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Objective: Community college transfer pathways are critical for advancing gender equity in STEM. Yet, community college students are often ignored within studies of women's participation in undergraduate computing. In a first effort to address this gap in the literature, this paper explores the composition of transfer-intending computing students over time (Study One) and gender differences in the characteristics and experiences of transfer-intending computing students (Study Two). Methods: This descriptive paper uses Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) survey data. Study One relies on a sample of nearly 30,000 transfer aspirants in computing across the United States between 2011 and 2019, allowing us to explore trends over time. Study Two examines a subset of over 9,000 students from the most recent survey cohort, providing a more nuanced snapshot of transfer-intending computing students. Descriptive statistics were used to examine how student experiences differ by gender and race/ethnicity. Results: Study One findings show that women's representation among transfer-intending computing students has declined over time. Study Two results reveal that, relative to men, women spend more time caregiving, commuting, studying, in student groups, and utilizing advising services, pointing to unique demands on women's time. We also identify significant differences in how Black and Indigenous women financed their college, relative to other women. Conclusions: While women are underrepresented among transfer-intending computing students, they represent a diverse group to support. We point to recommendations for policy and practice to support transfer-intending women in STEM and future research that considers intersectional identities among this diverse group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by theories of socialization and possible selves, this study examines how STEM doctoral students perceive their academic and professional trajectories. More specifically, we rely on four years of interview data from 66 doctoral students in the biological sciences to explore students' perceived trajectories, focusing on the salient identities and experiences that shape the way students identify and describe their graduate experiences over time. Findings reveal wide variation in terms of how students described their trajectories, with some students describing linear trajectories and/or unchanging career interests, while others described their developmental trajectories as highly turbulent and non-linear. These perceived trajectories were largely shaped by student-advisor interactions, the value students placed on becoming "independent" scientists, and the privilege students brought with them to their graduate programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Upward transfer pathways are an important mechanism for advancing gender equity in STEM. Yet, little is known about how students access lucrative STEM careers and leadership positions via community colleges. This study explores the factors that may promote computing leadership identity among upward transfer students, focusing specifically on gender differences in upward transfer computing student experiences. Methods: This study relies on longitudinal survey data from N = 1,955 computing majors across 15 universities in the United States. I used linear regression with tests of two- and three-way interaction terms to examine how factors associated with computing leadership identity might differ by upward transfer student status and gender. Results: Findings highlight how faculty mentorship, peer support, and involvement in student groups might shape leadership identity among all computing students. Other findings show that time spent working for pay is positively associated with leadership identity for non-transfers but negatively associated with leadership identity for upward transfer students. Significant three-way interactions show that parent career and sense of belonging in computing are uniquely associated with leadership identity for upward transfer women. Conclusions: This study identifies contextual factors that are uniquely associated with computing leadership identity for upward transfer students, while identifying ways in which institutions can increase upward transfer students' access to college experiences that are positively associated with leadership identity for all students. Future directions for research are discussed, including opportunities for researchers to test the impact of specific interventions to promote leadership identity, aspirations, and behaviors for upward transfer students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses transfer pathways to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees and highlights ways in which existing literature on equity in STEM fails to represent transfer student experiences, limiting opportunities to support transfer students and diversify STEM programs. More specifically, we synthesize findings across research studies—focusing closely on recent studies of disparities in students' sense of belonging in computing—to make a case that existing research on equity in computing is not generalizable to students following upward transfer pathways to their computing degree. Implications for centering upward transfer students' experiences in future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Students who transfer from community colleges in pursuit of four-year degrees (i.e., upward transfer students) represent a diverse and talented group that is critical to advancing gender equity in STEM. However, research has not yet explored factors that promote Ph.D. aspirations among upward transfer computing students, resulting in missed opportunities to support this unique group. Objective We examine the predictors of upward transfer computing students' Ph.D. aspirations, focusing on how these patterns might be unique for upward transfer women. Method Relying on longitudinal survey data from upward transfer students across 15 research universities, we use logistic regression with interaction terms to identify the predictors of Ph.D. aspirations. Findings We found that Ph.D. aspirations were especially frequent among upward transfer women, 14% of whom aspired to earn a Ph.D. Other results highlight the importance of faculty encouragement for graduate study in predicting all upward transfer students' Ph.D. aspirations. Beyond the direct role of such faculty encouragement, perceptions of computing faculty uniquely predicted Ph.D. aspirations for upward transfer women. Implications Our findings provide insight into how to bolster more equitable access to faculty mentorship, support students throughout the transfer process, and create inclusive faculty policies, which impact students' perceptions of academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how Latino men's conceptions of masculinities influenced their attitudes and behaviors during the transition from community colleges to 4-year institutions. Method: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of 34 Latino men across Texas, California, and Florida. Each participant was interviewed twice; all data were recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes. Results: Findings suggest that, although prior conceptions of masculinities can sometimes provide positive tools during transfer, these conceptions also cause challenges as men negotiate incongruences between their masculine identity and what is required to succeed in college. Participation in on-campus men's groups and student organizations can help Latino students navigate these incongruences and negotiate their own intersectional identities and conceptualizations of masculinities in light of their new environment. Contributions: This study demonstrates that Latino men continue to face challenges related to masculinities and identity conflicts during the community college to 4-year institution transfer process. Future research might further investigate how the multiple, intersecting identities of Latino men (e.g., sexuality, class) influence masculinities and transfer experiences. Implications for practice include a recommendation that institutions consider creating on-campus spaces and learning environments to support men in navigating masculinities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Questions: While community college transfer (i.e., upward transfer) represents an important mechanism for advancing equity across STEM fields, existing studies of gender and women’s participation within computer science have largely excluded the perspectives of upward transfer students. We address this gap in the literature by exploring transfer receptivity and gender discrimination within computer science, guided by the following questions: (1) How do upward transfer computer science students report their receptivity experiences, and how might this differ by gender? (2) How do upward transfer computer science students make meaning of receptivity experiences, and how might that meaning making be shaped by gender? Methods: We use a sequential mixed methods design, relying on longitudinal survey and interview data from upward transfer computer science majors, collected throughout students’ first year at the receiving university. Results: Findings reveal that, relative to men, upward transfer women report greater experiences of transfer stigma and challenges accessing resources at the receiving university. Qualitative findings document additional nuances in how upward transfer students—especially women—describe resilience as they navigate the university campus, encounter navigation challenges at the university, and make meaning of various manifestations of transfer stigma on campus. Contributions: In addition to implications for research and theory, we discuss what universities can do to foster a more receptive environment for upward transfer women. Specific recommendations focus on ensuring that spaces for women in computing are inclusive of transfer students and, likewise, creating supportive transfer cohort communities that are inclusive of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women remain underrepresented in undergraduate computing, student leadership roles, and computing leadership positions after college. This study provides insight into these inequities by examining gender and leadership conceptions among computing undergraduate students. Guided by leadership identity development and undergraduate socialization theories, I examine the relationship between college experiences and computing students' leadership confidence, focusing on the moderating role of gender. This study uses regression analysis, relying on a longitudinal sample of 1,081 computing students. Findings highlight the role of family, peer, and faculty interactions in predicting leadership outcomes, with special attention to conditional effects by gender. Additionally, findings reveal that leadership confidence in computing appears to be more malleable than students' general confidence in their leadership abilities. Unfortunately, I found that computing leadership confidence actually declines over time and that computing and general leadership ratings misaligned, such that women reported lower computing leadership confidence, relative to their general leadership confidence. Findings point to the importance of discipline-specific inquiry on college student leadership development. Other findings underscore the importance of fostering high quality student-faculty interactions in computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines longitudinal survey response as a product of an alternative incentive structure that mixes guaranteed and non-guaranteed incentives. Specifically, we considered the impact of winning an initial non-guaranteed survey incentive on students' response to future surveys (both with and without guaranteed incentives). We found that winning or, more importantly, losing the initial incentive predicted future survey response even when future surveys guaranteed a prize. These and other findings are reviewed, adding to the knowledge base of how to most efficiently encourage student survey response in light of financial constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests growth mindset, or the belief that knowledge is acquired through effort, may enhance women’s sense of belonging in male-dominated disciplines, like computing. However, other research indicates women who spend a great deal of time and energy in technical fields experience a low sense of belonging. The current study assessed the benefits of a growth mindset on women’s (and men’s) sense of intellectual belonging in computing, accounting for the amount of time and effort dedicated to academics. We define “intellectual belonging” as the sense that one is believed to be a competent member of the community. Whereas a stronger growth mindset was associated with stronger intellectual belonging for men, a growth mindset only boosted women’s intellectual belonging when they did not work hard on academics. Our findings suggest, paradoxically, women may not benefit from a growth mindset in computing when they exert a lot of effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on literature addressing doctoral student socialization and scientific research groups, we qualitatively explore the gendered nature of laboratory rotations for 54 women pursuing STEM doctorates. Using in-depth interviews and a feminist phenomenological approach, findings highlight how women (re)constructed strategies to select lab rotations, relying on social comparisons, social cues about labor practices, and support from principal investigators, peers, and departmental staff. This study documents how women were sometimes felt they had to choose between a prestigious lab aligning with their interests and a lab that would not be overtly sexist. We conclude with practical implications for enhancing equitable socialization structures in STEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines an aspect of gender and racial/ethnic gaps in undergraduate computing by focusing on sense of belonging among women and underrepresented minority (URM) introductory computing students. We examine change in sense of belonging during the introductory course as well as the predictors of belonging, with attention to conditional effects by gender and URM status. Results show that sense of belonging outcomes are a product of both incoming student characteristics and college environments and experiences, highlighting the important role the computing faculty play in fostering belonging. These and other findings are discussed, focusing on sense of belonging among women, URM students, and URM women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doctoral advisor--typically the principal investigator (PI)--is often characterized as a singular or primary mentor who guides students using a cognitive apprenticeship model. Alternatively, the "cascading mentorship" model describes the members of laboratories or research groups receiving mentorship from more senior laboratory members and providing it to more junior members (i.e., PIs mentor postdocs, postdocs mentor senior graduate students, senior students mentor junior students, etc.). Here we show that PIs' laboratory and mentoring activities do not significantly predict students' skill development trajectories, but the engagement of postdocs and senior graduate students in laboratory interactions do. We found that the cascading mentorship model accounts best for doctoral student skill development in a longitudinal study of 336 PhD students in the United States. Specifically, when postdocs and senior doctoral students actively participate in laboratory discussions, junior PhD students are over 4 times as likely to have positive skill development trajectories. Thus, postdocs disproportionately enhance the doctoral training enterprise, despite typically having no formal mentorship role. These findings also illustrate both the importance and the feasibility of identifying evidence-based practices in graduate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]