Defining Attributes and Metrics of Effective Research Mentoring Relationships.

Despite evidence of mentoring's importance in training researchers, studies to date have not yet determined which mentoring relationships have the most impact and what specific factors in those mentoring relationships contribute to key outcomes, such as the commitment to and persistence in research career paths for emerging researchers from diverse populations. Efforts to broaden participation and persistence in biomedical research careers require an understanding of why and how mentoring relationships work and their impact, not only to research training but also to promoting career advancement. This paper proposes core attributes of effective mentoring relationships, as supported by the literature and suggested by theoretical models of academic persistence. In addition, both existing and developing metrics for measuring the effectiveness of these attributes within mentoring relationships across diverse groups are presented, as well as preliminary data on these metrics from the authors' work.

Enacting inclusive science: Culturally responsive higher education practices in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM).

Novel approaches in higher education are needed to reverse underrepresentation of racial/ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Building on theoretical frameworks for practice in diverse learning environments, this study provides evidence for Inclusive Science as a conceptual model that reflects initiatives intended to diversify biomedical research training for undergraduates. Using multiple case study design and cross-case analysis, we analyzed data from 10 higher education sites that were awarded the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) grant funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We identified the following dimensions of the Inclusive Science model: promoting participation of diverse researchers; introducing diversity innovations in science and research curriculum; improving campus climate for diversity; providing tangible institutional support; creating partnerships with diverse communities; and integrating students' social identities with science identity. We illustrate each dimension of the model with examples of campus practices across BUILD sites. While many may doubt that science can be responsive to diversity, the interventions developed by these campuses illustrate how colleges and universities can actively engage in culturally responsive practices in STEMM undergraduate training that integrate trainees' identities, knowledge of diverse communities, and create a greater awareness of the climate for diversity that affects student training and outcomes. Implications include culturally responsive strategies that many more higher education institutions can employ to support scientific career training for historically excluded groups.

Evaluation of a Virtual Culturally Aware Mentoring Workshop for Biomedical Faculty.

The Culturally Aware Mentoring (CAM) workshop was developed to help biomedical faculty gain awareness and skills to work more effectively with racially and ethnically minoritized mentees. The purpose of this paper is to present evaluation findings from a national cluster randomized comparative study in which CAM was delivered in an online format. We evaluated data from the primary arm of this study, which included 231 biomedical faculty from 12 universities. Overall, participants evaluated both the presentation and content of the online interactive intervention favorably, reporting it helped them become a more culturally aware mentor. They further suggested how the workshop may be improved. We discuss implications for mentorship practitioners and future research directions.

Making a Difference in Science Education: The Impact of Undergraduate Research Programs.

To increase the numbers of underrepresented racial minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), federal and private agencies have allocated significant funding to undergraduate research programs, which have been shown to students' intentions of enrolling in graduate or professional school. Analyzing a longitudinal sample of 4,152 aspiring STEM majors who completed the 2004 Freshman Survey and 2008 College Senior Survey, this study utilizes multinomial hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) and propensity score matching techniques to examine how participation in undergraduate research affects STEM students' intentions to enroll in STEM and non-STEM graduate and professional programs. Findings indicate that participation in an undergraduate research program significantly improved students' probability of indicating plans to enroll in a STEM graduate program.

Implementing case study design to evaluate diverse institutions and STEM education contexts: Lessons and key areas for systematic study.

This chapter highlights the important contributions of case study research to the evaluation of student-centered programs and broader STEM initiatives in higher education. We summarize the Diversity Program Consortium's case study evaluation of the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with aims to enhance diversity in the NIH-funded workforce. We describe lessons learned from the case study design used for the evaluation of BUILD that applies to administrators of STEM initiatives who are interested in case study methods and to evaluators who are familiar with case studies and tasked with program evaluation of a multisite STEM program. These lessons include practical considerations for logistics and the importance of clarifying the goals of the case study design within the larger program evaluation, fostering the continuation of knowledge within the evaluation team, and embedding trust building and collaboration throughout all stages of the case study.

An Innovative Biomedical Research Training Model: Rationale, Design, and Evaluation.

