Underrepresented High School Students Research Articles

Latinx High School Students’ Reflections About a University Summer Research Program Support the Use of Asset Bundles in Designing Programs for Broadening STEM Pipelines

ABSTRACT Latinx individuals are under-represented in STEM and biomedical fields. Research by Johnson and Bozeman has shown that the asset bundle framework can be used to help minoritized individuals succeed in STEM and professional schools. This model has been widely applied to college students, but little work has been done with high school students. A formalized summer research program to allow students to participate in university research was implemented that is geared toward underrepresented high school students at predominantly Latinx high schools in the Southwest using the asset bundle framework. Over the last two years, 10 students have participated in a 4 to 5-week summer research program. Seven of these ten students were interviewed about their experiences in the program. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Themes from the asset bundles framework emerged in these interviews that were indicative of student interest in biomedical pursuits, suggesting that asset bundles can be used to promote biomedical careers among Latinx high school students.

Embracing diversity: a healthcare immersion program for under-represented high school students, creating a pipeline for diversity in medicine

Embracing diversity: a healthcare immersion program for under-represented high school students, creating a pipeline for diversity in medicine

Discussion to: Effect of cardiothoracic surgery mentorship on underrepresented high school students

Discussion to: Effect of cardiothoracic surgery mentorship on underrepresented high school students

44514 A Survey Study Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Dermatology Information Session on Increasing Exposure to Dermatology in Underrepresented High School Students

44514 A Survey Study Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Dermatology Information Session on Increasing Exposure to Dermatology in Underrepresented High School Students

Fish in a Dish: Using Zebrafish in Authentic Science Research Experiences for Under-represented High School Students from West Virginia.

Early research experiences positively affect students' interest in STEM careers, and develop practical science and critical thinking skills. However, outreach opportunities are not equally accessible for all students. In states like West Virginia, where many students live in rural Appalachian communities, opportunities for engaging in STEM experiences are limited. In addition, rural teachers may not be equipped to provide authentic research experiences for students due to lack of resources or support. For many students in West Virginia, the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) is a major opportunity for STEM engagement. Since its inception in 1998, HSTA has spread to 26 of 55 counties in West Virginia. The program recruits first-generation, low-socioeconomic status, rurally living, and African American high school students who are under-represented in STEM fields. Our research laboratory partnered with HSTA to implement an innovative, hands-on research camp using zebrafish for students participating in their annual junior-level biomedical sciences summer camp. Our camp was held in-person and adapted to an online format during the Covid-19 pandemic. We used pre-post surveys in both camps to assess impacts on science confidence and to collect information about general perceptions of zebrafish, research, and STEM fields. We found that students participating in the in-person and online camps experienced similar overall gains in science confidence. We also identified strong interest in zebrafish, research, and STEM degrees among online students. Online students did not prefer virtual learning experiences; however, they still enjoyed our camp. We also surveyed high school teachers volunteering for HSTA to identify factors that would encourage use of zebrafish in classrooms. The most prominent needs include classroom supplies, experience, and funding. Our successful science-education partnership demonstrates that zebrafish research experiences foster positive outcomes for under-represented students, and can inform future outreach efforts and collaborations with teachers.

EVALUATION OF A SUMMER COURSE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

This paper overviews a pre-college entrepreneurial education program and examines its impact on entrepreneurial intention. The program, entitled the Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy, aims at disadvantaged and underrepresented high school students and is developed by a public research university in the northeast USA. We analyzed the data from 154 graduates of the program and found a significant increase in entrepreneurial intention in the posttest compared to the pretest. The study adds to the literature on exploring and identifying the characteristics of pre-college entrepreneurial education interventions that help increase entrepreneurial intent and provides suggestions for future research, including comparing dropouts to graduates and exploring the interplay between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial mindset.

K2i academy: An Innovative Ecosystem Addressing System Barriers in STEM from Kindergarten to Industry

k2i (kindergarten to industry) academy within the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University is an innovative ecosystem that works to meaningfully design and integrate equity and inclusion based STEM programs that address persistent problems in education. In order to address these barriers, k2i academy has developed an Inclusive Design Framework that guides our work and ensures that our programs are designed with equity, diversity and inclusion as the central principle. This framework was implemented in the Bringing STEM to Life: Work Integrated Learning program to address inequities for underrepresented high school students. The program participants earned a high school physics credit during the summer while gaining employment experience as a Lab Assistant working on projects with mentors. Through collaborations with Lassonde Faculty researchers, industry partners, and educational leaders in school boards, the program identified that these experiences allowed youth and K-12 educators to broaden their understanding of STEM, developed critical technical and professional skills and enabled youth to imagine and see themselves in a STEM career.

