulation impacts the decisions of academic staff regarding whether to start a new venture. Finally, the effect of the regulation is maximized four years after its introduction and then becomes less effective. This paper contributes to the debate on the evaluation of policies supporting science-based entrepreneurship.

How Athena SWAN has improved research culture

‘Draw-a-Scientist’ studies have been conducted regularly by educational researchers for several decades. Even today, the stereotype of a ‘Scientist’ as a middle-aged (or older) white male persists. This is a cliché; however, the sad truth is that it retains some resemblance to real life. Although we are getting better at recognizing women and/or ethnicity in science, we are still a long way from achieving equality. The Athena SWAN charter was launched in 2005 in order to help deal with the lack of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) careers, particularly at higher level roles. In 2015, the Scientific Women’s Academic Network (SWAN) application process changed to encompass a much broader remit, in order to tackle all underrepresentation within the HE sector and provide a positive research culture that benefits everyone.

‘When I look in the bathroom mirror, I see all the women standing behind me’: An evaluation of a leadership development program for women in STEMM

Leadership development programs (LDPs) are one response to the under-representation of women in leadership positions. This article evaluates Homeward Bound, a 12-month LDP for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields that culminates in a three-week voyage to Antarctica. We evaluate the extent that the program supports key features of LDPs for women – including creating a safe, women-only environment, providing professional networking opportunities and using intersectional approaches. We argue that remote locations generate challenges that must be considered in LDP design and implementation. Findings are widely applicable and can inform LDPs in multiple contexts.

Science Communication Demands a Critical Approach That Centers Inclusion, Equity, and Intersectionality

We live in an era of abundant scientific information, yet access to information and to opportunities for substantive public engagement with the processes and outcomes of science are still inequitably distributed. Even with increasing interest in science communication and public engagement with science, historically marginalized and minoritized individuals and communities are largely overlooked and undervalued in these efforts. To address this gap, this paper aims to define inclusive science communication and clarify and amplify the field. We present inclusive science communication as one path forward to redress the systemic problems of inequitable access to and engagement with STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine). We describe the first national Inclusive Science Communication (InclusiveSciComm) Symposium held in the U.S. Based on the experience of organizing the symposium, we discuss recommendations for other convenings to help build a community of practice for inclusive science communication. In both research and practice, we advocate for more experimentation to help make inclusive science communication the future of science communication writ large, in order to engage diverse publics in their multiple ways of knowing and expand a sense of belonging in STEMM.

The predictive role of life goals and self determination traits on academic performance in a Romanian STEMM and non-STEM undergraduate cohort

Based on self-determination theory (SDT) and the importance of intrinsic motivation and self-determination in academic performance we investigated the predictive role of intrinsic and extrinsic life goals (aspirations) and self-determination traits (perceived control, self-awareness) in undergraduate academic performance. We analyzed the predictive role of the above in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine), respectively non-STEMM/ non-STEM (Humanities, Arts, Literature, and Management) fields of study, taking into account the literature which indicates the differing demands of each field.

Feasibility and Effectiveness of Different Models of Team-Based Learning Approaches in STEMM-Based Disciplines

This study presents findings from three different disciplines in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) and across different models of student-focused teaching. Specifically, we assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of flipped classroom approaches combined with team based learning (TBL), and TBL alone within STEMM, particularly in the disciplines of Physics, Engineering and Medicine across different year levels. TBL activities were incorporated into undergraduate Physics and Engineering cohorts, with students from a diverse range of majors and backgrounds and a graduate level Doctor of Medicine (MD) cohort. Quiz scores from the Physics cohort were significantly improved following TBL, exam scores from the engineering cohort were more evenly distributed than pre-TBL quiz scores and students in the medical cohort had higher quiz scores when working within teams rather than alone. Qualitative survey responses from both the physics and engineering cohorts indicated that students felt TBL was positive and increased their understanding of key concepts. Informal feedback from medical students following TBL classes was also very positive and students demonstrated obvious engagement. Comparisons for pre- versus post-TBL quiz scores for Physics, for pre-TBL quartile versus exam scores in Engineering and for Team versus Individual learning quiz scores in Medicine all provide evidence of effective student engagement and performance. The observation study suggests that TBL is a feasible and effective method of student-focused learning within STEMM. More rigorously designed studies are now required to further explore these findings.

Data and Techniques Used for Analysis of Women Authorship in STEMM: A Review

Women are underrepresented in authorship of scholarly articles published in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM). The scholars have been analysed this representation of women using wide range of data, methods and techniques. Several studies have reported complementary results with gender disparity in authorship of scholarly publications. However, the reported results vary according to objectives of the study, size and source of the data, techniques and methods used for the analysis. Therefore, these results are specific to size and source of data, techniques and methods, academic fields, journals, regions, etc. and insufficient to reach global conclusions. The study concludes that: 1) available data is insufficient to include all scholarly authorships, 2) data and techniques used for detection of author’s gender need more geographic inclusions, 3) new techniques and methods should be adopted for more precise and inclusive analysis, and 4) the results, techniques and methods should be tested thoroughly from different sources of data and geographic conditions. The field is new, active, important and challenging area of research for equality and social welfare.

