Honors Theses

Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Mathematics

First Advisor

Dr. Angela Chapman

Second Advisor

Dr. Alejandro Gallardo

Third Advisor

Dr. Noushin Nouri

Abstract

Despite the increase in representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate programs, they are still underrepresented in the workforce. Recent statistics published by the National Science Foundation show that the rate of females and Hispanic/Latina females earning degrees does not match the rate in which they earn STEM occupations, especially advanced degrees. Moreover, out of early career doctorate holders, women are less likely to hold post-doctoral scholar positions and are more likely to hold an academic, non-tenure track position. In response to these disparities, I sought to identify the strongest motivators driving the ambition of female STEM majors at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), their perceived sense of belonging, awareness of the sociocultural factors influencing participation in STEM, and the experiences that have impacted their STEM identity. I interviewed 11 female students pursuing a STEM degree at UTRGV about their experiences choosing their major, learning STEM in a K-12 environment, taking STEM courses at UTRGV, and seeking careers. Interviews were based on a semi-structured interview protocol with each participant answering the same questions, yielding 120+ pages of transcripts for analysis. Over 800 quotes were coded into themes. Interestingly, findings show that a majority have switched from a biomedical science, such as nursing, to a STEM field, which suggests that these females are latecomers to their discipline. Student narratives have been constructed and analyzed, and a personal reflection on what I observed about myself, and my participants concludes this work.

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Copyright 2022 Kristen L. Hallas. All Rights Reserved.

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