Here’s why STEM Career Days are a great idea

Key points:

A new study from the University of Missouri, in partnership with Harvard-Smithsonian researchers, shows that when colleges host ‘STEM Career Days,’ students who attend are much more likely to pursue a career in STEM (Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related field.

The findings not only highlight the benefits of college recruiters presenting high school students with STEM-related opportunities, but can also help increase and diversify the STEM workforce in the United States.

Michael Williams, an assistant professor in the MU College of Education and Human Development, analyzed a nationwide survey conducted by Harvard University that asked nearly 16,000 college students whether they attended a STEM Career Day hosted by the university. while they were in high school. He found that students who attended were significantly more likely to have STEM-related career aspirations compared to students who did not attend.

“Now that we have discovered that this type of intervention works to convert that potential interest in STEM into career aspirations in STEM, we can work on designing these interventions so that they are even more effective and accessible to develop a more diverse STEM workforce. ” said Williams, who is also a faculty member of MU’s Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. “If you want someone to be good at something, you want them to develop a sense of efficacy, which is putting them in a position where they can see themselves doing it and being successful at it, and seeing other people who look like them doing it. that too”.

When Williams was pursuing a master’s degree in computer information technology, he remembers being the only black student in classes like computer engineering and differential equations. He also remembers that classes were disproportionately made up of international students.

“The United States lags behind many global competitors in producing STEM talent, especially in areas such as sophisticated technology and quantitative methodologies,” Williams said. “The National Science Foundation has pushed to expand participation in STEM fields and increase the diversity of populations that have previously been excluded from STEM-related opportunities. “That’s why I’m passionate about reaching people early in the educational process and seeing what interventions help turn interest into a career aspiration.”

Williams added that MU is a land-grant university and has several community outreach initiatives to not only expose Missouri students to STEM topics at the high school level, but also at the middle and elementary school levels.

“STEM Cubs is a free STEM educational program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, organized by the MU Office of Academic Access and Leadership Development, the MU College of Education and Human Development, and the MU College of Engineering. which emphasizes the importance of exposing everyone. students to exploratory and experiential learning,” Williams said. “The program seeks to engage young students, particularly those historically underrepresented in STEM education and career fields, in hands-on STEM activities. By allowing them to learn about scientific concepts and how they relate to everyday life, the program helps them generate interest in science and science-based careers.”

The study “A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Impact of University-Administered Science, technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Days on the STEM Career Aspirations of American Students”, was published in International Journal of Science Education.

This press release originally appeared online.

Laura Ascione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. She graduated from the prestigious Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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