A Review of ACD-STEMM Integration: Part 1: A Taxonomy of Integrated Bridges

This is Part 1 of a three-part analysis of studies concerning useful ways in which visual, plastic, musical, and performing arts, crafts, and design (referred to for simplicity as Arts-Crafts-Design or ACD) may improve learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and increase professional success in these subjects. We address: 1) what are the ways in which ACD and STEMM can interact fruitfully; 2) which of these have been explored using well-devised studies and what do these tell us about efficacy; 3) where are the gaps (and therefore the opportunities) that can readily be addressed by new studies; and 4) what kinds of methods can be used to generate reliable data. Part 1 summarizes studies demonstrating that ACD are valuable to STEMM professionals, providing a taxonomy of eight connecting “bridges” that STEMM professionals say they employ to connect arts and science into “integrated networks of enterprise.” We demonstrate that STEMM professionals utilizing these bridges ...

A Review of ACD-STEMM Integration, Part 3: Controlled Studies of Additional Transdisciplinary Bridges for Arts-Science Pedagogy and General Conclusions

This is Part 3 of a three-part analysis of studies concerning useful ways in which visual, plastic, musical and performing arts, crafts, and design (referred to for simplicity as Arts-Crafts-Design or ACD) may improve learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and increase professional success in these subjects. Part 1 outlined eight “bridges” that STEMM professionals say they use to link ACD to their work and the evidence for doing so. Part 2 summarized pedagogical studies that test the efficacy of Bridge 1: whether ACD exercise of certain “tools for thinking” described in Root-Bernstein and Root-Bernstein in their book Sparks of Genius (1999) improve aspects of STEMM learning. This third part of our essay analyzes whether the remaining seven bridges that enable STEMM professionals to utilize ACD professionally have similar pedagogical benefits.

A Review of ACD-STEMM Integration, Part 2: Controlled Studies of Transdisciplinary Tools-for-Thinking Bridges for Arts-Science Pedagogy

This is Part 2 of a three-part analysis of studies concerning useful ways in which visual, plastic, musical and performing arts, crafts, and design (referred to for simplicity as Arts-Crafts-Design or ACD) may improve learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and increase professional success in these subjects. Part 1 outlined eight “bridges” that STEMM professionals say they use to link ACD to their work and the evidence for doing so. Part 2 summarizes pedagogical studies that test the efficacy of Bridge 1: whether ACD exercise of certain “tools for thinking” improves aspects of STEMM learning. Identified and described in the book Sparks of Genius (Houghton Mifflin, 1999), these cognitive skills play a vital role in creative problem-raising and problem-solving strategies shared by artists and scientists. The thinking tools include observing, imaging, abstracting, pattern recognition, pattern forming, analogizing, dimensional thinking, modeling, empathizing and playact...

Women Authorship of Scholarly Publications in STEMM: Authorship Puzzle

The continued underrepresentation of women in scholarly activities slows down the scientific progress of any country. Several studies have analyzed the women representation in authorship of scholarly publications in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM). Women account only 30% of overall authorship of scholarly articles. Prestigious authorships like first-, last- and corresponding authors also show significant underrepresentation of women. Women as first authors are significantly increasing since last decades; however, growth of last authors is not significant and share of corresponding authors not changed. Women show low overall impact of scholarly publications due to lower productivity but not for quality of publication. This gender authorship puzzle can be solved by adopting gender responsive planning and management. Therefore, systematic efforts to understand the gender disparities in scholarly publications, authorship citations and collaborations require for achieving significant positive change in the share of women in academic authorship, impact and career. The field is new, active, attractive and interesting area of research to achieve gender equality in scientific research and publications for social welfare.

ACS joins consortium to confront sexual harassment in the sciences

The American Chemical Society has joined more than 50 other academic and professional societies in forming the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine). The consortium aims to advance professional and ethical conduct, climate, and culture across the scientific fields. The initiative was announced on Feb. 15 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, DC, and is being led by AAAS, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Geophysical Union. The commission “will provide research and evidence-based resources and guidance to address sexual harassment in the member societies’ operations and more broadly within the fields they represent,” an AAAS statement says. “Initial work will focus on model policies and procedures for society honors and awards.” “Sexual harassment in STEMM is something that impacts all of the scientific disciplines. Our goal is to leverage the

A sponsorship action plan for increasing diversity in STEMM.

There are numerous structural and cultural barriers to the progression of women and marginalized groups to leadership in academia, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM). A range of interventions have been described to address this inequity, with varying success. Here, we suggest that sponsorship could be one effective intervention and propose an institutional action plan to implement a sponsorship program in academia. We outline why sponsorship could be an effective strategy, especially if implemented through a deliberate program by an institution. We then detail the three components of an action plan to be considered in implementation: the elements of the program, the activities that sponsorship in academia likely encompasses, and the selection of sponsors and protégés. The plan could also be enacted by academic leadership in the absence of an institutional program and could serve as a guide to individuals in academia aspiring to address diversity and inclusion in STEMM.