2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Pathways in Engineering: Identifying Hidden Barriers to Graduate School for Undergraduate Engineering Students

Presented at Minorities in Engineering Division(MIND) Technical Session 8

This study explores the experiences of underrepresented students in STEM at a Hispanic-serving R1 institution, focusing on the barriers and opportunities influencing their pathways to research careers. Using Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework, the research examines how students leverage familial, aspirational, navigational, resistant, and linguistic capital to navigate systemic inequities and pursue their aspirations. Preliminary findings from a focus group with two STEM students reveal the critical role of familial and aspirational capital in sustaining motivation and persistence, while navigational and social capital remain underdeveloped. These insights underscore the gaps in institutional support and the importance of inclusive practices to empower diverse students in STEM. Future research will expand the sample to enhance the generalizability of findings and provide actionable recommendations for fostering equity in STEM education.

Authors

Dr. Lizandra C Godwin http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0898-8338 University of New Mexico [biography]

Dr. Lizandra C. Godwin is a faculty member in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Godwin earned her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida, and her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Florida A&M University. Her research focuses on materials (ink) development for advanced manufacturing processes, microelectronic devices, and broadening participation in engineering graduate programs through her engineering education research. Prior to academia, Dr. Godwin worked for many Fortune 100 companies, including Intel Corporation.
Dr. John K. Wagner University of New Mexico [biography]

Dr. John K. Wagner is a Postdoctoral Fellow for the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) joint project between the University of New Mexico, Arizona State University, and the University of Oregon. His research interests focus on improving equity in higher education, and the impacts of technology on public opinion and political psychology. Specifically, Dr. Wagner's research explores how to improve equity and inclusion by measuring latent support for exclusionary practices, and designing interventions targeted at improving gaps in graduate student success and support, and faculty hiring, tenure, and promotion. Additionally, his research attempts to understand the impacts of online platforms and their algorithms on political contention in the United States.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

« View session

For those interested in:

engineering
undergraduate
Graduate