An emerging aspect of STEM development has become the inclusivity and retention of underrepresented minoritized students (URMs). While research in this area has steadily increased, chemistry has been identified as an understudied STEM field. The source of this is relatively unknown but is thought to be related to a lack of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) centered research and minimal educator training. Initial research demonstrates the need for educators to employ culturally responsive strategies for recruitment and retention of URM students. Educators who create equitable and inclusive learning environments are more likely to increase URM students' sense of belonging, while also ensuring perseverance in STEM. In order to better understand the lack of research chronicling DEI practices in Chemistry, we began by conducting a literature review to first assess what practices have been employed and documented suggestions for future work. We then created a novel framework to recruit and retain URMs in a culturally responsive way. This Culturally Responsive Recruitment and Retention (CRRR) framework focuses on increasing awareness of the demographics that are being recruited and includes a critical reflection of recruitment processes in order to ensure they are inclusive, intentional, equitable and student centric. This will be integrated into a 10-week summer research experience in 2022 at a local university, specifically for URM undergraduate students to work with participating faculty. Utilizing the CRRR framework, we can analyze students' sense of belonging, intent to persist in chemistry and the overall efficacy of an inclusive, chemistry-based summer research program. Further research is needed to better understand URM experiences in chemistry, but by utilizing techniques demonstrated by the CRRR, we can broaden participation of students that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences, while also contributing to research in this field.

Increasing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in chemistry education through culturally responsive recruitment and retention (CRRR) practices

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.