Underrepresented minorities (URM) tend to have lower completion rates than their majority colleagues in the pursuit of the Ph.D. in engineering. This phenomenon of doctoral attrition has been related to a poor socialization process into becoming an independent scholar. Using the Graduate Student Socialization Framework, this qualitative study aims to describe the types of investments URM students in engineering experience in the pursuit of the doctoral degree. Through a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews, we found four types of investment in the doctoral pursuit: effort investment, time investment, financial investment, and mental investment. We conclude that while most of the types of investments found could be applicable to all doctoral students, the differing investments may present harmful implications for URM students’ degree progress.
Mayra S. Artiles is a Ph.D. Candidate in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University with a focus on nanotechnology. Before her joining the Ph.D. program, she worked at Ford Motor Company as an Electrified Vehicles Thermal Engineer for four years. As a doctoral student, Mayra has collaborated in research projects on diversity in engineering, institutional support for minority students, intercultural competency development in engineering students, and doctoral student motivation. Her current research focuses on understanding the role of institutional policies in doctoral student persistence. Mayra is currently a research assistant for the Dissertation Institute where she studies the motivation of underrepresented minorities in doctoral engineering programs.
Dr. Holly Matusovich is the Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech and a Professor in the Department of Engineering Education where she has also served in key leadership positions. Dr. Matusovich is recognized for her research and leadership related to graduate student mentoring and faculty development. She won the Hokie Supervisor Spotlight Award in 2014, received the College of Engineering Graduate Student Mentor Award in 2018, and was inducted into the Virginia Tech Academy of Faculty Leadership in 2020. Dr. Matusovich has been a PI/Co-PI on 19 funded research projects including the NSF CAREER Award, with her share of funding being nearly $3 million. She has co-authored 2 book chapters, 34 journal publications, and more than 80 conference papers. She is recognized for her research and teaching, including Dean’s Awards for Outstanding New Faculty, Outstanding Teacher Award, and a Faculty Fellow. Dr. Matusovich has served the Educational Research and Methods (ERM) division of ASEE in many capacities over the past 10+ years including serving as Chair from 2017-2019. Dr. Matusovich is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Advances in Engineering Education and she serves on the ASEE committee for Scholarly Publications.
Dr. Stephanie G. Adams is the 5th Dean of the Eric Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas, Dallas and Past President of the American Society of Engineering Education. Previously Dr. Adams served as the Dean of the Fr
Coletta Bey is the Research Associate in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University. Ms. Bey is a summa claude graduate of Norfolk State University, where she earned her BS degree in Electronic Technology, in 1985. In 2000 she was awarded the Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Her research focus is engaging PreK-12 graders in STEM. She is the founder and Executive Director of STEMulating Youth, Inc., a 501c3 organization that encourages and engages youth in hands-on project-based activities that promote the learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics with everyday materials household materials.
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