ABSTRACT
African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans are minoritized and marginalized in physics doctoral programs (AIP SRC, 2018; AIP SRC, 2019, Hyater-Adams, et al., 2018; Hyater-Adams, 2019; Rosa & Mensah, 2016). The APS Bridge program is designed to increase the number of physics PhDs awarded to African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of students in doctoral programs funded by the APS Bridge program. In particular, we use a conceptual framework employing community cultural wealth and structure and agency as theoretical underpinnings. Community cultural wealth allows us to recognize “the cultural knowledge, skills, and abilities (Yosso, 2005)” of students from minoritized and marginalized backgrounds participating in the programs. We seek to understand how structures in the programs funded by the APS Bridge program value community cultural wealth allowing for or hindering the agency of members of the department. We utilize a collective case study approach (Creswell, 2017; Yin, 2009) to understand the similarities and differences within the six programs funded by the APS Bridge program. We then utilize an intrinsic case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of two unique cases.
Project Lead
Geraldine Cochran
Rutgers University
GOALS & RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The primary aim of this study is to understand how community cultural wealth is valued by structures in place in graduate physics programs and how this affords or hinders students from developing agency within the department. The study is guided by the following research questions: What is the role of community cultural wealth in shaping who has agency to encourage change? What are the structures that allow for individual and collective agency for change?
METHODS
We utilize the collective case study approach to understand six physics departments funded by the APS Bridge Program. The results of the collective case study of the six programs funded by the APS Bridge program will then inform the intrinsic case study of two unique cases.
CONTRIBUTION TO PROJECT GOALS
The goal of this research project is to understand how community cultural wealth is valued by structures in place in graduate physics programs and how this affords or hinders students from developing agency within the department.
FOCUS AREA WITHIN GRADUATE EDUCATION
Physics department culture
INVESTIGATORS
Geraldine L. Cochran, Rutgers University
Corey Ptak, Rutgers University
Chaundra Whitehead, Florida International University