Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7213-0264
Defense Date
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Andrene Castro
Second Advisor
Dr. Kimberly Bridges
Third Advisor
Dr. Risha RaQuelle
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Kendra Johnson
Abstract
Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the field to understand how they formed their STEM identities, the barriers they encountered, and modes of persistence toward their STEM goals. Specifically, I focus on the role of mothers and othermothers in their career identity development. Three theoretical perspectives guide this qualitative study: Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), intersectionality, and mothering to understand the system operating around the STEM identity. These three theoretical lenses form the Systems and Intersectionality Framework for Black Women’s STEM Identity Development and Networks of Support. Through this framework, the findings highlight the importance of K-12 education as the foundation of STEM identity development, STEM-efficacy, and persistence. The collegiate years are a time of personal growth, connections through “homeplaces,” real-world STEM experiences, and on-going STEM persistence. In their professional lives, Black women face tensions between assimilation and resistance, while support from Black mothers and othermothers empowers them to succeed in a White, male-dominated field. Findings from this study offer valuable insights for policy and practice—calling for equitable STEM access in K–12 settings, intentional support structures in higher education, and mechanisms of accountability that address systemic barriers to the professional advancement of Black women in STEM.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-3-2025
Included in
Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Development Studies Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Engineering Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Social Justice Commons