Cultivating the next generation of Plant Biologists: opportunities and challenges Muriel Poston, Ph.D. Dean of Faculty and Professor, Environmental Analysis Pitzer College Recent STEM Reports: U. S. Scientific Workforce Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and employing America for a brighter economic future, (2007) National Academies Press Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators: Identifying and Developing our Nation’s Human Capital (2010) National Science Board Expanding underrepresented minority preparation: America’s science and technology talent at the crossroads, (2011) National Academies Press The Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education portfolio: A report from the federal inventory STEM education, (2011) National Science and Technology Council STEM, (2011) Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce Recruiting the Next Generation of Plant Biologist: changing populations Demographics of student populations are changing Increasing Female student populations Increasing Students of Color What are the implications for academic practice in the discipline? Resident population of the United States, by sex and race/ethnicity: 2010 Women, and Persons with With Disabilities in Science Engineering: 2013 SOURCE:Minorities, Women, Minorities and Persons Disabilities in Scienceand and Engineering-2004 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ U.S. population 18–24 years old, by race/ethnicity: July 1990–99 and projections to 2050 SOURCE: Women, Minorities and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering-2004 Freshman Intention to major in STEM and Biology/Ag Whites Asian/P.I. Blacks Hispanics Am.In./A.N. STEM Bio/Ag 37% 49% 36.5% 40% 27.6% 10.8% 18.3% 10.9% 11.7% 8.9% Source: NSF/NCSES, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E (2013) STEM Degrees for Underrepresented Groups The number of S&E bachelor’s degrees for all racial/ethnic groups except whites have been stable or increased since 2001 2001 2010 Asians/Pacific Islander: 9.5% Blacks 8.7% Hispanics 7.4% Amer. Indians/Alaska Nat. 0.7% White 69.6% 9.9% 8.6% 9.1% 0.7% 64.4% STEM Bachelor degrees are 31.5% of all BA degrees Source: NSF/NCSES, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E (2013) STEM Degrees for Underrepresented Groups Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians/Alaska Natives are underrepresented in STEM disciplines URM women are a smaller percentage of STEM graduates than Whites or Asians and less likely to be employed in STEM fields Asian and White women earn a higher percentage of degrees in STEM than URM women, BUT at a lower percentage than Asian or White men Science and engineering bachelor’s degrees earned by underrepresented minorities, by field: 1991–2010 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ BA degrees in Biological Sciences 2001 % of all science 2010 18.2% 19.9% 59.7% 59% 68% 62%(57.6% female) 12.4% 16.5%(58.1% female) 7.7% 7.4%(70% female) 7.5% 8.2%(61.1% female) 0.7% 0.6%(58.7% female) Female White Asian/PI Black Hispanic AmIn/NA Source: NSF/NCSES, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E (2013) Science and engineering bachelor's degrees earned by underrepresented minority women, by field: 1991–2010 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ Minority Serving Institutions: Opportunities for cultivation Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Historically Black Colleges/Universities Federally designated 105 HBCUs (18 are 1890 land grant univ.) Predominantly Black Institutions 25% FT Latino undergraduate enrollment 356 HSI (represent 11% of all IHE) 54% Latinos enrolled in HSIs 40% FT Black undergraduate enrollment <35 institutions (primarily two-year colleges) Tribal Colleges Federally designated <30 institutions (primarily two-year institutions STEM Degrees for Underrepresented Groups Within each racial/ethnic group, the top baccalaureate granting schools for men and women are mostly the same schools For Hispanic men and women, the top degree granting schools are largely in Puerto Rico, California, Texas, and Florida—states with large populations of Hispanics For Black men and women, the top degree granting schools are HBCUs and PBIs For American Indians/Alaska natives, the top degree granting schools are largely in Oklahoma, Arizona and other states with large American Indian/Alaska Native population. One is a tribal college STEM Degrees for Underrepresented Groups Women are over 60% of all students enrolled in higher education Since 2002 women have earned 58% of all bachelor degrees In STEM disciplines women have earned the higher proportion of bachelor degrees in: Psychology: 77% Social Sciences: 54% Biological Sciences: 60% Chemistry: 50% Agriculture: 50% Medium participation fields for women: Biosciences and social sciences, 1991–2010 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ Strategies for enhancing undergraduate URG in STEM Factors that influence selection and persistence in STEM majors by URG: Precollege programs that connect students to campuses Prior academic preparation Emphasis on undergraduate education and student engagement Emphasis on academic advising/support Campus/classroom climate impact on student engagement Adequate financial aid Institutional commitment Cole and Espinoza (2009), J. of