Published June 5, 2025 | Version v2
Journal article Open

Design, Development, and Impact of Educational Modules to Broaden Academic Research Cultures (EMBARC) for STEMM Career Development: A Pilot Project

Creators

  • 1. Department of Child and Adolescent Development, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA
  • 2. Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA
  • 3. Health Equity Research and Education Center, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA
  • 4. Bridges to Success, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles, CA
  • 5. Department of Sociology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA
  • 6. Department of Chemistry, Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
  • 7. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC

Description

Though historically marginalized and first-generation college students aspire to attend college, educational equity gaps remain in transfer and pursuit of graduate degrees of science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM). The purpose of this paper is to describe the process and impact of the Educational Modules to Broaden Academic Research Cultures (EMBARC) to leverage students’ community cultural wealth (CCW) and address cultural mismatch (CM) – the misalignment between the interdependent values shaped by one’s family or culture and the independent values emphasized in Western post-secondary institutions and STEMM fields. Findings from evaluation of the program suggests that leveraging CCW and CM in developing educational modules can contribute to historically marginalized students’ education, career and persistence in STEMM. Findings also illustrated that the modules connect students to resources as well as their cultural wealth and ancestral strength.

Files

Shu-Shan Guan_Design Development and Impact_Final_DOI_6-5-25.pdf

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Additional details

Funding

National Institutes of Health
Educational Modules to Broaden Academic Research Cultures (EMBARC) R25GM147158