Broadening Participation in STEM: A Call to Action

With our nation's position as a global leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in peril, this report details the key issues to consider and steps we should take to improve our position in STEM innovation. Six critical policy questions are included:

1. To what extent are women and racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented in STEM?

2. How have minority-serving institutions contributed to STEM degree production over time?

3. What STEM talent development models, mechanisms and practices are most promising for underrepresented groups?

4. What indicators should be used to measure the success of efforts to broaden participation in STEM at the undergraduate level?

5. What role(s) should higher education play to broaden participation in STEM?

6. What role(s) should federal funders play to support higher education’s capacity to broaden participation in STEM?

The report also includes an open letter to the nation on broadening perceptions in order to broaden participation.

AIR, with consultation from the Institute for Higher Education Policy, solicited the perspectives of national STEM education experts and stakeholders, analyzed national STEM bachelor’s degree attainment trends between 1989 and 2009, and conducted an extensive literature review to complete the report.