Cultivating STEM graduate students’ readiness for transformational resistance

Abstract

Fostering the more supportive culture of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) higher education, graduate students’ participation in the movements for transformation is increasingly vital. STEM higher education continues to face challenges related to retention and participation, making meaning shifts essential. Addressing these challenges requires more than surface level changes; meaningful transformation is necessary. This study analyzed interviews with seven graduate students who have participated in a STEM education program designed to encourage reflective engagement with systemic challenges in the field. The interviews explored their perspectives on the broader structural factors influencing STEM higher education. Focusing on examining the readiness of enacting transformational resistance in STEM higher education, we used a numerical coding scheme to understand the demonstration of awareness of and critical perspectives on institutional practices. Our findings suggest that participation in the program contributed to developing STEM graduate students’ readiness for enacting transformational resistance. Additionally, the program's collaborative and supportive nature played a crucial role in sustaining students' engagement. Participants frequently framed their experiences through a collective lens, highlighting the role of intellectual community in shaping their professional identities and commitment to change.