Optimism, Innovativeness, and Competitiveness: The Relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientations and the Development of Science Identity in Scientists

Abstract

We contend that the work scientists do is entrepreneurial because they are in the business of discovering, evaluating, and exploiting opportunities to create new knowledge. In this article, we examine the relationship between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) scholars’ holdings of traits associated with entrepreneurial activity and the degree to which these scientists consider being a scientist important to their sense of self. In particular, we argue that optimism, an innovative mindset, and competitiveness should be associated, positively, with STEM scholars’ science identity. Our results, based on a survey of 215 postdoctoral trainees in STEM disciplines, show that the more academic scientists have of each entrepreneurial disposition, the greater their science identity centrality.

Factors related to a college student's career optimism and their perception of career services

“…Liberal arts majors are considered foundational majors for future learning in professions and can outearn their peers in the long run (Supiano, 2014). We initially assumed that the science, technology, engineering, and math majors would have increased career optimism after visiting career services, but given the results, we now conclude that they already have high career optimism once they identify as a science major (Pitt et al, 2020). Findings confirmed that perceptions of the Career Services department are fueled by career and resume services, email communications, and the department's ability to provide a variety of job opportunities to students.…”

The Mental Health Consequences of Work-Life and Life-Work Conflicts for STEM Postdoctoral Trainees

“…Academic research is entrepreneurial ( Casati and Genet, 2014 ; Price et al, 2018 ; Pitt et al, 2020 ) and as such can take on the same problematic attributes – problematic for both employer (PI) and employee (postdoc) – that we see among new commercial entrepreneurs: having to take on (or delegate) multiple roles/responsibilities, negotiating often ambiguous performance and productivity expectations, and “always being on the job.” 10 The autonomy, flexibility, and uncertainty that characterizes academic science ( Bailyn, 2003 ; Fox et al, 2011 ) often has a knock-on effect, for postdoctoral supervisors themselves, of poor work-life balance and permeability between their work and their non-work lives. They then model poor work-life balance and, worse, impose similar expectations for limitless labor onto their postdoctoral trainees.…”

Chemistry for Everyone: An Inclusive Approach to Teaching General Chemistry at Xavier University of Louisiana

“…This is also reflected in the published work by Artino which highlights the link between academic self-efficacy and student motivation toward active learning. Numerous other reports detail the link between student confidence and the success of URM students in STEM courses. − …”