123. Expanding The Health Professions Pipeline: A Qualitative Analysis of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program

The underrepresentation of individuals from minority and low-income backgrounds is a pressing and persistent issue in medicine. High school biomedical pipeline programs offer a promising strategy to diversify the medical pipeline by supporting underrepresented students towards successful transition into college and health careers. One of the most established university-based pipeline programs is the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP). For over thirty years, SMYSP has fostered the potential of low-income and under-represented high school students interested in careers in health and medicine through a 5-week summer program.

Conducting STEM Industry Internships while Sheltering in Place: The Biotech Partners Experience

Before the shelter-in-place orders began, Biotech Partners (BP) was already engaged in contingency planning with its school and industry partners in an effort to mitigate potential disruptions caused by the looming health crisis. For 25 years prior, BP had successfully mentored and prepared underrepresented high school students to complete professional internships at diverse STEM institutions. Often working in a laboratory or pharmaceutical manufacturing setting, the internships allowed students to apply bioscience, biotechnology, and professional career skills developed in school within the context of a professional workplace. The promise of paid internships in a cutting-edge industry creates an incentive to motivate and maximize student learning in rigorous academic training and workforce preparation. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, most industry sites cancelled their 2020 participation, putting the summer internships in jeopardy. BP rapidly shifted. Collaborating with new and longstanding industry partners, the internship program was modified from in-person to remote work and learning environments. This case study examines the pedagogical challenges and opportunities of conducting remote STEM internships amid a global pandemic. This paper illuminates the role of industry partnerships, student outreach, personalized mentoring, and wrap-around support services to broaden students' awareness of, interest in, and preparation for careers in the STEM workforce.

Success of Distance Learning During 2020 COVID-19 Restrictions: A Report from Five STEM Training Programs for Underrepresented High School and Undergraduate Learners.

In 2020, STEM training programs across the country were challenged to provide support to students during a nation-wide shutdown of research institutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five U.S. high school science internship programs funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, with a history of collaboration, developed innovative strategies for distance-learning (DL) opportunities during the pandemic. Forty under-represented high school and undergraduate students were paired with scientific mentors at one of the programs for a DL scientific internship. Summer training combined synchronous and asynchronous programming with research projects adapted for DL success. Ninety-five percent of students who participated were satisfied with the training experience, nearly identical to exit survey responses from 2019 when our programs were held in-person. More students were interested in pursuing a career in research at the end of the program and credited the DL experience with increasing interest in research careers. Some DL elements were ideal for underrepresented youth, including a more flexible schedule and elimination of cost and time for travel. While the lack of in-person instruction challenged our ability to create a strong student community, we found that preparation, communication, and flexibility were key elements to these successful DL programs. The increased emphasis on interpretation and analysis of data, rather than data collection, enhanced student learning. This manuscript highlights the changes made to our curricula, elements which were most successful, and recommends strategies for future distance-learning programming.

“It’s Never Too Late”: High School Counselors’ Support of Underrepresented Students’ Interest in STEM

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature surrounding school counselors and their support of underrepresented high school students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The influence of context on school counseling was also explored, in particular practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this phenomenological study, nine high school counselors were individually interviewed, and four themes emerged. These themes were: (a) professional knowledge surrounding issues of diversity in STEM, (b) training related to the needs of underrepresented students in STEM, (c) active engagement in supporting underrepresented students’ STEM career interests, and (d) barriers related to supporting underrepresented students’ STEM interests. This article includes implications for (a) how school counselors can support underrepresented students’ STEM interests, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) how counselor educators can contribute to STEM-related research and training; and (c) how school administrators can support school counselors’ STEM initiatives.

