Many universities and colleges aim to increase the retention of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students through voluntary, university-sponsored, co-curricular programming. Bridge programs represent a common type of co-curricular activity and are often made up of additional coursework and skill-building activities designed to prepare students academically for STEM studies. Many Bridge programs are aimed at increasing the participation of students historically underrepresented in STEM. The design of bridge programs can vary quite drastically, as they may include or exclude different program elements, such as STEM-related workshops, faculty mentorship, and financial scholarships. In addition, the effectiveness of a bridge program on STEM major retention is influenced by the institutional context in which they are administered. Despite their popularity, few studies have sought to estimate the overall effectiveness of these programs on STEM major retention. This study isolates the effect of STEM-related workshops on its overall effectiveness on retaining STEM students. To study the overall effectiveness of STEM bridge program across various institutional contexts, we performed a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed literature by first performing a systematized literature review, and then combining and averaging relevant quantitative results into one overall odds ratio. We present the results of a meta-analysis on STEM bridge programs that provide workshops, and report on its effect on student STEM retention at the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-year marks. Search strings developed for this meta-analysis yielded 638 unique records from four databases. From these, 10 unique studies were selected for inclusion due to their relevance to this study and because they provided quantitative results that could be included in the meta-analysis. Results show that this subset of STEM bridge programs have a small effect on one-year STEM retention (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.250). Long-term effects are also limited and show a slight decreased effect by year six (OR = 1.244). While this research includes only a limited number of available studies providing quantitative data, this study highlights the potential of using meta-analysis methods to broadly analyze program effectiveness. Our results highlight the importance of purposeful STEM bridge program design and how it may impact the retention of future STEM students. Future meta-analysis work on STEM bridge programs will look at the combined and isolated effects of other program elements, such as faculty mentorship, on STEM student retention.

This study explores how engineering students perceive the benefits of extracurricular and co-curricular participation through the lens of dimensions of wellness. First-year engineering students at a large Midwestern research university were surveyed about their extracurricular experiences. Open-response data from 557 survey responses were analyzed using thematic analysis assisted by natural language processing to identify themes in how students describe the benefits of their participation in terms of dimensions of wellness. Students most frequently describe social, occupational, and intellectual benefits of participation. Findings characterize trends in these descriptions holistically and across different types of activities (e.g., recreational, professional, technical). These trends suggest ways to support students through extracurricular participation, communicate its benefits, and help students navigate choices in selecting beneficial activities to support their well-being, learning, and professional development.

While much attention has focused on the recruitment and retention of women into engineering programs, underrepresentation of women in engineering remains. Women are leaving the profession at rates double that of men. In order to tackle underrepresentation, we cannot isolate these academic and professional aspects. Career development is an integral part of engineering academic endeavors. Studying women's engineering career decisions, including their decisions to leave the profession, provides fertile ground for identifying creative solutions to retain them. Family-work balance influences women's engineering career pathways. Workplace changes due to the pandemic have further exacerbated these challenges. Women have been disproportionally impacted by the pandemic, often taking on a higher percentage of the home and childcare responsibilities. In this study, we use a three-pronged approach to develop a framework for understanding the role of family-work balance in women's engineering career decisions. First, we explore existing knowledge on the role of family-work balance on women's engineering career decisions, particularly their decision to leave the profession. Next, we integrate related literature on women's experiences in engineering, STEM, and other male-dominated professions. Finally, to expand our understanding of the work-life challenges of women in engineering, we incorporate concepts from organizational psychology, such as job burnout, resource allocation/ job-demands-resources, work-family boundary management, and contemporary career issues. The resulting framework provides promising implications for both researchers and individuals in addressing work-family balance. Using these theories to frame their studies, researchers will gain new knowledge, and identify proactive solutions to retain those who feel pushed out of engineering because of challenges with family-work balance. Additionally, women in engineering academic programs may be more inclined to persist if they understand how they can simultaneously achieve their family and career goals. This work contributes toward broadening women's participation in engineering by providing a framework for understanding and addressing family-work challenges.

