Research Project
Undergraduate STEM Project
- Principal Investigator
- Ryu, Minjung
- Co-Principal Investigator
- Bano, Roshni
- Research Area(s)
- Ryu Group
Abstract
It is widely reported that students from non-dominant backgrounds, particularly underrepresented minorities (URM), are underserved in undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine) classrooms. The experiences of students from URM backgrounds has been the subject of investigation of many studies in the past few decades. The experiences of students from first generation backgrounds as well as linguistically non-dominant or multilingual backgrounds, however, has not been studied to a similar extent, even though these students form a significant portion of the US undergraduate body. Thus in this study, we are interviewing undergraduate students of first generation backgrounds and/or multilingual backgrounds to hear about their experiences in STEM classes, in particular, how they feel in STEM classes, how they interact with their peers and instructors and how they utilize their prior knowledge and resources to navigate STEM environments. Through our study findings, we hope to gain insights into improving inclusion and equity in STEM. Currently, the people involved in this research are Roshni, Minjung, Maggie and Atiiyah.