Challenging STEM Norms: Disabilities in Science and Academia

Disability in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Karl S. Booksh Missy Postlewaite Lea Vest

Outline A bit about myself Provocative (hopefully) interpretation of statistics regarding students with disabilities in STEM Introduce panelists There background and views Open discussion

Short CV Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University Delaware (2005) Prof. Arizona State University (1998) National Science Foundation (NSF), Committee on Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering Chair, American Chemical Society, Committee on Chemists with Disabilities P.I., Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) aimed at chemists with disabilities

Short Bio Disability Perspective Brother AVM at age 9 Self broken neck at age 19 Wife cerebral palsy Twin boys One with ADHD Both being tested for LD Been active with students since undergrad Parents, Inc. and Easter Seals in Alaska DO-IT at Univ. Washington

Personal Perspective

Failure to Adequately Serve Persons with Disabilities in STEM

History of Disability in Academic Science Ireland, they say, has the honour of being the only country which never persecuted the jews. Do you know that? No. And do you know why? He frowned sternly on the bright air. Why, sir? Stephen asked, beginning to smile. Because she never let them in, Mr. Deasy said solemnly James Joyce in Ulysses

Academic Distribution of Disabilities in STEM 1% of STEM doctorates (2008) (1) Biological Sciences Chemistry Agricultural Sciences Phys. and Astronomy Environmental Sciences Math and Stats. Computer Science Psychology Sociology Engineering Postdoctoral Associates suppressed by NSF (1) 76 23 23 13 8 14 22 74 83 50 7% Population 16 20 (1) 13% Population 18- 44 (2) 13% Population 20 65 (1) Increasing representation with age 1. National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. NSF 09-305. 8 Session 5

Baseline Data on Students with Disabilities 8.6% total school population under IDEA 13.8% public school attendees 7% population between 16 and 21 13% population between 21 and 65 Interested in STEM fields at same rate as students without disabilities In college: 21.7% v. 23.1% In graduate school: 20.3% v. 21.3% National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. NSF 09-305. The Condition of Education 2007 (NCES 2007064), National Center for Education Statistics, 2007.

No change in relative STEM Doctoral Attainment since ADA 6.0 Percent Citizen or Permanent Resident Hispanic = +0.17 % per year 5.0 of U.S. Doctorates 4.0 Black = +0.16 % per year 3.0 Disabilities = +0.009 % per year 2.0 1.0 Native American = +0.011 % per year 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, various years with data from NSF on US Citizens w/ disabilities.

Our (Poorly) Hidden Biases Cause Problems for Others Schema Pogo Possum Faculty prefer to hire themselves Gender Race Ethnicity Thought process Work habits Shared beliefs Career trajectory Stereotype Threat Solo status / Tokenism Session 5 11

Education Path Discrepancies Full-time v. Part-time w/ disability 58.2% v. 41.8% w/o disability 63.4% v. 38.6% 2-Year v. 4-Year College w/ disability 47% v. 42% w/o disability 42% v. 47% Graduate Students < 24-years old w/ disability 7.5% w/o disability 17.6% Returning students Retraining post disability Leave of absence for illness Military Commitments National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. NSF 09-305. Session 5 12

The Matthew Effect Matthew 13:12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. The Matthew Effect in Science , Science159: 56-63 (1968) The more accomplished scientist gets credit, even if lesser contribution Top universities recruit people with recognized successes (awards) Receiving small awards impacts receiving bigger awards Awards tend to go to people from top universities Same Schema in deciding nominations! R.K. Merton RA supported graduate students w/ disability w/o disability 16.4% 24.4% National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. NSF 09-305. 13 Session 5

Civil Rights and/or Jobs Issue Vicious cycle Not attaining educational goals Under- or unemployment Lack of role-models and avatars March 2013 Dept. of Labor statistics Labor force participation: 20.7% v. 68.7% Unemployment: 13.0% v. 7.4% Salary gap in S&E 4% younger than 29 years old 13% for 40 to 49 years old Dept. of Commerce Predicts 17% increase in STEM jobs 2008 2018 2/3 require college degree Verses 9% and 1/3 for non-STEM Daughtry, D., J. Gibson, and A. Abels, Mentoring Students and Professionals With Disabilities. Professional Psychology-Research and Practice, 2009. 40(2): p. 201-205 National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. NSF 09-305 Langdon, D., G. McKittrick, D. Beede, B. Khan, and M. Doms, STEM: Good Jobs Now and for the Future, E.a.S.A. US Depatment of Commere, 2011.

