“[He] gave me a 30-minute lecture on how I was a shitty grad student”: Examining how male faculty can eradicate systemic oppression and support women in STEM.

Abstract

There is a general consensus among scholars that a gender disparity exists in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields (Moss-Racusin et al., 2018). With men holding a large proportion of faculty positions in STEM departments, they occupy a unique position wherein they may utilize their privileged status and serve as allies to promote the persistence of female students in STEM majors. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating the first-hand experience of female students with male faculty in STEM departments. Thus, the present study sought to understand female STEM students’ experiences with male faculty. Using a qualitative methodology and thematic data analysis, 10 themes were identified that related to female STEM students’ positive and negative experiences with male faculty as well as their suggestions for how male faculty may improve their work with female STEM students. The authors provide recommendations for ally behaviors male STEM faculty can engage in. Research and practical implications of the present study are provided.

Tailoring DEIA Programming through Current Field Analysis: Promoting Allyship in STEM of University Graduate Students

“…Standardized, generic programs may fall short and fail to accommodate the unique challenges faced by various underrepresented populations [20,29,31,43]. To create effective strategies for increasing diversity in STEM, DEIA programs must gather data on the demographics and culture of their organizations, using information from climate and demographic surveys [32,[43][44][45][46][47]. When planning DEIA initiatives, it is essential to involve insights from all underrepresented groups to ensure that the programs reduce barriers rather than perpetuate them [3,35,46,48].…”