Science Performance, Science Competence, and Science Identity Recognition in Engineering

This is a study that demonstrates my growing understanding of the factors that influence Latinx engineering students’ sense of belonging in engineering. I conducted a literature review to help me gain perspectives from prior research on this topic. I wanted to investigate Latinx engineering students’ sense of belonging at Arizona State University. This interest was fueled by my own perspectives as an undergraduate first-generation Latina student. I was inspired by the Social Identity Development Theory described in “Becoming La Ingenieria” by Sarah L Rodriguez (2019). I found that science performance, science competence, and science identity recognition were important factors in engineering for Latinx students to thrive and succeed in their chosen major--engineering. Through the literature review, I found that Latinx engineering students need family support, faculty and staff to look up to, and ways to create authentic connections with near peers and professions. Student organization involvement such as in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers student chapter can help Latinx students grow their intersectional identities related to their identification as Latinx and as an engineer which then helped strengthen their sense of belonging in engineering. <br/><br/>I conducted a survey of Latinx engineering students at Arizona State University to better understand their perceptions on issues related to their sense of belonging and underlying factors of competence, recognition, and performance in engineering. However, due to the low participation, possibly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I could not conduct statistical analyses that could lead inferences to the broad population of Latinx engineering students at ASU. <br/><br/>It is important to continue to create structures within university engineering programs and professional engineering societies to offer formal near-peer and professional mentorship of Latinx students. The integration of families from recruitment to graduation of Latinx engineering students may help build a more supportive structure for students to succeed. Research on the ways in which university faculty, staff, and near-peers can better support Latinx students will be essential to build classroom environments that help all students build a sense of belonging in engineering.