Education & Training ︱ Dr Michelle Kulp McEliece Can training for ethics in STEM benefit the workforce?

The ethics in science, tudies suggest that to achieve approach for capacity development. technology, engineering academic improvement for The ultimate goals of the project are to and mathematics (E-STEM) academically promising students, increase the number of students pursuing S The E-STEM programme aims to increase ...increase retention in STEM majors, and programme is a National Science there is a requirement for study skills STEM fields, increase retention in STEM the number of students pursuing STEM ensure more students go on to enter the Foundation (NSF) funded development supplemented with social majors, and ensure more students fields... STEM workforce. project at Gwynedd Mercy support programmes. It has also been go on to enter the STEM workforce. University, Greater Philadelphia. shown that increased retention and overall Dr Michelle Kulp McEliece and academic success can be achieved by The programme, which was funded Peer mentoring based in collegiate of E-STEM at University Open Houses, of supportive services with ongoing her colleagues, Dr Christian placing focus on emotional development by the National Science Foundation development theory includes team outreach by the university’s admissions training in ethics. E-STEM implements Hellings and Tara White Hines, alongside academic curricula. More (NSF), began in 2014 at Gwynedd building, study support, mentor-mentee department and direct correspondence joint and split cohort activities designed created the programme in specifically, students taking science, Mercy University, Greater Philadelphia. sessions, and counselling training. The with accepted students. to accommodate new and continuing response to research which technology, engineering and mathematics Dr Michelle Kulp McEliece leads the programme also includes social events E-STEM students, peer mentor training suggests that a focus on ethics (STEM) majors can benefit from programme alongside colleagues Dr which are designed to promote team INCREASING STEM RETENTION and in-person and online one-to-one in STEM can foster the ability combined academic support, social or Christian Hellings and Tara White Hines. building and stress management. The project also intends to increase degree conversations between participants of students to become part of emotional support, and exposure to an completion rates by 90%, while preparing and the academic coach. In addition, the STEM workforce. E-STEM interdisciplinary curriculum. Additionally, A significant portion of the NSF grant Dr Kulp McEliece, who earned her STEM students for the workforce. E-STEM E-STEM students are given exposure to uses evidence-based modules a focus on ethics in STEM has been shown supports scholarships for students Ph.D. in molecular biology from Lehigh that incorporate ethics, study to foster analytical skills with a verbal pursuing a STEM major of biology, University, is an Associate Professor of skills, peer mentoring and social focus, and dilemma-based problem computer information science, or Biology at Gwynedd Mercy University. E-STEM aims to ensure that at least 85% events to promote recruitment solving has been shown to increase mathematics at Gwynedd Mercy She and her team devised the E-STEM in STEM subjects, boost of students are employed or enrolled in academic success, and improve students’ understanding of fairness University. The scholarships are designed programme with three major goals a graduate programme within two years student retention rates. and equality. to increase the number of students in mind. undertaking STEM degrees at the of graduation. THE E-STEM PROGRAMME university by reducing the associated STEM RECRUITMENT INITIATIVES In response to this evidence, the ethics financial burden. E-STEM is also open E-STEM aims to increase enrolment in set a goal of increasing retention and career options in STEM and they receive in science, technology, engineering to students that have not been awarded STEM subjects at their institution by 10% graduation rates in the three targeted personalised advice from programme and mathematics (E-STEM) programme scholarships, and it has attracted by providing scholarships to academically STEM disciplines from the baseline six-year directors and/or designated E-STEM has been developed to offer a modular a number of such students. talented students with demonstrated graduation rate of 50% and the baseline faculty members. financial needs. Each student must meet one-year retention rate of 78%. E-STEM E-STEM ACTIVITIES citizenship, major, and GPA requirements also set out to implement at least four BOOSTING STEM In addition to scholarship aid, the E-STEM to be accepted into the programme, new and four improved student support STUDENT SUCCESS programme also supports students and they must submit an application activities, such as academic coaching, E-STEM also aims to ensure that at least through activities. These include a living- with letters of recommendation and an peer mentoring, and the creation of an 85% of E-STEM students are employed or learning community, coaching on STEM essay. Dr Kulp McEliece and her team established living-learning community. enrolled in a graduate programme within study-skills, and peer tutoring. Ethics are focusing on students interested two years of graduation. The project aims modules cover the foundations and the in pursuing bachelor degrees in These objectives were achieved by to provide students with the leadership, importance of ethics in STEM fields, using Gwynedd Mercy University’s three creating a comprehensive programme decision-making, and ethical framework ethics scenarios, small group discussions, STEM programmes: biology, computer evaluation of ethical questions including information sciences, and mathematics. E-STEM Programming how to dissect ethical questions, and SCIENCE • Ethics training modules research involving human subjects. A promotional campaign has been Study skills modules include tutorials developed to accomplish E-STEM’s • Study skills on note taking, test taking, and reading recruitment goal, and a major objective • Guest speakers scientific texts. This module also includes of the programme is to implement at least examinations and evaluations of study three new recruitment activities to reach • Peer monitoring habits and learning styles. In addition, an increased number of academically guest speakers give participants an talented students interested in STEM • Social events In addition to scholarship aid, the E-STEM programme also opportunity to learn from and increase professions. Activities which accomplished supports students through activities including a living-learning ETHICS PRAXIS community, coaching on STEM study skills and peer tutoring. professional connections with industry this objective include the distribution The pillars of the E-STEM programme were a combination of science, ethics, and practical application representatives and returning alumni. of marketing materials, promotion and their subsequent interactions.

