Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Educational Psychology & Research

Committee Chair

Alison Happel Parkins

Committee Member

Olayinka Mohorn-Mintah

Committee Member

Susan Nordstrom

Abstract

This dissertation examines the material and discursive agents that shape undergraduate students’ science identity development within a science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) ecosystem in the Southern United States. Using Karen Barad’s agential realism as a theoretical framework, the study conceptualizes science identity as a dynamic process of (un)becoming-scientist-with, emphasizing the intra-actions of material and discursive agents across formal and informal STEMM learning spaces. Drawing on narrative inquiry methods and graphic elicitation (ecomaps) interviews, this postqualitative study maps the entanglements of racism, discrimination, and systemic barriers that affect science identity construction. Four undergraduate participants engaged in STEMM programs affiliated with the STEMM ecosystem shared stories about the ways that spatial configurations, pedagogical practices, and material conditions shape their relationships with questions and questioning. The findings highlight how systemic racism, and other exclusionary forces operate as adaptive agents, reinforcing boundaries of inclusion and exclusion in science education. The study also identifies mechanisms within the STEMM ecosystem that foster recognition and belonging, offering insights into how justice-oriented pedagogical reforms can disrupt inequitable power dynamics. This research contributes to the fields of STEMM education and identity studies by integrating agential realism into the analysis of science identity development. It underscores the need for an ecosystem perspective that accounts for the relational and contextual nature of learning environments. The findings advocate for reconfiguring STEMM ecosystems to promote equity, fostering inclusive spaces where all students can meaningfully engage in the process of becoming scientists. This study provides actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers aiming to advance justice and inclusivity in STEMM education.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

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Notes

Open access.

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