The ongoing lack of diversity in the engineering higher education workforce remains a grand challenge with far-reaching implications for universities and the U.S. economy. Institutional social norms and identity are rooted in upper-class, elite culture. Although all individuals may struggle to conform to some aspects of a university society, first-generation (1stGen) faculty members might have exceptional challenges. Faculty perceptions of workplace climate were measured using a scale to assess ten constructs that may impact faculty persistence. In addition, demographic questions were generated to capture respondents' multiple intersecting social identities in a climate survey. The sample size was 846 tenure and tenure track engineering faculty in the U.S. For this study, we compared the perceptions of engineering faculty using the category of 1stGen Faculty intersecting with gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic background (SEB). We employed multiple regression modeling to analyze the data. Findings revealed a significant difference in leadership self-efficacy when 1stGen status was intersected with socioeconomic background. This study demonstrates how the workplace is experienced by faculty members differently based on their entwined social identities, which builds upon our prior research. These new findings contribute to the validity evidence of the climate survey and provide insight into the 1stGen faculty identity.

This study presents the differences in perceptions of workplace climate between science and engineering faculty based on the multiple, intersecting social identities of gender, ethnicity/race, and social class. Faculty perceptions of workplace climate were measured a scale assessing nine constructs identified from the literature that may impact the persistence of faculty. Seven constructs were identified from the literature to include both psychological (e.g., motivation) and institutional factors (e.g. policies, practices, procedures). Based on the intersectionality framework, two additional factors were included to probe the effects of social class on persistence. To capture the multiple intersecting social identities of science and engineering faculty, demographic questions were specifically generated. Data were collected from 288 tenure track professors in science and engineering departments at two large Midwestern public research universities and a small private research university in the South. Data were analyzed using correlation and analysis of variance to explore differences in faculty perceptions of departmental workplace climate between discipline and gender. On average, engineering faculty perceived more positively than science faculty on departmental climate for diversity and inclusion, sense of belonging, and scholarly recognition. On average, male faculty perceived more positively than female faculty on intrinsic motivation, departmental climate for diversity and inclusion, sense of belonging, and work-life balance. There were no intersectionality on the differences observed in perceptions of workplace climate by discipline and gender.

According to the National Science Foundation, increasing the proportion of veterans pursuing engineering degrees will help meet USA's need for more engineers. The USA offers benefits to military veterans to pay for higher education and they bring valuable assets from their service experience to their engineering education. More research is needed to improve institutional efforts to help veterans integrate these assets into their engineering education. In this paper, we draw on focus group data to explore transition issues faced by student veterans as they move from the military to higher education to pursue their undergraduate engineering degrees. We consider transition from the military and transition to the university, focusing on institutional policies and practices, co-curricular supports, and the relationship between service experiences and engineering study.

This session will engage participants in how to apply multiple qualitative research methods to examine emerging issues in engineering education. The focus will be on using qualitative methods — grounded theory, thematic analysis, and content analysis — across multiple data collection methods (individual interviews, focus groups, key informant interviews, and policy/programmatic artifacts) and across several institutions. Benefits and challenges associated with data collection, synthesis, analysis, and triangulation across multiple research sites will be discussed, as well as the important role of theoretical frameworks in designing engineering education inquiry. It is expected that participants will gain a greater appreciation of qualitative methods that can be used to answer important questions in engineering education.

Student veterans have become an increasing presence in higher education. We seek to understand the role of the military as a pathway into engineering for student veteran engineers as well as investigate the character and content of their educational experiences. The results of seven focus groups with 29 student veterans indicate that the decision to major in engineering is often, but not always, related to their service. Veteran students are often open with faculty about their veteran status, however they are less likely to reveal it to other students. Veterans believe that their status as a veteran is a significant asset in engineering studies but that their age is less so.

This literature review describes the current landscape for research around Asian-American female engineering faculty using an intersectionality framework of race, class, and gender. Analysis of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) database on engineering programs is coupled with a systematic search for scholarly articles in several literature databases using a combination of the key terms “Asian,” “Asian-American,” “faculty,” and “engineering.” Findings reveal that while racial stereotypes like `model minority' may apply to multiple Asian-American ethnicities, more research on issues pertaining to socioeconomic class and gender should be investigated within each ethnicity. Findings contribute to furthering the research on Asian-Americans in engineering, as well as provide important information to stakeholders to develop potential interventions to increase retention of Asian Americans in engineering faculty positions.