Underrepresented High Schoolers’ Interests, Engagement, and Experiences in an Information and Communications Technology Summer Workshop: A Three-Year Study

In this paper we describe our investigation of underrepresented high school students’ interests, engagement, and experiences in design-based Information and Communications Technology (ICT) summer workshop activities; with the goal of identifying activities, aspects, and/or elements of the program that can be tailored or improved upon to attract, engage, educate, and retain high schoolers who have historically been underrepresented in ICT. Our primary research question is “which activities are most engaging for students typically underrepresented in ICT careers and programs,” and we additionally report on underrepresented students’ experiences and psychosocial changes across the summer workshops. A total of 139 high school students (of which 98 identified as being underrepresented female and/or racially minoritized students) participated in the ICT workshops hosted across three consecutive summers at a large, public, urban university in the Midwestern region of the United States. Employing a mixed methods design, our quantitative results and qualitative findings suggest that underrepresented students in our sample found the summer workshops’ group projects and hands-on courses to be the most engaging activities. Implications of our results/findings are further discussed.

Use of Surgical Simulation by Underrepresented High School Students to Address Diversity Gaps in Surgery.

Recent tragedies have displayed systemic inequities in our society. Our institution has created a program for underrepresented high school students in our surgical simulation lab. The students have responded very favorably, and their interest in a surgical career and self-confidence increased significantly.

EXPLORE: Empower, Expand, and Promote Leadership Opportunities, Resources, and Education in Healthcare

Describe a program that can be developed to help improve the college-going self-efficacy of underrepresented high school students.

The Life of a Black Medical Trainee in the United States: Past, Present, Future

An Introduction to the History of Black Medical TraineesIn these unprecedented times, Black medical professionals must deliver excellent medical care and uphold the highest standards of their profession while living through a devastating pandemic. They must do so in a time when the country tries to reconcile with generations of racism and injustice. The current social environment in America is particularly challenging for medical trainees such as medical students and resident physicians who must focus on their educational requirements and careers in settings that are often averse to addressing topics such as racism. This plight is not new for Black medical trainees, as they have been fighting for centuries to obtain an equitable seat at the table of medical education. Throughout the 19th century and early 20th century, Black physicians were repeatedly disenfranchised from the predominantly white medical societies, most notably the American Medical Association (AMA), which was established in 1847. Racially integrated medical organizations such as the National Medical Society of Washington D.C. (NMS), which was founded in 1870, were developed to challenge discriminatory practices of the American Medical Association against Black practitioners. The inception of the National Medical Association (NMA) in 1895 allowed Black doctors to advocate for disadvantaged patient populations and focus efforts on health issues pertinent to the underserved. The Struggles of the Black TraineeHowever, Black and underrepresented minorities continue to face challenges with medical school matriculation and retention. A 2015 AAMC report showed that Black male medical school matriculants failed to increase significantly between 1978 and 2014. From 2006 to 2018, the number of Black medical school matriculants increased from 6.7% to 7.1%. Solutions for Improving Medical Education for the Black TraineeTo improve these matriculation statistics, it is critical that institutions integrate innovative measures such as robust recruitment pipelines to expose underrepresented high school and college students to the medical field, as well as seek diversity actively in administration to dismantle the ingrained ideologies of systemic racism rooted in healthcare and medical education. To combat the institutionalized racism that has plagued medical education throughout its existence, collaboration as a unified front is essential to achieving the equity and social justice in healthcare that patients deserve.

Abstract IA16: Lessons learned from seventeen years of cancer research experiences program for under-represented high school and college students

