Increasing Diversity in STEM through Professional Development Activities Jonathan M. Holland, Debra A. Major, Valerie J. Morganson, & Karin A. Orvis Old Dominion University This research was supported by a SEED grant from Old Dominion University.

Retention in STEM Difficult to retain women and minorities in STEM Fewer of these underrepresented groups enter and persist (Varma, 2007) Why? Differential preparation outside of classroom? STEM fields have a “chilly” climate (Morganson et al., in press) Particularly within computer science and engineering

Capitalization Capitalization = Proactive participation in voluntary professional development activities Builds professional identity in the workplace (Ibarra, 1999) Influenced by environmental supports and barriers (Maurer et al., 2003) Differences in these factors between men and women (Lent et al., 2008) Capitalization has been relatively unexplored in an academic setting

Research Questions How do engineering and computer science students capitalize? Why do they capitalize? What factors support or discourage capitalization? What are the similarities and differences in capitalization, its supports, and its barriers, across gender, major, and university environment?

Method 8 focus groups consisted of: Men and women Computer Science and Engineering students Students from a primarily white institution (PWI) and a historically black institution (HBI)

(1) How do students capitalize? Results (1) How do students capitalize? Formal Activities Student organizations Tutoring programs Career-building services Internships and work opportunities Informal Activities Networking with peers and alumni Forming study groups with classmates Seeking out mentoring from faculty Independent research

(2) Why do students capitalize? Intrinsic Incentives Personal interest in the field Peers provide emotional support and a “break” from coursework Extrinsic Incentives Resume building Immediate payment Enhancing skills to become more marketable “You have to want it for yourself”, a passion for the material is necessary

(3a) What factors support capitalization? Role models Advisor and faculty encouragement Active information about activities (3b) What factors prevent capitalization? Time Lack of information about events Underrepresentation in the activity

Gender Women preferred formal activities Student organizations Men preferred informal activities Networking Opportunities for applied experience Women often expressed discomfort at participating in predominantly male activities

Major Engineering majors prioritized forging professional contacts for career positioning Peer and alumni networks Participating in internships and work opportunities Computer Science majors prioritized attaining technical skills Keeping “ahead of the curve” by learning programming skills above and beyond their coursework Strategies differed

University The HBI seemed to offer a more supportive environment than the PWI Advisors were more often described as proactive Students were better informed about opportunities Organizations targeting underrepresented groups had more presence Gender was not discussed as often as a barrier

Implications STEM education is a pipeline for the workforce Capitalization continues in the workplace (Maurer et al., 2003) By increasing the STEM identification of women and minorities, we can expect to see a larger portion of these underrepresented individuals entering the STEM workforce with a strong commitment and identification to their field. Further, capitalization continues in the workplace (Maurer et al., 2003);

Directions for Application Programs should actively disseminate information about opportunities Advisors should take a proactive role in encouraging capitalization More experienced students who have capitalized should share their experiences with other students Offer formal activities to attract/retain female talent

Future Research Empirical research investigating antecedents and outcomes of capitalization in an academic context Differences in university type Our results provide implications for organizations seeking to attract and retain female and minority STEM talent by suggesting which types of capitalization activities women may prefer, how to support capitalization engagement, and how to remove barriers to capitalization. Recall our finding that women preferred formal activities whereas males tended to engage in informal activities more often. Women also reported feeling uncomfortable when engaging in CAP activities. It’s likely that the “all boys network” impacts how women anchor themselves in their careers via CAP activities. Orgs may need to offer formal CAP activities such as formal optional training programs, mentoring programs, etc. to include women in CAP activities. The theory behind our research would suggest that doing so may anchor them in STEM careers, helping to narrow the gender divide.