This literature review explores the state of research on the factors affecting the persistence of Latina faculty. Although its focus is on engineering, it also draws from research on Latina faculty in other areas of science. The results are analyzed through Intersectionality Theory, which considers overlapping identities related to gender, race and class and their interactions to promote or hinder the advancements of Latinas in academia. The synthesized research identifies the influence of factors such as group identity, familismo, value of community, resilience, availability of role models and mentors, financial barriers, as factors most affecting Latina faculty during their education and academic careers. Although current literature explores factors and paradoxes surrounding strategies for and barriers to Latina success in STEM careers, this synthesis finds a lack of literature examining the multiple identities of Latina women, and few reports considering the intersectionality of identities as it pertains to Latina underrepresentation in Engineering. This critical literature review concludes with opportunity areas for future research to be conducted.

Active military and student veterans navigate engineering education in ways both similar to and different from their civilian counterparts. This Work in Progress describes variation in institutional environments through interviews with campus administrators and inspection of university websites at four institutions. Three emerging themes are identified: 1) the presence/absence of key student policies, 2) variation in student support services, and 3) gaps in provision of such services. Interviews provide data on the challenges faced and assets brought by veterans, from the point of view of administrators. We find that serving veterans is an area of recent and increasing importance to these institutions and that the level of services offered is evolving to include veterans resource centers, training for students and faculty on veterans' issues, and web portals to access veteran-specific information.

Employers worldwide are seeking engineers who possess a more complete professional skillset that could be useful in the constantly changing globalized economy. For this reason, engineers are expected to have leadership, communication, and teamwork skills, in addition to analytical skills. Furthermore, they are also expected to have attributes of global competency, which would help them thrive in the global workforce. A plethora of information and studies exist on undergraduate students and how institutions are helping students increase their global competency through methods such as international exchange and study abroad programs. Despite these efforts, there is little information on engineering doctoral students and methods for increasing their levels of global competency. Doctoral students are at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation and discoveries, so it is critical that they are trained to work effectively in diverse environments. This study comparatively examines the intercultural experiences of a) engineering Ph.D. students from the U.S. who traveled abroad, and b) international engineering Ph.D. students who traveled to the U.S. Findings indicate that students tended to prepare themselves for travel abroad in various ways, and that negative experiences of domestic students abroad are related to a mismatch between pre-travel expectations and actual experiences. International students more frequently mention cross-cultural differences, and those with greater levels of support tended to report easier adjustments. Findings can be applied toward helping U.S. and international academic institutions identify strategies to develop graduate students' global competency levels.

The ability to work effectively in teams is a critical learning outcome for engineering students. It is among the ABET requirements and a skill desired by employers for it is integral to innovation, product development, and to a positive working environment. Many engineering courses provide students with opportunities to develop their team skills through projects, in-class activities, and other assignments. Peer assessment of team skills increases student accountability to teammates, helps students gauge what is expected from them, and assists instructors in assigning course grades. However, there are few studies examining whether gender bias occurs during peer assessment. This work aims to address this gap. Using a randomized experiment, this study examines whether there are differences in how students evaluate the performance of male and female team members. The survey participants include 590 first-year engineering students at a research institution in the Midwest. Each participant rated and evaluated the skills and qualities of a fictional team member. The description of the fictional team member is exactly the same, except the name assigned to the fictional member was randomly depicted as female or male. The results indicate that there is no difference in how students evaluate male and female fictional team members. The female team members, however, received higher ratings related to their contributions and punctuality. These findings are consistent with previous research on gender bias on teaming evaluations at the undergraduate level, and suggest that peer assessments may be a useful method to provide students with additional feedback regarding their team skills.

