Indigenous Student Perceptions on Cultural Relevance, Career Development, and Relationships in a Culturally Relevant Undergraduate STEM Program

As part of an on-going effort to increase recruitment and retention of historically marginalized groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs and careers, this study examines student perceptions of a culturally relevant undergraduate STEM degree program designed to prepare Indigenous students for graduate school and scientific careers within their communities. We describe an undergraduate fisheries STEM program, which offers place-based curriculum with traditional ecological knowledge, research opportunities, and intergenerational mentoring, within the context of aquatic-science and fisheries education at a private minority-serving institution in the USA. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with North American Indigenous participants about their experiences and perceptions of the program with respect to their interest and perseverance in STEM and how relationships, such as intergenerational mentoring, supported their academic pursuits. Informed by sociocultural perspectives on science education, key findings indicated that students placed a high value on the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and place-based learning in coursework, research experiences with culturally significant subjects, and relationships with mentors as instrumental to achieve their goals. Students claimed these experiences provided them opportunities to develop important scientific skills; offered socio-emotional, cultural, and spiritual support; and encouraged them to persist in their educational pathways to serve their communities and future generations through STEM. This study provides insight into how students perceive community-informed design and implementation of undergraduate STEM curriculum and can thus support Indigenous students in achieving community-oriented STEM goals.