Doing Academia Differently: The Creation of a Cohort-Based Postdoctoral Scholars Program for Emerging Engineering Faculty

Jameka Wiggins; Monica Farmer Cox; Ayanna Howard; Martina Leveni; Tatiana Z. Cuellar-Gaviria; Colin Lee Hisey; Daniel Raphael Ejike Ewim; Leonardo Rodrigues da Costa Moraes; Beenish Saba; Shawanee' Patrick

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Cohort-Based Postdoctoral Scholars Program, Transforming the National Engineering Education, Defining Accountability, and Evaluating the Low-Stakes Assessment Performance
Tagged Division: Minorities in Engineering Division(MIND)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 30
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43202
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43202
Download Count: 279

Paper Authors

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Jameka Wiggins The Ohio State University

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Jameka Wiggins is a graduate student at The Ohio State University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Education with a specialization in Organizational Change in Higher Education and Industry and a Master’s in Engineering Management. As a scholar and advocate, she seeks to amplify the voices of underrepresented groups in engineering by exploring their experiences, encouraging student and faculty engagement through critical questioning, and supporting these groups both personally and professionally.

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Monica Farmer Cox The Ohio State University

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Monica F. Cox, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. Prior to this appointment, she was a Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University, the Inaugural Direc

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Ayanna Howard The Ohio State University

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Dr. Ayanna Howard is the incoming Dean for the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. Previously, she was the Linda J. and Mark C. Smith Professor in Bioengineering and Chair of the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of

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Abstract

The postdoctoral to professoriate pathway is a conventional path to develop significant engineering faculty talent and diversify the engineering academia workforce. Relatively few studies have examined the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) postdoc experience, even though these scholars have faced structural and interpersonal challenges as they navigate the transition to faculty positions.

Even less literature exists about the experiences of underrepresented minority (URM) postdocs in STEM. Data suggest that the number of URM postdocs is abysmal, revealing the need for more empirical studies and practical recommendations for how to recruit, support, and retain these individuals.

This paper examines the work and community of a public land grant university’s College of Engineering (name of postdoc scholars program). (Program) was founded under (Dean) leadership and influenced by (Faculty)'s research work and lived experience with the mission to diversify the next generation of engineering leaders in academia. With a focus on intersectional mentorship, the purpose of the postdoc program is to create well-rounded scholars versed in research, teaching, and service. Using ethnography partnered with semi-structured interviews, this study aims to explore the experiences of the first cohort of (Program) postdoc scholars to understand how a newly created intersectional mentorship model facilitates scholars’ progression toward faculty positions while curating an inclusive community and culture for scholars.

The intersectional mentorship model framing this postdoc program is based on research conducted by (Faculty), with some adaptations from Walker et al.’s (2009) The Formation of Scholars, which presents a multiple apprenticeship framework that offers a holistic approach to mentoring for scholars. The three mentor types in the program are primary (focused on research), secondary (focused on teaching and/or service), and intersectional (aligned with identities of scholars’ choosing). This model engages scholars, mentors, and members of the administrative team in authentic dialogue to promote a culture that differs from traditional models of postdoc mentorship and development.

Initial findings show that to maximize the progression of postdoctoral scholars, it is important to understand and address their self-identified issues surrounding mentorship and professional barriers that impede their success. The target audiences of this work are institutional programs, individuals who work with postdoctoral scholars, and those with an interest in diversifying and retaining future URM STEM faculty. Recommendations offer suggestions about ways to support, mentor, and build an inclusive community for postdocs that helps them become independent, confident, and competent emerging faculty who can succeed in academia.

Citation
Format

Wiggins, J., & Cox, M. F., & Howard, A., & Leveni, M., & Cuellar-Gaviria, T. Z., & Hisey, C. L., & Ewim, D. R. E., & Rodrigues da Costa Moraes, L., & Saba, B., & Patrick, S. (2023, June), Doing Academia Differently: The Creation of a Cohort-Based Postdoctoral Scholars Program for Emerging Engineering Faculty Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43202

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The postdoctoral to professoriate pathway is a conventional path to develop significant engineering faculty talent and diversify the engineering academia workforce. Relatively few studies have examined the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) postdoc experience, even though these scholars have faced structural and interpersonal challenges as they navigate the transition to faculty positions. 

Even less literature exists about the experiences of underrepresented minority (URM) postdocs in STEM. Data suggest that the number of URM postdocs is abysmal, revealing the need for more empirical studies and practical recommendations for how to recruit, support, and retain these individuals. 

This paper examines the work and community of a public land grant university’s College of Engineering (name of postdoc scholars program). (Program) was founded under (Dean) leadership and influenced by (Faculty)&#39;s research work and lived experience with the mission to diversify the next generation of engineering leaders in academia. With a focus on intersectional mentorship, the purpose of the postdoc program is to create well-rounded scholars versed in research, teaching, and service. Using ethnography partnered with semi-structured interviews, this study aims to explore the experiences of the first cohort of (Program) postdoc scholars to understand how a newly created intersectional mentorship model facilitates scholars’ progression toward faculty positions while curating an inclusive community and culture for scholars. 

The intersectional mentorship model framing this postdoc program is based on research conducted by (Faculty), with some adaptations from Walker et al.’s (2009) The Formation of Scholars, which presents a multiple apprenticeship framework that offers a holistic approach to mentoring for scholars. The three mentor types in the program are primary (focused on research), secondary (focused on teaching and/or service), and intersectional (aligned with identities of scholars’ choosing). This model engages scholars, mentors, and members of the administrative team in authentic dialogue to promote a culture that differs from traditional models of postdoc mentorship and development. 

Initial findings show that to maximize the progression of postdoctoral scholars, it is important to understand and address their self-identified issues surrounding mentorship and professional barriers that impede their success. The target audiences of this work are institutional programs, individuals who work with postdoctoral scholars, and those with an interest in diversifying and retaining future URM STEM faculty. Recommendations offer suggestions about ways to support, mentor, and build an inclusive community for postdocs that helps them become independent, confident, and competent emerging faculty who can succeed in academia. 
AU  - Jameka Wiggins
AU  - Monica Farmer Cox
AU  - Ayanna Howard
AU  - Martina Leveni
AU  - Tatiana Z. Cuellar-Gaviria
AU  - Colin Lee Hisey
AU  - Daniel Raphael Ejike Ewim
AU  - Leonardo Rodrigues da Costa Moraes
AU  - Beenish Saba
AU  - Shawanee' Patrick
CY  - Baltimore , Maryland
DA  - 2023/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Doing Academia Differently: The Creation of a Cohort-Based Postdoctoral Scholars Program for Emerging Engineering Faculty
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/43202
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--43202
ER  -