A new white paper commissioned by the Sloan Foundation and prepared by RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, has shed light on the educational journey of Black and Hispanic STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Ph.D. graduates.

The paper has been prepared by Erin Dunlop Velez, director of education research at RTI, along with Ruth Heuer, senior research education analyst at RTI, and Lorelle Espinosa, program director at Sloan Foundation.

The research analyzed three federal education datasets, including the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates and the U.S. Department of Education’s 2008/18 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, to explore the characteristics of institutions that both bachelor’s and doctoral degree-granting attended by future STEM Ph.D. recipients, their postsecondary pathways, and financial sources.

The research found that Black STEM Ph.D. graduates face significant challenges compared to their Asian, Hispanic, and White counterparts.

For instance, Black STEM Ph.D. recipients take a more extended period to complete their doctorate and borrow more money to fund their education.

Black graduates are also more likely to earn their degrees from private for-profit institutions, complete a master’s degree at a different institution before beginning their doctoral studies, and receive fewer fellowships and assistantships during their doctoral training.

The research team suggests that understanding the unique challenges that Black STEM Ph.D. recipients face is a crucial step in developing programs to support them better.

This kind of analysis will help institutions learn how to support Black and Hispanic students in STEM fields better and encourage their pathways into STEM careers.

As the demand for STEM leaders grows, STEM PhD recipients must reflect the diversity of U.S. citizens. Our new white paper looks at data from 3 national education surveys to explore the educational experiences of Black & Hispanic PhDs in STEM. Learn more: https://t.co/BKcsPXfcvT

— RTI International (@RTI_Intl) November 27, 2023

We commissioned this report into Black and Hispanic PhD students’ experiences, bc we need to know what specific factors are contributing to disparities in STEM education. Supporting equitable and inclusive pathways through STEM education is a key goal of our Higher Ed program. https://t.co/LgU1rMZ9uy

— Sloan Foundation (@SloanFoundation) November 28, 2023