Women and Minorities in S&E, 15:263-277 Strategies in STEM Education for Underrepresented Groups Characteristics of successful programs that increase recruitment and retention: Curriculum reflects real world problems Academic support and social integration Peer2Peer; study groups; social activities Mentoring Perceived respect of instructors Summer programs: motivation and access Research experiences: engagement Professional development opportunities President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Report: Engage to Excel (2011) Close the gap in mathematics preparation for entering undergraduates Emphasize discovery based research courses in the undergraduate science curriculum Diversify pathways to science careers in order to broaden participation of all students in STEM fields Scientists and engineers working in science and engineering occupations: 2010 STEM Degrees for Underrepresented Groups In the 21st century women have a higher participation rate in higher education than men Women doctoral degree recipients in nonS&E fields have exceed men over the last two decades Women doctoral degree recipients in S&E fields have continued to increase over the same period but have yet to reach parity with men Doctorates awarded in science and engineering fields of study: 1991–2011 Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities 2011; www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/ Doctorates awarded to minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by race/ethnicity and field of study: 2011 Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities 2011; www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/ Ph.D. degrees all fields 1980-81 2010-11 White: 90.9% Black: 4.2% Hispanic: 2.1% Asian/PI: 2.4% AmIn/NA: 0.3% 70.7% 9.2% 6.1% 12.4% 0.6% Doctoral Degrees in Biological Sciences Female: 28% 52.6% Source: U.S. Department of Education, Digest of Educational Statistics (2012) NSF: Survey of Earned Doctorates 6.00% 5.00% 4.00% 3.00% 2.00% 1.00% 0.00% TOTAL % Black PHDs BIO SCIENCES TOTAL % Hispanic PHDs BIO SCIENCES NSF: Survey of Earned Doctorates NSF: Survey of Earned Doctorates NSF: Survey of Earned Doctorates Number of Ph.D. degrees in Biological Sciences 2001 Total: 3759 399 650 101 206 Hispanic: 2689 Black: 5447 Asian: 3579 White: 2010 155 326 AmIn/NA 14 21 Source: NSF/NCSES, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E (2013) Science and engineering degrees earned by underrepresented minorities: 1991–2010 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ Science and engineering degrees earned by underrepresented minority women: 1991–2010 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ STEM Faculty from Underrepresented Groups Concurrent with the changes in doctoral degree recipients have been changes in faculty composition Increasing number of female faculty Differential representation in institutional types by gender AAUP: Trends in Faculty Status, 1975-2011 (all institutions, national totals) FT T/TT: 1975 1995 2003 2011 45.1% 34.8% 26.0% 24.0% 65.6% 74.0% 75.9% Contingent*: 54.9% *(FT NTT, PT, Grad) Total Instructional staff: 783,370 1,147,615 1,591,644 1,846,895 Source: US Department of Education, NCES, Digest of Educational Statistics (2012), Compiled by AAUP Research Office, Washington, DC; John W. Curtis, Director Of Research (7/13) Proportion of FT Faculty at all Degree granting institutions Gender: 56.1% men 43.9% women Race/ethnicity: White: 74% Black: 5.5% Am. Indian: 0.5% Hispanic: 4.1% Asian/P.I: 8.8% NR alien: 4.2% Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Digest of Educational Statistics (2012); compiled by John Curtis, Director of Research, AAUP, 7/2013) Proportion of FT Faculty by Institutional Type Doctoral: FT T/TT: 53.3% FT NTT: 10.9% Total (203,048) Women 20.6% 13.2% Masters: Men FT T/TT 43.5% NTT 9.7% Total (118,542) 33.4% 13.4% Baccalaureate: FT/TT 42.5% NTT 11.6% Total (52,789) 33.1% 12.7% Source: AAUP Faculty Compensation Survey (1060 institutions, 2012-13); John W. Curtis, Director of Research (7/2013) Women and underrepresented minorities as a percentage of full-time, full professors with science and engineering doctorates: 1979–2008 Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2011 www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ Cultivating the next generation of faculty in Biological Sciences Factors that influence career choice Values influence Academic Freedom Impact on community/issues relevant to individual Structural Realities Training environment Job market Faculty work Grant funding opportunities Gibbs, K. and K. Griffin, (2013), Ph.D. Career Choice, submitted CBE Life Science STEM Faculty from Underrepresented Groups URG Faculty composition has impact on URG student participation and success in STEM Campus/classroom climate Role Model Mentoring Price, J. (2010) Economics of Education Review 29:901-10 STEM Faculty from Underrepresented Groups Structural Barriers that affect faculty at all institutions including MSIs Mentoring/Role Models Balancing Faculty Roles: Teaching, Research, Service Institutional Infrastructure Work/Family Thank you! Questions? Contact: muriel_poston@pitzer.edu NSF: Survey of Earned Doctorates 9.00% 8.00% 7.00% 6.00% 5.00% 4.00% 3.00% 2.00% 1.00% 0.00% TOTAL % Black PHDs AG SCIENCES TOTAL % Black PHDs BIO SCIENCES