Assessing Scientific Inquiry and Leadership Skills (AScILS)

Report to NIGMS Advisory Council
January 25, 2008

Martin M. Chemers, PI

University of California, Santa Cruz

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Overarching Research Questions

• How do activities implemented by biomedical research career support programs (especially research and mentoring) influence:

• Scientific research skills

• Science team leadership and membership skills

• Beliefs in efficacy and collective efficacy regarding these skills

• Identity as a scientist

• Stage-appropriate educational and career outcomes?

• Are these influences similar for minority and non-minority students?

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Program Components

Psychological Processes

Outcomes

Research Experience

Community Involvement

Academic Support

Financial Support

Mentoring:

Instrumental

Socio-Emotional

Performance: Science
Inquiry

and

Leadership Skills

Commitment: Satisfaction
and
Continuation
in Science Education and Research

Student Demographics: Ethnicity, Gender

Science Inquiry
Self-Efficacy

Leadership and Teamwork Self-Efficacy

Identity and Belonging as a Scientist

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The Research Model

• Theory-Driven

• Interdisciplinary

• Multi-Method

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Brief Overview of Methods

• Qualitative Studies:

(Assessment of Program Components)

In-depth interviews (H.S., U.G., & Grad.)

(Longitudinal Case Studies)

• Retrospective Surveys

(UCSC Students; COSMOS; SACNAS)

• Performance Assessments

(Simulations & Mentor Ratings)

• Longitudinal Quantitative Studies

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Today's Report:
Quantitative Survey Studies

• UCSC Undergraduate Retrospective Survey

• SACNAS Retrospective Undergraduate and Graduate/Post-Doc Surveys

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Program Components

Psychological Processes

Outcomes

Research Experience

Community Involvement

Academic Support

Financial Support

Mentoring:

Instrumental

Socio-Emotional

Performance: Science
Inquiry

and

Leadership Skills

Commitment: Satisfaction
and
Continuation
in Science Education and Research

Student Demographics: Ethnicity, Gender

Science Inquiry
Self-Efficacy

Leadership and Teamwork Self-Efficacy

Identity and Belonging as a Scientist

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UCSC Undergraduate Retrospective Survey Population

• All 1095 participants from 14 UCSC science or engineering support programs, 1999/2000 to 2003/2004

• UCSC Science/Engineering majors not in programs during those same years

• Invited 100% of 870 underrepresented minorities

• Invited representative proportion of other ethnic groups: 548 Whites, 191 Asians, 131 Others

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UCSC Undergraduate Retrospective Survey Sample

• 502 (18%) completed survey

• 56% women

• Ethnic background

• 34% URM

• 23% Asian

• 40% White

• 4% Other

• Average age = 23.2 years

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UCSC Undergraduate Retrospective Survey Results

Community Involvement

Instrumental Mentoring

Identity as a Scientist

Science Inquiry Self-Efficacy

Commitment

Research Experience

.42/.46

.37/.60

ns/.23

.24/ns

Model Fit: χ2 (15) = 8.60, p = .90, CFI = 1.0, IFI = 1.0, GFI = .99,

NNFI = 1.0, RMR = .03, RMSEA = .00 (.00, .02)

.31/.25

.11/.12

.69/.79

.52/.52

.52/.42

.29/.21

.16/.15

Blue (Left) = URM students

Red (Right) = White students

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SACNAS Undergraduate Retrospective Survey Sample

• 327 completed survey

• 74% Current Undergrads, 26% Recent Grads

• 67% women

• Ethnic Background

• 74% URM

• 14% Asian

• 11% White

• 1% Other

• Average age = 24.06 years

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SACNAS Undergraduate Retrospective Survey Results

Community Involvement

Instrumental Mentoring

Teamwork & Leadership Self-Efficacy

Identity as a Scientist

Science Inquiry Self-Efficacy

Commitment

Research Experience

.34

.53

.24

.23

.17

.26

.24

.29

.32

.51

.10

Model Fit: χ2 (10) = 22.20, p = .01, CFI = .97, IFI = .97, GFI = .98,

NNFI = .94, RMR = .02, RMSEA = .06 (.03, .10)

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SACNAS Graduate/Post-Doc Retrospective Survey Sample

• 338 completed survey

• 82% Current Graduate Students, 18% Post-Docs

• 63% women

• Ethnic Background

• 86% URM

• 7% Asian

• 6% White

• 1% Other

• Average age = 29.83 years

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SACNAS Graduate/Post-Doc Retrospective Survey Results

Research Experience

Community Involvement

Instrumental Mentoring

Teamwork & Leadership Self-Efficacy

Identity as a Scientist

Science Inquiry Self-Efficacy

Commitment

Professional Experience

Socioemotional Mentoring

Model Fit: χ2 (12) = 54.42, p < .001, CFI = .96, IFI = .96, GFI = .97,

NNFI = .87, RMR = .03, RMSEA = .10 (.08, .13)

.14

.12

.16

.25

.12

.12

.11

.20

.23

.30

.12

.49

.16

.23

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Summary & Conclusions

• Identity most direct predictor of commitment and performance

• Science inquiry self-efficacy both indirect (through identity) and direct predictor of commitment and performance

• Research, mentoring, and community involvement predict science inquiry self-efficacy and identity

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Implications for Policy and Practice

• Scientific self-efficacy and identity are positively affected by interventions involving research and mentoring.

• Programs should place greater emphasis on these psychological mediators.