Multicultural Perspectives in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Higher Education

Research on STEM education has received particular interest from policymakers, researchers, and STEM educational professionals. There are a number of conferences that focus on STEM education, which include the Understanding Interventions that Broaden Participation in Science Careers Conference, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Conference, and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference to name a few. There is also tremendous interest from U.S. Federal funding agencies like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health as both fund a number of initiatives aimed at developing and supporting multicultural and diversity efforts. In 11, Harvard Education Review published a special issue entitled, "Double Bind" focusing specifically on the role of racial minority women in STEM fields. In 07, the Journal of Negro Education published a special issue entitled, "Looking beyond the Digital Divide: Computers and Technology in Education." In 11, New Directions for Institutional Research published a volume entitled, "Students of Color in STEM." There have also been a number of books published on this topic, which include Emerald's 11 publication of "Beyond Stock Stories and Folktales: African Americans' Paths to STEM Fields" and Routledge's 12 publication of "Fostering Success of Ethnic and Racial Minorities in STEM." There is considerable interest and support for the examination of Multiculturalism within a STEM context. This special issue will make a new contribution to the literature by focusing on multicultural issues within STEM Education. A number of publications have focused on specific populations and the difficult circumstances as well as the opportunities for that specific groups' success. This special issue will take a broader look at the challenges and possibilities when engaging diverse constituencies from a Multicultural perspective. In other words, how are organizations and institutions at the K-12 and Higher Education levels engaging students with diverse social identities?