Date of Award

Fall 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Dale Lamb

Abstract

This research investigated the impact of inclusion and belonging on the development and engagement of researchers and research teams within STEM laboratories. Using a mixed methods approach, the study examined several factors, including mentoring, that foster a sense of inclusion and belonging within the researcher environment. It also explored how these factors impact the development of individual researchers and research teams. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the study explored the roles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in developing inclusive research environments that support STEM researchers. Data collected included quantitative and qualitative survey questions with research teams at a large public university’s interdisciplinary STEM research cluster. The findings revealed that inclusive practices and effective mentorship significantly contribute to a productive research environment by promoting diverse perspectives and innovative problem-solving. The results showed that while challenging to assess, cultivating a sense of inclusion and belonging enhances researcher engagement and growth. Effective mentoring provides personalized guidance and fosters inclusivity. This research offers recommendations for creating inclusive STEM research laboratories to improve researcher engagement and performance.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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