Much is told regarding the need for greater diversity in the biomedical research workforce in terms of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. However, there are few evidence-based models that are tested and can have significant effects in this regard. Thus, there is a need for development and evaluation of innovative models that may help train a more diverse biomedical research workforce. In this study, we provided the rationale, conceptual model, and preliminary evaluation of a program called "A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND)". This training program was designed, implemented, and evaluated between 2017 and 2020 at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The program's conceptual model is based on four stages: Attraction and Inspiration, Ideation and Innovation, Research Implementation, and Career Growth. Results of the comparative survey between 50 students who participated in ASCEND and 86 non-member controls showed an increase in science identity, academic self-concept, science self-efficacy, and peer support. The only domain that did not show a larger increase in participants in our program compared to controls was social self-concept. In addition, a total of 59 students submitted 48 research concepts, and 16 undergraduate student projects were funded. Of participants in the Health Research Concepts Competition, 39 students graduated, and 13 were pursuing graduate programs in STEM fields at the time of evaluation. The number of research projects and trainees who started a graduate degree were also reported. The ASCEND training model fosters an entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate students. Such a program might be effective in diversifying the biomedical research workforce. While this preliminary evaluation indicates the efficacy of the ASCEND model, there is a need for further long-term and multi-center evaluations with the trainees' research productivity and receipt of independent funding as outcomes.

"Moving the Science Forward": Faculty Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Mentor Training Benefits, Challenges, and Support.

There is a pressing need for deeper cultural awareness among postsecondary faculty, yet few studies focus on institutions with developing research infrastructure, which enroll large proportions of racially minoritized students. Using social exchange theory, we investigate faculty members' perceptions of "culturally diverse mentor training," which includes culturally aware mentor (CAM) training, Entering Mentoring, and self-designed mentor training initiatives. Data come from qualitative interviews with 74 faculty who participated in culturally diverse mentor training activities across 10 master's and doctoral institutions in the early stages of implementing grant-funded interventions focused on determining the most effective ways to engage and retain racially minoritized students in biomedical research. Findings indicate that faculty perceived a deepened understanding of their mentees' challenges and developed enhanced communication strategies to better appreciate cultural differences. Faculty reported several challenges, such as difficulty in adopting culturally sustaining practices, balancing multiple commitments internal and external of grant requirements, and dissatisfaction with facilitators from outside their disciplines. They also described supportive structures that decreased their mentoring workload, such as complementary curricula and tiered mentoring models. We conclude with implications for higher education leaders interested in adapting and scaling culturally diverse mentor training interventions within their own departments and institutions.

Advancing inclusive science and systemic change: the convergence of national aims and institutional goals in implementing and assessing biomedical science training.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: National reports call for improving America's leadership in scientific research, accelerating degree attainments, and diversifying the scientific workforce to foster innovation. However, slow progress and persistent disparities across growing U.S. populations are evident on key science workforce indicators, from degree attainment to career achievements. The purpose of this article is to provide a conceptual basis and overview of a national effort funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that advances inclusive science practice and systemic change. We introduce the context, features, and rationale that drive practice and evaluation in the Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) approach, which is an experimental program to implement and evaluate evidence-based and novel practices to expand and diversify the biomedical workforce. KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Despite decades of federal investment for biomedical research training, researchers identified disparate adjusted rates of R01 grant awards by scientists' race/ethnicity. This motivated NIH to fund the DPC approach as a set of highly integrated initiatives that empower institutional change agents to create scalable, evidenced-based strategies to enhance diversity in biomedical research and health science training. Key DPC elements include: 1) A systemic approach to enhance science preparedness involving students, faculty, and institutional-capacity development; 2) Collaboration, partnerships and networks across individuals and organizations, and especially between NIH, 10 undergraduate Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) sites, the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), and the Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC); and 3) Increased focus within and across key career stages for expanding training and ultimately diversifying the scientific workforce. A new framework for inclusive science practices and discussion of systemic change challenges provide insights into DPC processes and activities. IMPLICATIONS: Collectively, the DPC establishes a national learning collaborative to implement and evaluate multidimensional components of training and program interventions, accelerate the adoption of promising or effective practices, and disseminate lessons to the broader extramural scientific community. Linking practice with evaluation research will identify exemplars that others may adopt to advance the goals of inclusive science in promoting and sustaining innovation, accelerating equity in science careers and, ultimately, address challenging health problems in an increasingly diverse nation.

Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM.