www.researchoutreach.org www.researchoutreach.org Strategies to Achieve Programme Goals cohort model has benefitted participants and that every E-STEM alumnus is now Provide Establish a Provide employed or in a graduate programme. Behind the Research financial STEM living- academic assistance learning supports In 2018, the division saw a 21% uplift in community applications from the previous academic year, and an average of 30.5% students Michelle Kulp Christian Tara White indicated that the E-STEM scholarship was a factor in their attending or McEliece, Ph.D. Hellings, Ph.D. Hines, MSPH continuing at Gwynedd Mercy University. Provide Increase E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E-STEM achieved a 78.6% fall-to-fall leadership and professional T: +1 215-646-7300 x21125 W: www.gmercyu.edu/academics/e-stem-program retention rate for scholarship recipients, ethics training connections W: https://sites.gmercyu.edu/estem-blog/?_ga=2.91748698.1798908533.1559655956-1751094079.1399563015 in STEM and participant satisfaction rates are A multi-faceted approach for supporting students in the E-STEM programme was used. This included consistently high across each completed scholarships to decrease the known financial burden for students, as well as connection building and year of the programme, with 100% References leadership opportunities to foster a holistic network of benefits for the programme and beyond. Research Objectives indicated perceived value of the mentor- mentee relationship. The Ethics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Gwynedd Mercy University E-STEM Program; Ethics and that employers seek. This training is students understand their own ethical Mathematics (E-STEM) programme at Gwynedd Mercy STEM Capacity Building (2016). Michelle Kulp McEliece, especially important to international principles. The primary focus has shifted Student success rates have been proven University started in 2014. An NSF-sponsored S-STEM grant Christian Hellings, Tara White. Poster Presentation, 2016 employers because of the cultural year-to-year to cover training on how to be positive. Normative scores of programme scholarship, the initiative aims to increase the AACU STEM Education conference. importance of ethics. This aspect of the to dissect ethical questions, support for E-STEM students and students attending number of students pursuing and succeeding in STEM fields programme is intended to inspire within decision-making, and the deconstruction Gwynedd Mercy University are indicated and, thus, participation in the STEM workforce. graduating students not only strong of real-life ethical scenarios such as to be statistically significantly higher knowledge and competencies in their authorship disputes and data sharing. than the national average. Self-reporting subject but also a sound understanding indicates “STEM employment readiness Detail Personal Response of ethics in STEM. OUTCOMES OF ETHICS IN STEM improvement” and “increased ethics Outcomes of the E-STEM programme capacity,” which suggests that E-STEM Gwynedd Mercy University This is achieved by developing and are measured qualitatively via surveys, is contributing to workforce needs. This 1325 Sumneytown Pike, Why is it important for more students implementing ethics training modules and interviews, and focus groups, and is particularly evident in biology and P.O. Box 901, Gwynedd Valley, and prospective students to enrol in STEM subjects with an aim to enter the STEM workforce? required senior and mentor participation quantitatively via surveys, university information technology in the Greater PA 19437 Philadelphia region. Michelle Kulp McEliece: Advancing and bettering society depends upon understanding the natural world Bio around us. It also requires us to understand how to Michelle Kulp McEliece, Ph.D., Associate Professor of The E-STEM programme provides PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS harness and develop the technology that will allow high academic advantages at low The E-STEM programme has been Biology, Gwynedd Mercy University. Dr Kulp McEliece us to do that. Students tend to avoid STEM disciplines shown to provide high academic earned her BS in biology with a concentration in genetics because they view them as being too difficult, so it operational costs. advantages at low operational and developmental biology from the Pennsylvania is important to show them how interesting STEM fields costs and is a model that could be State University and her PhD in molecular biology from are and that they can be successful in them. Great feats in leadership activities. Monthly ethics data, and national data. Data from applied to numerous academic Lehigh University. Before joining the GMercyU faculty, of engineering, medical discoveries, improvements sessions are held where discussions range the programme suggests that it has been programmes. Dr Kulp McEliece and Dr Kulp McEliece was a post-doctoral fellow at Fox Chase to the environment – those are the results of STEM from generalised ethics education and its effective in increasing ethical awareness her colleagues have also found that Cancer Center. education. It is equally important for that education to include ethical methods in both research importance to activities designed to help in its participants. It also shows that the the development of cohort identity development and application. has been crucial to the reported increase Christian Hellings, Ph.D., Associate Professor of in academic achievement. Mathematics, Gwynedd Mercy University. Dr Hellings Tara White: The STEM discipline is one of the earned a Bachelor’s degree with a dual major in fastest growing and most dynamic fields to study in. E-STEM graduates are shown to display mathematics and physics from La Salle University and a PhD As careers become more technologically advanced, higher moral and ethical development in mathematics from the University of Virginia. students with STEM backgrounds will be instrumental scores than their comparative peers, and in every facet from engineering of a new system to it is evident that the programme promotes Tara White Hines, MSPH, Healthcare Data Analyst, Bermuda understanding how to improve existing ones. A STEM degree can lead to positions in public policy, traditional employment preparedness, academic Health Council. Tara Hines earned a BS in Biology with research, education, business, healthcare, and beyond. retention, and self-reported value. minors in microbiology, chemistry, and mathematics from It is an opportunity for people to find a passion that Gwynedd Mercy University and her MS in Public Health, can change as the world does. Looking more broadly, the programme International Health with a Vaccine Sciences certificate from has strengthened relationships with local Johns Hopkins University, where she also worked as a mixed schools and employers. In addition, methods analyst at the Berman Institute of Bioethics. E-STEM’s strong focus on ethics education Increased retention and overall academic also serves as a model for similar Funding success can be achieved by placing focus institutions in the region and beyond. The National Science Foundation on emotional development alongside academic curricula. For more information visit www.gmercyu. edu/academics/e-stem-program

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