Scholarlink

<p>Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-focused programs such as FIRST Robotics have demonstrated success in promoting technical skills. Yet prior research indicates that women often experience and respond differently to competitive environments, contributing to enduring gender gaps in professional persistence. Despite this emphasis on program values, a significant gap remains in understanding how women internalize these values within a framework that captures both psychological and sociocultural barriers. This study investigated how women FIRST alumni perceived the influence of the program's Core Values: discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun, on their STEM career development. Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the analysis situated these perceptions within structural environmental constraints, operationalized through the Six-Factor Under-Representation Framework. Adopting a qualitatively driven mixed-methods design, we analyzed semi-structured interviews with 15 women alumni to identify variation in perceived supports and barriers across participant characteristics, such as leadership roles, scholarship attainment, and professional maturity. The findings indicated that environmental factors played a stronger role than personal or behavioral factors in shaping participants’ trajectories. Inclusion was most frequently associated with negative experiences, and challenges in translating inclusive program ideals into lived experiences for women participants persist. Moreover, variations in value internalization were systematically associated with scholarship achievement and leadership roles, which acted as critical buffers against structural disincentives. Overall, the study demonstrated the value of integrating psychological career frameworks with structural sociocultural analysis to better support women’s sustained participation in STEM.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Bridging the Inclusion Gap: Women’s STEM Career Development Across Academic and Professional Pathways

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月15日

查看全文
  • Shani Goldstein,
  • Shahaf Rocker Yoel,
  • Yehudit Judy Dori

摘要

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-focused programs such as FIRST Robotics have demonstrated success in promoting technical skills. Yet prior research indicates that women often experience and respond differently to competitive environments, contributing to enduring gender gaps in professional persistence. Despite this emphasis on program values, a significant gap remains in understanding how women internalize these values within a framework that captures both psychological and sociocultural barriers. This study investigated how women FIRST alumni perceived the influence of the program's Core Values: discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun, on their STEM career development. Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the analysis situated these perceptions within structural environmental constraints, operationalized through the Six-Factor Under-Representation Framework. Adopting a qualitatively driven mixed-methods design, we analyzed semi-structured interviews with 15 women alumni to identify variation in perceived supports and barriers across participant characteristics, such as leadership roles, scholarship attainment, and professional maturity. The findings indicated that environmental factors played a stronger role than personal or behavioral factors in shaping participants’ trajectories. Inclusion was most frequently associated with negative experiences, and challenges in translating inclusive program ideals into lived experiences for women participants persist. Moreover, variations in value internalization were systematically associated with scholarship achievement and leadership roles, which acted as critical buffers against structural disincentives. Overall, the study demonstrated the value of integrating psychological career frameworks with structural sociocultural analysis to better support women’s sustained participation in STEM.