In this study, life course theory was used to synthesize research on women's underrepresentation in computing across 4 stages of their academic trajectory: pre high-school, high-school, college recruitment, and college retention. The Association for Computing Machinery and IEEE Explore databases, as well as select journals that publish on women in computing, were searched for relevant work. The synthesis reveals issues of use and access at early ages; several efforts at interventions at the pre high-school and high-school stage; the influence of stereotypical images of computing at the college recruitment stage; and exclusionary behavior and women's computing self efficacy as important issues at the retention stage. Similarities and differences across these stages are discussed, and recommendations are made for future work based on the synthesis and life course framework.

Cooperative education programs alternate education and practice, resulting in increased grade point averages, greater confidence in choice of career, and relatively higher post-graduation salaries. This study examines perceived benefits and barriers for students who choose not to participate in co-ops. Since students who participate in co-ops are more likely to persist in STEM fields, and there are differences in participation rates by race/ethnicity (i.e. Black and Hispanic students participate at lower rates), it is critical to understand the reasons for non-participation. Co-op and non-co-op students from a large Midwestern U.S. research university were surveyed and the responses are disaggregated by gender and race/ethnicity. Choice Theory provides a theoretical framework to model perceived benefits and costs of co-op participation. Decision tree modeling is used to describe the different pathways to co-op participation and examine relationships between student backgrounds and pathways. Constant comparative analysis is used to study open-response questions. Future work will include follow up interviews with students from this survey to gain a more nuanced understanding. Findings have implications for the diversification for the engineering labor force.

Cooperative education programs (co-op), also referred to as Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), provide students with relevant professional experiences in industry. This industry-focused environment presents an opportunity for students to clarify academic and career objectives prior to finishing their studies. This first stage of a four-phase research project explores undergraduate engineering students' interest and decision-making process related to participation in cooperative education at a large mid-western U.S. university. Students who showed initial interest in co-op by attending an information session in 2013-2014, but did not participate in a co-op experience are interviewed. This paper provides an overview of the methods used to accomplish this objective, as well as discusses the future directions and implications of the work. Social Cognitive theory provides a framework for students' reasons for non-participation in the context of factors, such as campus environment, pre-collegiate work experiences, academic course selections, peer interactions, and career intentions. Through the use of phenomenological inquiry, information obtained directly from the students who have expressed interest, but chosen not to pursue co-op provides information to co-op administrators and stakeholders to consider how the program and its recruiting processes may be strengthened.

Cooperative education (co-op) programs in engineering provide students with relevant professional experience before they finish their undergraduate degree. Most programs and employers have academic eligibility requirements that make it difficult to infer whether successful employment outcomes are due to the selection of higher performing students or the causal effect of co-op participation. The goal of this study is to determine factors that are associated with participation in engineering cooperative education programs, controlling for eligibility. Longitudinal and multivariate data from six different institutions, each with large engineering programs where co-op participation is not mandatory, were studied with stepwise logistic regression. Results show that cumulative GPA at the end of the second semester is the strongest predictor of co-op participation. While institutional differences, year of matriculation, ethnicity, major discipline, and high school variables are also significant, gender is not related to co-op participation. The results from this paper will provide useful information for colleges, co-op administrators, and employers about who participates in co-op programs.

This work in progress examines family-related benefits policies across doctoral institutions and the family formation patterns of engineering faculty. The nationally representative data come from the 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty surveys of institutions and faculty. Data show that a little over half of engineering faculty members provide financial support to one or more dependents. Yet, many doctoral institutions do not provide childcare benefits or parental leave for full-time faculty and instructional staff, highlighting the need to examine the role of institutional structures and benefits policies in the career progression of engineering faculty with dependents.

Previous research suggests that effective academic advising can lead to better academic outcomes among undergraduate students. This study examines patterns between the use of an online advising tool, Course Signals, and course performance among students in engineering and technology. The number of advising interventions distributed through Course Signals tends to be positively associated with improved student course performance, particularly among female students. Findings suggest that online advising has the potential to be an effective method to improve student academic performance.

Building on the work of others, we propose a different approach to studying the influence of letter grades on engineering students' major choice and migration patterns. As this work progresses, we will improve understanding of the effects of course performance, grading distributions, and early major intentions on the likelihood that students will persist in a given field.