Abstract Background/Purpose: Increasing participation of under-represented minorities (URMs) in cancer-related fields is critical for eliminating disparities in prevention, incidence, prevalence, detection, treatment, survival, and mortality. Early engagement in scientific research is linked to retention of students in STEM programs and careers. Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) is one of the largest consortium comprehensive cancer centers in the world. As part of the mission to find new and innovative ways to combat cancer and eliminate cancer disparities in communities throughout the Northeast, we are shaping the development of a new, diverse, and educated workforce through the Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program. CURE introduces high-school and college students from URM populations to the world of cancer research. The program aims to increase URMs successfully pursuing careers in biomedicine, cancer research, and/or health disparities, pursuing graduate degrees and/or professional training in these areas, and engaging in scholarly activity. Initially funded through a cancer center supplement, during the past two years DFHCC has expanded their programming by successfully obtaining two NCI R25 grants, Young Empowered Scientists for ContinUed Research Engagement (YES for CURE) Program (NCI CA221738) and Summer Program to Advance Research Careers (SPARC) Program (NCI CA214256). Description: DF/HCC has engaged over 400 students in research experiences at its seven-member institutions. Building on a 17-year history of research training experience and a long-term partnership with the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), DF/HCC created programming that combines hands-on research experiences with professional development seminars, journal clubs, book clubs, social events, and individual project planning. Evaluation: Students and mentors are surveyed each summer to identify opportunities for improvement. We also track academic and professional progress of our alumni annually. Usefulness: Based on our 2017 survey with a 71% average response rate, 95% of our alumni have completed or are currently enrolled in post-secondary programs, with 72% completing college degrees so far. Of these, 83% graduated with STEM or health science degrees and 23% have additionally completed graduate degrees. Over two thirds of our alumni are currently working full- or part-time in STEM-related fields and almost 25% in cancer-related work. 15% are working in a health disparities-related field. Our alumni have coauthored more than 243 scientific publications. Our research education and training successfully engage the scientific curiosity and promote the academic success and future research careers of promising young URM scientists. Learning Objectives: The participant shall be able to learn best practices for engaging high school and college students from under-represented backgrounds in hands-on cancer research. References E. De Chubin and AL DePass, editors. Understanding interventions that broaden participation in science careers. In Understanding Interventions, San Diego, CA, 2015. K. Maton, T. Beason, S. Godsay, M. Sto. Domingo, T. Bailey, S. Sun and F. Hrabowski. Outcomes and processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Research Program: STEM PhD Completion, Sense of Community, Perceived Program Benefit, Science Identity, and Research Self-Efficacy. CBE–Life Sciences Education 15: 3 (Ar48), 2016. M. Ghee, M. Keels, D. Collins, C. Neal-Spence and E. Baker. Fine-tuning summer research programs to promote underrepresented students' persistence in the STEM pathway. CBE-Life Sciences Education 15: 3 (Ar28), 2016. Citation Format: Karen Burns White, Emily McMains, Diedra Wrighting, Joan Becker, Kathynie Hinds. Lessons learned from seventeen years of cancer research experiences program for under-represented high school and college students [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.

Abstract D005: Outcomes of a cancer research fellowship program for underrepresented high school students

Abstract Introduction: Minority populations and individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds suffer from high rates of cancer, yet these at-risk communities are underrepresented in the biomedical research and clinical workforce. Disparities start from an early age and stem from multiple factors, though gaps in education play a role. In the summer of 2018, University of California San Diego (UCSD) created a cancer research fellowship program for minority high school students called Outreach Program to Inspire Minority and Underrepresented Students (OPTIMUS). This report presents early outcomes of the inaugural cohort of OPTIMUS scholars. Methods: The OPTIMUS program recruits students from four underserved public high schools in southeast San Diego. Selected students (OPTIMUS scholars) are provided transportation to Moores Cancer Center at UCSD daily for a 6-week paid summer internship. Each OPTIMUS scholar is paired with a supportive cancer research lab for a mentored-lab experience. In parallel to the lab experience, scholars participate in a cancer research education curriculum, clinical shadowing, and other endeavors including college preparatory activities and social networking events. Under UCSD faculty oversight, the program is run by medical students, residents, and fellows. We surveyed students about their perceptions of different curricular elements during the program, and again 9-months after completion of the program. Results: OPTIMUS launched in July 2018, and received 132 complete applications, with applicants self-identifying as African American (28%), Hispanic (17%), Pacific Islander (32%), multiracial (10%), and other (13%). The majority of students came from socioeconomic disadvantaged households (61%) and had parents who did not attend college (66%). Ten OPTIMUS scholars were selected for the initial program, and completed all 6-weeks of the summer fellowship. Survey results indicated that students were “very satisfied” to “mostly satisfied” with the majority of the components of the program (scoring 3 or 4 on a 4 point satisfaction scale). The 5 high school seniors in our initial OPTIMUS cohort have each received acceptance letters from 4-year universities, and each plans to major in a biology-based or health science related field. Conclusions: The OPTIMUS cancer research fellowship has generated interest among local underrepresented students, and early outcomes show promising results with students successfully transitioning into university. Long term follow up of students will help to fully understand the impact of this program, though success with OPTIMUS and other programs focusing on strengthening the educational pipeline stand to help improve diversity in the oncology workforce. Citation Format: Ekenechukwu A Akabike, Alexa Azuara, Elena S Heide, Cristal Vieyra, Nicolas Villanueva, Daniel M Seible, James D Murphy. Outcomes of a cancer research fellowship program for underrepresented high school students [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr D005.

