Board 223: CAREER: Exploring the Intersection of LGBTQ Identities and STEM Disciplines: A Qualitative Narrative Approach

Bryce E. Hughes; Emmanuel Tetteh Teye; Nickolas Lambert

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topics: Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46792

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Paper Authors

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Bryce E. Hughes Montana State University orcid.org/0000-0001-9414-394X

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Bryce E. Hughes is an Associate Professor in Adult and Higher Education at Montana State University. His research interests encompass diversity and equity in engineering education, with a focus on LGBTQ students. He was recently awarded an NSF CAREER grant to study the experiences of LGBTQ undergraduates in STEM fields. He holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of California, Los Angeles, an M.A. in student development administration from Seattle University, and a B.S. in general engineering from Gonzaga University.

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Emmanuel Tetteh Teye Montana State University

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Nickolas Lambert Montana State University

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Abstract

The purpose of this poster paper is to present progress toward reaching the third research aim of an NSF CAREER-funded study, using qualitative methods to explore the intersection of LGBTQ and STEM identities. The overall project purpose is to explore LGBTQ students’ engagement in STEM disciplines. LGBTQ students often leave engineering and other STEM fields more than their peers due to unwelcoming environments, and engineering educators should tackle issues like heteronormativity and cissexism in the learning environment to promote diversity among future practicing engineers. The past year of the project has been focused on finishing data collection for the first research aim, investigating the influence of LGBTQ students' social networks on non-cognitive STEM outcomes, and securing data access agreements for the second research aim, comparing STEM degree completion rates between LGBTQ students and cisgender, heterosexual peers. For this poster, we focus on the process of developing a qualitative, narrative study exploring how LGBTQ STEM students experience discipline-based identities. Our poster presents the development of our interview protocol, grounded in engineering identity and possible selves, as well as our methods for collecting and analyzing qualitative data elicited through interviews. We use possible selves as an identity-based motivation framework in developing the interview protocol that focuses on students' future helping to understand how students are motivated to act in ways that are congruent to who they wish to become and wish to avoid becoming with respect to their decision to enter STEM. Development of the instrument began with a review of the literature to find key concepts that need to be covered in the interviews as well as example interview questions to be adapted for this study. In particular, the research team reviewed instruments used in prior research on possible selves to understand how existing procedures could be adapted to fit the purposes of this project. Next, now that we have IRB approval, the interview protocol will be refined through pilot testing with people who meet the study’s criteria for inclusion. After pilot testing and revision, participants will be recruited for participation in this phase of the research. Many of these participants will be identified through the survey from the first research aim of the project which gathered contact information for participants interested in participating in follow-up research. Others will be identified through recruitment nationally with organizations such as oSTEM. We expect to have preliminary data to discuss at the ASEE 2024 poster session, but data collection is expected to last through much of the coming year. Once these data are collected and analyzed, the overall project will move into a phase focused on completing the project’s educational aims and broad dissemination of findings across all three research aims.

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Hughes, B. E., & Teye, E. T., & Lambert, N. (2024, June), Board 223: CAREER: Exploring the Intersection of LGBTQ Identities and STEM Disciplines: A Qualitative Narrative Approach Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46792

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The purpose of this poster paper is to present progress toward reaching the third research aim of an NSF CAREER-funded study, using qualitative methods to explore the intersection of LGBTQ and STEM identities. The overall project purpose is to explore LGBTQ students’ engagement in STEM disciplines. LGBTQ students often leave engineering and other STEM fields more than their peers due to unwelcoming environments, and engineering educators should tackle issues like heteronormativity and cissexism in the learning environment to promote diversity among future practicing engineers. The past year of the project has been focused on finishing data collection for the first research aim, investigating the influence of LGBTQ students&#39; social networks on non-cognitive STEM outcomes, and securing data access agreements for the second research aim, comparing STEM degree completion rates between LGBTQ students and cisgender, heterosexual peers.
For this poster, we focus on the process of developing a qualitative, narrative study exploring how LGBTQ STEM students experience discipline-based identities. Our poster presents the development of our interview protocol, grounded in engineering identity and possible selves, as well as our methods for collecting and analyzing qualitative data elicited through interviews. We use possible selves as an identity-based motivation framework in developing the interview protocol that focuses on students&#39; future helping to understand how students are motivated to act in ways that are congruent to who they wish to become and wish to avoid becoming with respect to their decision to enter STEM. Development of the instrument began with a review of the literature to find key concepts that need to be covered in the interviews as well as example interview questions to be adapted for this study. In particular, the research team reviewed instruments used in prior research on possible selves to understand how existing procedures could be adapted to fit the purposes of this project. 
Next, now that we have IRB approval, the interview protocol will be refined through pilot testing with people who meet the study’s criteria for inclusion. After pilot testing and revision, participants will be recruited for participation in this phase of the research. Many of these participants will be identified through the survey from the first research aim of the project which gathered contact information for participants interested in participating in follow-up research. Others will be identified through recruitment nationally with organizations such as oSTEM. We expect to have preliminary data to discuss at the ASEE 2024 poster session, but data collection is expected to last through much of the coming year. Once these data are collected and analyzed, the overall project will move into a phase focused on completing the project’s educational aims and broad dissemination of findings across all three research aims.
AU  - Bryce E. Hughes
AU  - Emmanuel Tetteh Teye
AU  - Nickolas Lambert
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 223: CAREER: Exploring the Intersection of LGBTQ Identities and STEM Disciplines: A Qualitative Narrative Approach
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/46792
ER  -