Lack of Programs to Support Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education 2010 Federal STEM Education Inventory Data Set on broadening participation All federal agencies with outreach $397.8M to Institutional Capacity or Postsecondary STEM $378.3M to underrepresented minorities $19.6M to students with disabilities 19:1 ratio

Sampling of Biggest Programs NSF LSAMP (~$45M 2010 budget) NIH RISE (~$24M 2010 budget) NIH MARC U-STAR (~$21M 2010 budget), NOAA Educational Partnership with Minority Serving Institutions (~$15M 2010 budget), NASA University Research Centers for minority serving institutions (~$14M 2010 budget), DOE HBCU STEM Research Workforce Development Program (~$9M 2010 budget) NSF Research on Disability Education program (~$ 7 M 2010 budget) ~35% of available federal funds

Focus Program Funding (in $M) Program Focus FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 Fy 11 FY 12 (est) ADVANCE Women 19.9 19.5 16.6 20.1 21.7 21.0 19.8 18.0 AGEP UM 15.0 14.6 15.3 15.9 17.2 16.7 16.7 9.8 BPC UM n/a 14.2 13.5 14.0 14.0 14.0 8.0 8.0 CREST UM 15.6 17.8 18.8 25.0 30.4 30.3 30.4 24.2 HBCU-UP UM 25.3 25.7 27.9 29.7 31.1 32.1 31.9 31.9 LSAMP UM 35.6 36.1 38.1 40.5 42.5 44.6 45.6 45.6 RDE Dis 5.0 5.3 5.4 5.9 6.9 6.9 6.5 6.5 GSE Women 9.9 9.7 9.9 10.1 11.4 11.6 10.4 10.5 TCUP UM 9.2 10.8 10.4 12.8 13.4 13.4 13.3 13.3 TOTAL 135.5 153.7 155.9 174.0 188.6 190.6 182.6 167.8

Vicious Cycle How are the academic role models faring? Observational data I don t know another chemists at a R1 university who went through undergrad w/ a disability Statistical data from NSF

NSF Percent PI on Submitted Proposals 4.5 Percent PI on Submitted Proposals 4 3.5 y = 0.0717x - 140.2 3 Black 2.5 Hispanic 2 y = 0.0467x - 91.551 Disabilities 1.5 1 y = -0.0433x + 88.191 0.5 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 Year 2010 2012 2014

NSF Percent PI on Funded Proposals 5 Percent PI on NSF Awards 4 3 y = 0.05x - 96.833 Black Hispanic Disabilities 2 y = 0.025x - 48.178 1 y = -0.025x + 51.333 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year

NSF Relative Funding Rates Group FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 All 23.7% 23.4% 24.6% 25.7% 25.1% 32.3% 23.4% 21.7% Female 25.1% 25.5% 26.2% 27.1% 27.1% 33.9% 25.1% 22.6% Male 23.8% 23.2% 24.7% 25.9% 24.9% 32.5% 23.5% 22.0% Minority 23.4% 23.1% 24.5% 25.5% 24.3% 30.2% 22.5% 21.4% Disability 23.0% 20.9% 24.7% 23.2% 24.3% 31.7% 19.8% 19.7% Female All Male Minority Disabil tcrit 90 1.415 Female x 11.679 7.779 7.478 6.497 tcrit 95 1.895 All >99.9 x -1.055 2.620 3.301 tcrit 99 2.998 Male >99.9 equiv x 2.694 3.401 tcrit 99.9 4.785 Minority >99.9 >95 >95 x 1.629 d.f. 7 Disabil >99.9 >99 >99 >90 x

PI Success Convolution with university size? Convolution with career stage? Lack of mentoring? NIH study on AA PIs indicates 5% lower funding rate due to lack of mentoring

Only 3 Active Professional Societies American Advancement for Science and Engineering Project on Science, Technology and Disability American Chemical Society Committee on Chemists with Disabilities American Psychological Society Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology

Where are the Role Models? Postdocs with Disabilities in pipeline? NIH will fund but few apply. Faculty at R1 Universities who have successfully navigated the system? Willing to add outreach to research and teaching (and home-life)? Educators at all levels who can see past disabilities ?

Why are We Failing? Lack of financial support Committing funds sends a message of priorities Need effort to focus at start of academic career Losing students after transitions Identity People primarily identify by race/gender, not disability status Lack data To track, understand, and make compelling arguments ??

Transitions and Disclosure 28% of IEP students disclose disability at postsecondary level Disconnect between disclosure protocol at K12 vs. postsecondary

Support Services K-12 All support integrated under IDEA University Must reapply as adult Support services fragmented at federal, state, and local levels Must anticipate and articulate needs Needs to occur before classes start

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Self-determination should be the foundation for transition planning Transition should be viewed through a cultural lens Interagency collaboration is essential to effective transition Transition planning should include all the perspectives, disciplines, and organizations that will impact the transitioning student

Panelists

Questions and Discussion