2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

Although the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) have seen
increased diversity over the last decade, there remains a significant disparity of representation
across race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and more. Achieving diversity within STEM
requires more than an increase in numerical representation: it must foster a sense of belonging
and inclusivity for marginalized demographics. Allies in STEM (AiS), a graduate student-led
organization at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), designs and hosts
educational workshop programming to accomplish its mission to promote allyship and foster
inclusivity within the STEM. AiS recognizes allyship, defined as active support and advocacy by
individuals – particularly those with privilege – for marginalized groups, as a critical tool in
reducing discrimination and promoting equity. Concurrently, AiS understands the importance of
developing effective diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programming to create
concrete, demographic-specific strategies for allyship as informed by existing research within the
literature. This process involves addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals within
specific marginalized groups through tailored programming to meet their specific needs. This
paper explores and measures areas where allyship is needed within STEM through assessing
discrimination experiences and opinions on inclusivity to guide future AiS targeted
programming. The mixed-methods approach employed by the authors includes quantitative
methods, such as Likert scale measurements, and qualitative methods, including thematic coding
through reflexive thematic analysis (RTA). Results show that study participants who have
personally experienced or witnessed discrimination within their place of work or during any
formal education within STEM based on a specific demographic category are more likely to
perceive that group as very discriminated against, highlighting the importance of personal
experiences on perceptions of STEM inclusivity. Additionally, the results identify that study
participants perceive their current academic institutions or places of employment as more
inclusive than the STEM field as a whole. The findings of this study provide insights into the
current climate of inclusivity and discrimination within STEM, particularly at UIUC, that will
inform the development of effective workshops for AiS programming. AiS can enhance
awareness and understanding of systematic issues beyond individual experiences through
allyship tailored for the overrepresented groups attending its programming. Furthermore, this
study provides a guide for other graduate-led STEM DEIA programs at other academic
institutions to develop effective targeted programming.