Professional Socialization to Enhance Research and Faculty Readiness

Jeremy Ernst; Brenda Brand; Xiao Zhu

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 7
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41988
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41988
Download Count: 337

Paper Authors

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Jeremy Ernst Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide

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Dr. Jeremy Ernst is Professor and Associate Chancellor for Research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide Campus. Jeremy has doctoral and masters degrees in Engineering and Technology Education from North Carolina State University in Raleigh as well as a bachelors in Technology and Human Resource Development from Clemson University. Jeremy’s research focuses on students identified as at-risk of dropout or non-matriculation in STEM majors. His efforts center on curriculum research and development in STEM education to provide evidence-based models that promote engagement, development of cognitive competency sets, and performance-based application abilities of students at-risk.

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Brenda Brand Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Xiao Zhu Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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PhD candidate for Educational Research and Evaluation in the School of Education at Virginia Tech.
Graduate research assistant and Project coordinator of HI Bridge to Academia Fellowship Program.

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Abstract

The AGEP Alliance Model for Advancing the Faculty Careers of Underrepresented Minority STEM Doctoral Candidates who are Instructors at Historically Black Universities is an active National Science Foundation (NSF) alliance for increasing minority participation and success in higher education. The Alliance focus is on supporting African American HBCU STEM instructors who are All But Dissertation (ABD) status within their doctoral studies. Research has identified numerous challenges for this population of professionals but central to these barriers are socialization processes that have direct, as well as indirect, impacts on access, procedure, and outcome.

To assist in supporting HBCU instructor success, the Alliance has been organized to enhance socialization processes through the establishment of a support community with the explicit intent of doctoral completion and professional readiness for academia. This community features support, guidance, and mentorship from faculty mentors, regional directors, research seminar leaders, summer institute leaders, fellow cohort members, and institutional research advisors. This collaborative structure was created to increase social support and enhance interpersonal experiences in route to building research familiarity, confidence, self-determination, and ultimate success.

The nine Alliance Year 1 participants included HBCU faculty from computational engineering, data science engineering, computer science, chemistry, and mathematics. To gauge progressions in Alliance Year 1, data were collected to examine participant self-efficacy, research autonomy, perceptions of social support, interpersonal experiences, and persistence. Specifically, pre-assessment and post-assessment data were gathered through the Self-Efficacy in Research Measure (SERM), the Attitudes Toward Research Scale (ATRS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The participant study afforded the project team the opportunity to determine the specific nature of advancements and iterate Alliance processes to maximize impact for future cohorts, as the advancement of a refined Alliance model that uniquely incorporates an integrated and collaborative structure to enhance socialization, doctoral completion, and success for STEM faculty is the overarching goal of this award.

Citation
Format

Ernst, J., & Brand, B., & Zhu, X. (2022, August), Professional Socialization to Enhance Research and Faculty Readiness Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41988

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The AGEP Alliance Model for Advancing the Faculty Careers of Underrepresented Minority STEM Doctoral Candidates who are Instructors at Historically Black Universities is an active National Science Foundation (NSF) alliance for increasing minority participation and success in higher education. The Alliance focus is on supporting African American HBCU STEM instructors who are All But Dissertation (ABD) status within their doctoral studies. Research has identified numerous challenges for this population of professionals but central to these barriers are socialization processes that have direct, as well as indirect, impacts on access, procedure, and outcome. 

To assist in supporting HBCU instructor success, the Alliance has been organized to enhance socialization processes through the establishment of a support community with the explicit intent of doctoral completion and professional readiness for academia. This community features support, guidance, and mentorship from faculty mentors, regional directors, research seminar leaders, summer institute leaders, fellow cohort members, and institutional research advisors. This collaborative structure was created to increase social support and enhance interpersonal experiences in route to building research familiarity, confidence, self-determination, and ultimate success. 

The nine Alliance Year 1 participants included HBCU faculty from computational engineering, data science engineering, computer science, chemistry, and mathematics. To gauge progressions in Alliance Year 1, data were collected to examine participant self-efficacy, research autonomy, perceptions of social support, interpersonal experiences, and persistence. Specifically, pre-assessment and post-assessment data were gathered through the Self-Efficacy in Research Measure (SERM), the Attitudes Toward Research Scale (ATRS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The participant study afforded the project team the opportunity to determine the specific nature of advancements and iterate Alliance processes to maximize impact for future cohorts, as the advancement of a refined Alliance model that uniquely incorporates an integrated and collaborative structure to enhance socialization, doctoral completion, and success for STEM faculty is the overarching goal of this award.

AU  - Jeremy Ernst
AU  - Brenda Brand
AU  - Xiao Zhu
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Professional Socialization to Enhance Research and Faculty Readiness
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41988
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41988
ER  -