This National Science Foundation (NSF) STEM Education (CFDA 47.076) program grant awarded $452,724 to Berry College Inc. on August 15, 2024 to investigate factors impacting the persistence of underrepresented and minoritized (URM) students in data science fields. The project aims to:
Document the impact of racialized experiences on the educational pathways of URM data science students through focus groups and a national survey of data science professionals.
Interview data science program directors to assess how their institutions and programs either mitigate or perpetuate barriers for URM students.
Identify practical approaches for broadening participation in data science and related fields like machine learning and artificial intelligence.
This mixed-methods research seeks to reshape how data science programs increase the diversity of the data science workforce by expanding STEM pathways for a broader, more diverse student population. The project is funded through NSF's Racial Equity in STEM Education activity, which supports research investigating how considerations of racial equity can improve STEM education and the workforce.