Members of the Joint Working Group on Improving Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-review current data and propose deliberation about why the academic "pathways" leak more for URM than white or Asian STEM students. They suggest expanding to include a stronger focus on the institutional barriers that need to be removed and the types of interventions that "lift" students' interests, commitment, and ability to persist in STEM fields. Using Kurt Lewin's planned approach to change, the committee describes five recommendations to increase URM persistence in STEM at the undergraduate level. These recommendations capitalize on known successes, recognize the need for accountability, and are framed to facilitate greater progress in the future. The impact of these recommendations rests upon enacting the first recommendation: to track successes and failures at the institutional level and collect data that help explain the existing trends.

From Gatekeeping to Engagement: A Multicontextual, Mixed Method Study of Student Academic Engagement in Introductory STEM Courses.

The lack of academic engagement in introductory science courses is considered by some to be a primary reason why students switch out of science majors. This study employed a sequential, explanatory mixed methods approach to provide a richer understanding of the relationship between student engagement and introductory science instruction. Quantitative survey data were drawn from 2,873 students within 73 introductory science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses across 15 colleges and universities, and qualitative data were collected from 41 student focus groups at eight of these institutions. The findings indicate that students tended to be more engaged in courses where the instructor consistently signaled an openness to student questions and recognizes her/his role in helping students succeed. Likewise, students who reported feeling comfortable asking questions in class, seeking out tutoring, attending supplemental instruction sessions, and collaborating with other students in the course were also more likely to be engaged. Instructional implications for improving students' levels of academic engagement are discussed.

Engaging Undergraduates in Science Research: Not Just About Faculty Willingness.

Despite the many benefits of involving undergraduates in research and the growing number of undergraduate research programs, few scholars have investigated the factors that affect faculty members' decisions to involve undergraduates in their research projects. We investigated the individual factors and institutional contexts that predict faculty members' likelihood of engaging undergraduates in their research project(s). Using data from the Higher Education Research Institute's 2007-2008 Faculty Survey, we employ hierarchical generalized linear modeling to analyze data from 4,832 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty across 194 institutions to examine how organizational citizenship behavior theory and social exchange theory relate to mentoring students in research. Key findings show that faculty who work in the life sciences and those who receive government funding for their research are more likely to involve undergraduates in their research project(s). In addition, faculty at liberal arts or historically Black colleges are significantly more likely to involve undergraduate students in research. Implications for advancing undergraduate research opportunities are discussed.

"We Do Science Here": Underrepresented Students' Interactions with Faculty in Different College Contexts.

Faculty members play a key role in the identification and training of the next generation of scientific talent. In the face of the need to advance and diversify the scientific workforce, we examine whether and how specific institutional contexts shape student interactions with faculty. We conducted a mixed methods study to understand institutional contextual differences in the experiences of aspiring scientists. Data from a qualitative five-campus case study and a quantitative longitudinal study of students from over 117 higher education institutions were analyzed to determine how aspiring scientists interact with faculty and gain access to resources that will help them achieve their educational goals. Findings indicate that important structural differences exist between institutions in shaping students' interactions with faculty. For example, students at more selective institutions typically have less frequent, less personal interactions with faculty whereas Black students at HBCUs report having more support and frequent interactions with faculty.

Diversifying Science: Underrepresented Student Experiences in Structured Research Programs.

Targeting four institutions with structured science research programs for undergraduates, this study focuses on how underrepresented students experience science. Several key themes emerged from focus group discussions: learning to become research scientists, experiences with the culture of science, and views on racial and social stigma. Participants spoke of essential factors for becoming a scientist, but their experiences also raised complex issues about the role of race and social stigma in scientific training. Students experienced the collaborative and empowering culture of science, exhibited strong science identities and high self-efficacy, while developing directed career goals as a result of "doing science" in these programs.

Training Future Scientists: Predicting First-year Minority Student Participation in Health Science Research.

Using longitudinal data from the UCLA Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) and Your First College Year (YFCY) surveys, this study examines predictors of the likelihood that science-oriented students would participate in a health science undergraduate research program during the first year of college. The key predictors of participation in health science research programs are students' reliance on peer networks and whether campuses provide structured opportunities for first-year students even though only 12% of freshmen in the sample engaged in this activity. These experiences are particularly important for Black students. The findings inform efforts to orient students at an early stage, particularly under-represented minorities, toward biomedical and behavioral science research careers.