2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Mutual Benefit Approach to Address Systemic Underrepresentation in STEM Higher Education

Presented at ECSJ - Institutional Accessibility - Equity, Culture & Social Justice Tech Session #8

This Work-in-Progress paper presents ongoing research on the Mutual Benefit Approach (MBA), a strategy designed to address systemic underrepresentation of racially minoritized groups in STEM Higher Education (SHE). MBA conceptualizes systemic racism in STEM Higher Education (SRSE) as the underrepresentation of people of color in all aspects of the STEM enterprise in proportion to their presence in the general population. MBA is rooted in theories of social justice and equity, and targets the Deliberate, Institutional, Structural, and Historical (DISH) factors that perpetuate SRSE. The approach emphasizes multisectoral partnerships and immersive experiences to normalize diversity in SHE from K–12 through graduate school. We present preliminary results from three years of implementation in collaborative engineering ethics courses involving a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), A Predominantly White Institution (PWI), and K–12 public schools. These results indicate promising outcomes in student persistence and engagement in STEM. This paper outlines the MBA motivation, research design, and early findings, and discusses implications for addressing the inhibitive effects of SRSE on the participation and persistence of students from racially minoritized groups in SHE.

Authors

Dr. Garrick E. Louis University of Virginia [biography]

Garrick Louis is Professor of Engineering and Society and Professor of Systems & Information Engineering at the University of Virginia. His research investigates capacity building approaches for equitable, sustained access to engineering services and engineering education.
Dr. Brian Aufderheide http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-9251-4516 Hampton University [biography]

Dr. Brian Aufderheide is Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering at Hampton University. He completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His areas of expertise are in advanced control, design, and modeling of biomedical, chemical, and biological processes. He has consulted for both medical device and biotechnology companies. He was sole engineer and QC supervisor of a 40MM lb/yr custom extrusion company. He has over 18 years of experience in education developing over 25 new courses. He has supervised over 35 Industrial Design Projects. He is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer. He is dedicated to helping his students to succeed.
Dr. Otsebele E Nare Hampton University [biography]

Otsebele Nare is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Hampton University, VA. He received his electrical engineering doctorate from Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, in 2005. His research interests include Integrate STEM and Engineering Education, System Level Synthesis and Autonomy.
LaNika M. Barnes Albemarle County Public Schools (Virginia) [biography]

LaNika Barnes is a certified High School Science and Equity Resource Educator based in Charlottesville, VA. She holds degrees in Environmental Science and Religious Studies from North Carolina Wesleyan College. Before entering education, she worked as a Chemist for a major pharmaceutical company and later served as an Academic Advisor for undergraduate students. Her professional expertise centers on STEM education, particularly in biological and environmental sciences, with additional strengths in student support research, project management, grant writing and Culturally Responsive Teaching. Dedicated to fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments, she is passionate about empowering students and advancing educational equity in science education.

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