2023 Collaborative Network for Computing and Engineering Diversity (CoNECD)

Exploring Experiences of Black Engineering Students Transitioning into Predominately White Institutions for Graduate Studies

Presented at Session 1 - Track 3 : Exploring Experiences of Black Engineering Students Transitioning into Predominately White Institutions for Graduate Studies

Little is known about how black engineering students experience graduate engineering programs, and even less is known about how they experience the transitions between undergraduate and graduate engineering education. Common graduate student challenges can be further exacerbated when microaggressions, prejudice, and systemic racial barriers are daily experiences, as they are in the case of many Black graduate students attending historically white institutions (HWI). This work explores how different aspects of the black academic experience can converge to impact the experiences of Black doctoral students during their matriculations from undergraduate to graduate studies. The research question addressed by this work is: How do Black engineering students experience the shift in institutional type when transitioning to a graduate program at an HWI from an undergraduate program at an HBCU? This study utilizes narrative interview methodology to capture stories of the lived experience of Black graduate students in engineering. Specifically, there were three inclusion criteria for participants: (1) they had to identify as Black, and (2) be a graduate student currently enrolled in a doctoral program in engineering at a historically white institution in the United States, and (3) attended an HBCU for undergraduate engineering studies. a phenomenographic lens was used during the analysis process to organize and code salient themes identified in the interviews. Pilot study results show that through the process of transitioning from an HBCU, an environment where participants felt valued, and supported, to an HWI for graduate studies brought about a feeling of “culture shock”. Having to reform systems of support that provided ample resources for their success was a necessary undertaking for the participants because they were used to the types of support available at the HBCU. Faculty and advisor relations were also very impactful in the process of socializing Black doctoral students in the academy. Understanding the process of how these students identify, and address difficulties and stressors during their transitional period from undergraduate studies to graduate studies in engineering could be particularly insightful in developing effective countermeasures for falling enrollment and persistence rates of Black students in engineering graduate programs.

Authors

Mr. Michael Lorenzo Greene Arizona State University, Polytechnic campus [biography]

Michael Greene is a PhD student in the Engineering Educations Systems and Design program at Arizona Sate University, Polytechnic Campus.
Dr. Brooke Charae Coley Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus [biography]

Dr. Brooke Coley, an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Arizona State University, is a pioneering force in disrupting the status quo of engineering to create a more equitable and inclusive field where all individuals can thrive. As the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Research Advancing Racial Equity, Justice, and Sociotechnical Innovation Centered in Engineering (RARE JUSTICE), Dr. Coley leads transformative efforts to challenge systemic barriers and promote equity in academia. Her research focuses on amplifying the lived experiences of racially minoritized scholars, dismantling anti-Blackness in STEM, graduate student education, and fostering awareness of, and ultimately, accountability for, the lived realities of individuals navigating STEM through immersive virtual reality experiences. Collaborating with mental health experts, she also is intentional to integrate a head-on focus on the implications for wellness and wholeness in academic environments. Dr. Coley's transparent and culturally responsive approaches, coupled with her dedication and fortitude, have positioned her as a recognized leader in the field. Since 2017, she has secured millions of dollars in grant funding from the National Science Foundation, employing critical qualitative and arts-based methodologies in her work. She received the Wickenden Award and Betty Vetter Award in 2024 and was named a Virtual Visiting Scholar by the ARC Network in 2023. Launching from the Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh oriented to the challenges of navigating STEM as an underrepresented and minoritized scholar, she continues to lead change and advocate for institutional transformation and accountability through novel applications and approaches.
Dr. Brooke Charae Coley Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus [biography]

Dr. Brooke Coley, an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Arizona State University, is a pioneering force in disrupting the status quo of engineering to create a more equitable and inclusive field where all individuals can thrive. As the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Research Advancing Racial Equity, Justice, and Sociotechnical Innovation Centered in Engineering (RARE JUSTICE), Dr. Coley leads transformative efforts to challenge systemic barriers and promote equity in academia. Her research focuses on amplifying the lived experiences of racially minoritized scholars, dismantling anti-Blackness in STEM, graduate student education, and fostering awareness of, and ultimately, accountability for, the lived realities of individuals navigating STEM through immersive virtual reality experiences. Collaborating with mental health experts, she also is intentional to integrate a head-on focus on the implications for wellness and wholeness in academic environments. Dr. Coley's transparent and culturally responsive approaches, coupled with her dedication and fortitude, have positioned her as a recognized leader in the field. Since 2017, she has secured millions of dollars in grant funding from the National Science Foundation, employing critical qualitative and arts-based methodologies in her work. She received the Wickenden Award and Betty Vetter Award in 2024 and was named a Virtual Visiting Scholar by the ARC Network in 2023. Launching from the Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh oriented to the challenges of navigating STEM as an underrepresented and minoritized scholar, she continues to lead change and advocate for institutional transformation and accountability through novel applications and approaches.

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