Efforts over the last several decades to increase the participation and leadership of Black men and women in the scientific and medical workforce have had limited results. Despite many individual successes, the number of Black professionals in science, engineering, and medicine (SEM) fields has not reached a level that corresponds with African American representation in the country at large. Structural racism affects progress at all stages along the pathway - from young children through graduate and medical students through faculty and clinicians at all levels. Beyond entry into educational programs or recruitment into workplaces seeking to diversify, challenges persist to achieve equity and inclusion for Black males and females. Moreover, psychological barriers confound the engagement of Black men and women in SEM fields. To explore these issues and suggest solutions, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine launched the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Over the past 2 years, the Roundtable has convened workshops on K-12 education, the impact of COVID-19, financial burdens to pursuing SEM careers, and other topics. Sessions during each of these workshops identified psychological factors related to those specific topics. To have a more targeted discussion, the Roundtable convened a virtual workshop on September 14-15, 2021. As summarized in this proceedings, panelists and participants identified policies and practices that perpetuate these factors and explored solutions toward achieving and maintaining wellness, especially among students and young professionals.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS ACTION GROUP PLANNING COMMITTEE
• ROUNDTABLE ON BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• 1. Introduction
  • OPENING REMARKS
  • ORGANIZATION OF THIS PROCEEDINGS
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Addressing Mental Health and Socio-Psychological Factors to Increase the Participation of Black Women and Men in SEM
  • OPENING KEYNOTE: FOCUSING ON STRENGTHS, OVERCOMING “ACES”
  • IMPORTANCE OF THE MISSION: SETTING THE STAGE FOR CHANGE
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Early Education as the Pathway to Success: Pre-K to 12
  • THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING EARLY
  • SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION
  • INVOLVING YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
  • APPLYING THE FOUR PILLARS OF MENTAL HEALTH
  • EXTENDING ADVANCED MATH AND SCIENCE TO ALL STUDENTS
  • IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON BLACK STUDENTS
  • FURTHER REFLECTIONS BY DR. GORDON AND DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Higher Education and Institutional Changes
  • MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: INNOVATING AGAINST THE ODDS
  • FISK-VANDERBILT MASTER’S-TO-PH.D. BRIDGE PROGRAM: FROM ADMISSIONS TO COMMUNITY
  • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY: MEYERHOFF MODEL
  • SPELMAN COLLEGE: PROMOTING SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING AT A WOMEN’S COLLEGE
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Bringing Systemic Changes through Important Sectors of Influence
  • ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY AT THE POLICY LEVEL
  • ADDRESSING RACISM AT NIH AND IN THE EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY
  • RESEARCH IMPERATIVES FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE
  • OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH PLANS
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 6. Development and Implementation of Equity-Based Strategies
  • OVERCOMING PERSISTENT BARRIERS
  • TRACKING GOOD IDEAS
  • NEXT STEPS
  • REFERENCES
• 7. Reality-Based Observations from Those on the Pathway
  • PRE-MED JOURNEY
  • DOCTORAL STUDIES
  • A RESIDENT’S EXPERIENCE
  • EXPERIENCE WITH MENTORS
  • RELATIONSHIPS WITH WHITE STUDENTS
  • ADVICE TO YOUNGER STUDENTS
  • REFERENCE
• 8. Moving Forward with Urgency
  • “FIRESIDE CHAT”: DR. VIVIAN PINN, DR. SHIRLEY MALCOM, DR. ALTHA STEWART, AND DR. EVELYNN HAMMONDS
  • TOWN HALL
  • CLOSING KEYNOTE
  • CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE WORKSHOP CO-CHAIRS
• Appendix A. Workshop Agenda
• Appendix B. Biographical Sketches of Presenters

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Psychological Factors That Contribute to the Dearth of Black Students in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26691.

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/26691

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