Introducing underrepresented high school students to software engineering: Using the micro:bit microcontroller to program connected autonomous cars

AbstractOutreach that considers underrepresented groups has become one particular push to increase participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math‐related disciplines, with Computer Science and Software Engineering representing one particular domain. We describe our outreach programming employing the micro:bit microcontroller environment for hands‐on software development and how students change their high‐level domain knowledge and attitudes. We find that overall, students were gaining general knowledge and slight increases in their positive attitudes towards a computer science‐related post‐secondary education. We also find differences between incoming knowledge level groups and self‐perception as well as performance differences. We also note a slight majority of students indicated that they liked our approach and that the utilization of the micro:bit microcontroller overall was worthwhile. Future iterations of our programming will utilize these findings and add additional data gathering efforts supplanting the current pre‐ and posttest instruments.

Use of PROMIS and Functional Movement System (FMS) Testing to Evaluate the Effects of Athletic Performance and Injury Prevention Training in Female High School Athletes.

Two major health concerns with female high school athletes are: 1) psychosocial wellness, and 2) sports-related injuries. It is also known that these health concerns are much greater for minority students who attend high school in economically depressed cities. While it has been well-established that exercise is an effective intervention for these health concerns, there are no established outcome measures to quantitatively assess athletic performance and injury prevention training interventions in this population. Previously, we have demonstrated the utility of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) as a robust outcome measure following ACL reconstruction. Functional Movement Screening (FMS) has been used as a tool to determine injury risk in female collegiate athletes. Since these tools are broadly available, we completed a research study of urban underrepresented minority and suburban female high school athletes, to assess the feasibility and utility of these tools to measure changes in this population during 10-weeks of athletic training. No adverse events of the training or study were reported. A Kaplan-Meier assessment of the data revealed that there was high student retention throughout the 10 weeks. In addition, we found no difference in weekly attendance between the students that completed the intervention vs. the dropouts (while they were in the program), indicating that the students were highly motivated to attend when possible. While no significant differences were found for fatigue and physical function, the intervention significantly improved anxiety, peer relationships, pain interference, and trended towards significance for depression (p<0.05). In terms of physical performance, bench press, combined Pro Agility, and total FMS were all significantly improved (p<0.05). Surprisingly, there were 10 students (67%) in peril of sports- related injury (FM˂14) at the start of the intervention, and all but 1 (90%) eliminated this serious risk factor. Collectively, these results demonstrate the feasibility of PROMIS and FMS outcomes to assess the efficacy of physical training interventions, in underrepresented minority female high school students, which warrants investigation in a formal prospective study.

An Immunological basis for improving interest and participation of underrepresented student groups in High school science classes

Abstract In New Zealand (NZ) children and young people of Māori and Pacific Peoples heritage are underrepresented in high school science and higher education science, medical and health courses. To help support improved engagement and interest in laboratory science learning that was clinically relevant amongst high school students from underrepresented groups that included Māori and Pacific students, a laboratory workshop session was arranged to incorporate a visit from a Pacific Biomedical Scientist teaching laboratory content with an Immunological focus. This visit was organised during the workshop session to support the Immunologically based teaching and also to field questions from the students directly. Amongst other discussion points, the implications of Penicillin as an antibiotic of choice to prevent the autoimmune response to Group A Streptococcal bacteria known as Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) was also discussed. It is recognised that Indigenous Māori and Pacific population groups remain disproportionately affected by Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) in NZ and in the Pacific Region. Feedback from the high school students indicated that a key source of interest remained the clinical relevance of the scientific discussion emphasised with the Pacific Biomedical Scientist. This work demonstrated the value of Immunology incorporation within the laboratory focus for this wider context and also the role modelling concept for the Pacific students in particular, both as important factors to support heightened interest and engagement levels of underrepresented high school students in science.