A new report issued by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) notes that many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students find their STEM studies are precarious in light of the pandemic.
Thanks to a National Science Foundation (NSF) rapid grant, researchers at AMNH have begun studying the impact of virtual learning on STEM students. This week, AMNH issued a mid-project report titled, “Supports and Challenges in an Educational Crisis: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Youth STEM Pathways,” which examines how students are reacting to disruptions in their studies.
The 190 subjects for the study are alumni of the AMNH’s Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP), where high school students in New York City take part in scientific research either at the museum or at partner programs that provide science mentoring to students. 80% of the participants identified as BIPOC.
The survey sought to identify the impact of the educational disruptions and loss of opportunities, such as internships on college undergraduates typically underrepresented in science. The survey also sought to highlight what supports and resources these individuals accessed to mitigate the disruptions. The research team included AMNH staff and college students from the New York area serving as co-research fellows.
Before the pandemic, AMNH researchers were tracking SRMP alumni, collecting data and examining their pathways, trajectories, opportunities and obstacles.
“We were able to get an NSF grant to systematically collect data from those specific students that we were already following to understand how the pandemic may or may not be affecting their ability to persist with STEM courses,” said Dr. Preeti Gupta, director of youth learning and research at AMNH.
NSF rapid grant money is intended for quick release of findings so that possible solutions can be offered. Researchers continue to collect data for further reports.
