Survey of the unique challenges that minority engineering and science students encounter

Abstract

An IRB approved cooperative survey between Mississippi State University and Michigan Technological University was conducted of ethnically underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students. The focus of the survey was on the unique challenges that minority engineering and science students encounter at the two institutions. The institutions are regionally very different; the host community at MS State has a >60% African-American population, while the surrounding community at the second has a <1% African-American population. The goals of this survey were to identify, from the student's perspective, any challenges they faced and to what extent they thought that challenge had impacted overall progress in engineering and science majors. Two MS State NOBCChE (National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers) chapter members designed the survey with guidance from their faculty advisor. The results and compiled information will help determine how the institutions can improve climate and student experiences in subsequent years. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.