A MIXED-METHODS STUDY OF GEOSCIENCE IDENTITY, RACE/ETHNICITY, AND GENDER IN SENIOR UNDERGRADUATE GEOSCIENCE MAJORS

We conducted a mixed methods study of geoscience identity in undergraduate students to examine the cultural and social aspects of geoscience degree programs. White students are overrepresented in geoscience, and a priority of anti-racism efforts in the field is listening to the experiences of students who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) to better inform equity and inclusion goals. Structural racism in geoscience pushes BIPOC students out of the field, and it can be better understood by studying geoscience identity as it is socially constructed and an indicator of success and persistence in the field. This study is the first to measure geoscience identity with a large enough sample size to determine statistical significance across race and gender demographics. Using a mixed methods approach, we adapted validated survey tools from other STEM fields to create a geoscience identity survey and distributed it to undergraduate geoscience majors at 99 universities. To ascertain the aspects of a geoscience degree program experience that influence students’ geoscience identities, the survey also asked students to rate a list of factors known to influence geoscience identity and share experiences through open-ended prompts. Results from 139 respondents indicated that, like in other STEM fields, white students identify as geoscientists more than BIPOC students (p = 0.03). Thematic analysis of open-ended survey questions showed that BIPOC students faced more structural barriers and microaggressions than their white peers throughout their completion of a geoscience undergraduate degree. Some students of underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds reported feeling like they didn’t belong in the field because nobody in their department shared their identities. This is in contrast to white students, who were more likely to have positive, formative experiences and feel a sense of community and belonging in their department or in the field in general. From this study’s findings, we make recommendations for geoscience departments committed to anti-racism to improve equity and inclusion in their learning spaces.