Progress Report Promoting Diversity: Access and Engagement in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers

Sylvia Hurtado, Professor & Director

Mitchell Chang, Associate ProfessorHigher Education Research Institute, UCLA

August 22nd, 2006

Targeted Institutions and Participants

Minority serving institutions (MSIs) Institutions that produce large numbers of

minority baccalaureates in the sciences (Top 50) MARC/MBRS/MORE/PREP program institutions

—includes PWIs and MSIs Other types of institutions to round out the

sample (liberal arts colleges, private universities) URMs, White and Asian students with intentions

to major in about a dozen biomedical/behavioral science fields—small sample of URMs in other fields for comparison of college experiences

Research Plan: Key Components

CIRP Freshman Survey, administered at orientation at over 720 institutions (baseline sample), 644 with URMs with initial intentions for biological/behavioral science majors

YFCY End of First Year Survey, about 223 institutions agreed to participate, 104 were NIH targeted

Classroom-based surveys of introductory courses in MSIs and PWIs in Year 3

Focus groups and institutional site visits – six targeted to include MSIs and PWIs with NIH programs in Year 3.

Phase I: CIRP Freshman Survey (SIF)

720 institutions with 424,000 freshmen respondents 51 MSIs (HBCUs & HSIs) 64+ institutions with NIH-sponsored programs

Data collection completed Fall 2004, three conference papers and one report, Aspiring Scientists, see project website

Merged institutional characteristics from NCES IPEDS data

Merging of additional student academic data from the College Board and college registrar’s data by the end of summer

Phase I: Findings of First Year Aspiring Scientists and Academic papers (online)

High aspirations of underrepresented minority students relative to White and Asian counterparts

Importance of formal coursework and experiential learning in the sciences while in high school

Self-efficacy and goal development supercedes effect of academic credentials and background characteristics on aspirations to become a scientist

Connection between student concern about finances and intention to contribute to scientific research

Phase II: First-year follow-up (YFCY)

Focus on first-year college experiences, access to resources, survey instrument completed

We contacted 129 institutions based on: status as an MSI or PWI presence of NIH-sponsored programs targeting URM

students Number of URMs that responded to the freshman

survey Number of URMs that indicated their college major

was in the biomedical or behavioral science fields

Phase II: First-year follow-up (YFCY)

104 of targeted institutions agreed to participate, 119 additional institutions participated

Spring 2005 survey packets were mailed directly to students Paper/web survey option Email reminders were sent Phone calls to target groups

Continuing analyses over 2005-06, one paper in journal review, another in development, and a report available summer 2006 online.

Phase II: Year Two FindingsResearch Report of Students’ First Year (will be online)

URMs express science goals and aspirations around values of improving the health of minority communities, finding a cure to major health problems, and becoming an authority in their field

Two-thirds URM science students reported at least a B average in their first year compared with 78% of White and Asian science students

Only 11.8 % of URMS report participating in a college level health science research program, 21.8 participated in academic enrichment programs, 19.6 participated in a professor’s research

Students at MSIs report having more frequent contact with faculty during office hours and outside of class than students at PWIs

Implications: Institutional programs and interventions are important for first-year URM academic adjustment and integration

RESEARCH PAPER (In press, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science & Engineering)The Characteristics and Experiences of Minority Freshmen Committed to Biomedical and Behavioral Science Research Careers

Using Bandura’s social learning theory we found that entering freshman were committed to scientific research careers if they:

Participate in a health science or summer research program before college

American Indian: Have higher self-ratings of academic ability and time management

Latinos: Have a parent whose occupation is research or took more years of biology in high school

Blacks: Intend to major in chemistry or biology In contrast, engaging in hospital work during high school

reduces the likelihood of aspiring to a research career—especially for Black and Latino students—indicating they will more likely pursue a professional career track

Implications: Intentional intervention during college is needed to increase knowledge about what a career in scientific research entails.

RESEARCH PAPER (In revision for Research in Higher Education)Predicting Transition and Adjustment to College: Minority Biomedical and Behavioral Science Students’ First Year of College (draft online)

Study Compares URM science, White/Asian science, and URM non-science students attending MSIs and PWIs

URM science students who felt they had successfully managed the academic environment reported:

Relevance of coursework to everyday life, receiving advice from an upperclass peer, changes in their ability to conduct research, more hours spent studying, and higher college GPAs

Negative predictors included attending a highly selective institution, assessing a high level of competition among peers, and perceptions of a hostile racial climate

While family support is important, unusual family responsibilities detract from academic adjustment and sense of belonging among all students

The burden of financial concerns negatively impacts science students’ sense of belonging in college

Implications of Findings To Date

The fact that students articulate values associated with scientific research careers but are not specific about these career intentions suggest more exposure to scientific careers is needed early on

Different support structures are available not only across institutions but within institutions, indicating where students get support has important implications for their success, e.g. seeking advice from other freshmen was negatively associated with academic adjustment for URM science students.

Our studies are beginning to suggest how the academic and social systems of a college a linked for science students, and we intend to continue to pursue this line of research.

In ProgressAcademic Papers and Reports

Research Paper: Retaining Science Students After One Year in College

Research Paper: Precollege Characteristics and Experiences of Minority Students Committed to Science Careers in the Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences (preliminary draft online)

End of First Year of College Report (will be available online) New data acquired from college registrar’s and the College

Board being merged to add to analyses from the beginning of the first year

Preparations for Phase III:Classroom Study & Focus Groups

Classroom Questionnaires (pre & post): Focus groups of URM science students at UCLA have pilot

tested the survey, in IRB approval Recruitment will occur through faculty of introductory science

courses (e.g., biology, chemistry, psychology) of approx. 1,500 students

Focus is on critical thinking dispositions and habits of mind for scientific research

Selection of institutions for site visits (still in process) 6 universities have been contacted, awaiting approval 4 MSIs/ 2 PWIs

Student Focus Groups 3-5 per campus to learn about facilitators and barriers to

pursuing a scientific major/career

RESOURCES & Project Staff

Papers and reports are available for download from project website

Project email: herinih@ucla.edu

RESEARCH STAFFSylvia Hurtado, Co-PIMitch Chang, Co-PIVictor Saenz, Postdoc

Graduate Research AssistantsOscar CernaNolan CabreraJulie Park (volunteer)Lorelle Espinosa June Chang

Project website:

http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/nih