Highlights

"The solution...

to America's competitiveness problem is to activate the hidden workforce of young men and women who have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM careers - African Americans, American Indians, and Latinos."

- National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. 2008

Why is STEM Education Important?

  • 7 of the 10 projected fastest-growing occupations over the next ten years are in STEM fields [i]
  • STEM occupations have grown 8% in the last 10 years (2000-2010) and are expected to grow twice as fast (17%) in the next ten years.[ii]
  • 16 of the 25 highest-paying jobs in 2010 require STEM preparation and STEM workers earn 26% more than their non-STEM peers.

Current LPFI Research Projects

  • Perceived Barriers to Entry & Success in STEM Fields
  • Dissecting the Data (Part 2)
  • SMASH Impact Evaluation
  • Stanford-LPFI Research Collaboration
  • SMASH Alumni Data Collection
  • SMASH Teacher Evaluation & Assessment

Research

The research team at LPFI examines inequity in access and opportunity across K-12, higher education, and workplace contexts in order to improve the outcomes for underrepresented students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

Our Research:
  • Expands understanding of how conscious and unconscious bias operates within educational contexts and creates disparate outcomes for students of color;
  • Documents the impact of STEM enrichment opportunities for high school students of color;
  • Examines ways to improve STEM teaching and preparation in K-12 for underrepresented students;
  • Examines ways to increase access, enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in STEM for students of color;
  • Expands understanding of the college-to-workplace transition for students of color within STEM fields; and
  • Examines the lack of diversity in STEM workplaces, specifically focusing on biases and barriers for individuals from diverse backgrounds (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, religion).

How Does the U.S. Compare to Other Countries in STEM Education?
  • The World Economic Forum ranks the United States 52nd in the quality of mathematics and science education, and 5th (and declining) in overall global competitiveness [v]
  • The United States ranks 27th in developed nations in the proportion of college students receiving undergraduate degrees in science or engineering [vi]
  • There are more foreign students studying in U.S. graduate schools than the number of U.S. students [vii] and over 2/3 of the engineers who receive Ph.D.’s from United States universities are not United States citizens [viii]

What Challenges Face Underrepresented Students in STEM?
  • On average, teachers in schools with high concentrations of low-income, minority students have less education, fewer qualifications, and less experience than teachers in schools with low concentrations of low-income, minority students.[ix]
  • African-American and Latino students combined represented only 15% of all AP test takers in Physics and Calculus[x].
  • Underrepresented students of color earn Bachelor’s Degrees in STEM at rates much lower than their White and Asian peers[xi]
  • Of the U.S. Citizens that earned Ph.D.’s in Science and Engineering in 2008, African-American, Latino, and Native Americans combined comprised only 10.5%.[xii]
  • African Americans and Latinos/as represent only 7% of the entire science and engineering workforce [xiii], and African-Americans represent just 1% of technology startup founders[xiv]

Dissecting the Data 2012: Examining STEM Opportunities and Outcomes for Underrepresented Students in California
Dissecting the Data 2012: Examining STEM Opportunities and Outcomes

The Dissecting the Data 2012 report reveals that pervasive opportunity and achievement gaps across all levels of schooling negatively impact the chances for underrepresented students of color to achieve success in STEM education and to pursue higher education degrees and careers in STEM fields. 

Related Reports and Resources: STEM Workplaces
Related Reports and Resources: STEM Workplaces

LPFI's workplace research examines the lack of diversity in STEM workplaces, specifically focusing on biases and barriers for individuals from diverse backgrounds (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, religion).

Related Reports and Resources: STEM Education
Related Reports and Resources: STEM Education

I.               Reports on K-12/Higher Ed and STEM

Federal reports and funding:

Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with STEM Degrees. Report to the President, February 2012