A pilot study on our non-traditional, varied writing accountability group for historically excluded and underrepresented persons in STEMM

Kit Neikirk; Taylor Barongan; Bryanna Shao; Elsie C. Spencer; Kinutha Kabugi; Zachary Conley; Larry Vang; Mein Vue; Nancy Vang; Edgar Garza-Lopez; Amber Crabtree; Stefanie Alexander; Heather K. Beasley; Andrea G. Marshall; Mason Killion; Dominique Stephens; Beverly Owens; Denise Martinez; Caroline B. Palavicino-Maggio; Felysha Jenkins; Chia Vang; Derrick J. Morton; Haysetta Shuler; Sandra A. Murray; Steven Damo; Zer Vue; Antentor Hinton Jr

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22335

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A pilot study on our non-traditional, varied writing accountability group for historically excluded and underrepresented persons in STEMM

Journal article

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A pilot study on our non-traditional, varied writing accountability group for historically excluded and underrepresented persons in STEMM

Kit Neikirk, Taylor Barongan, Bryanna Shao, Elsie C. Spencer, Kinutha Kabugi, Zachary Conley, Larry Vang, Mein Vue, Nancy Vang, Edgar Garza-Lopez, …

Heliyon, Vol.9(12), e22335

12/01/2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22335

PMCID: PMC10746396

PMID: 38144282

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Abstract

Underrepresented faculty have higher burnout rates and lower grant attainment rates when compared with their non-minority counterparts. Many in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines, including underrepresented individuals, often have difficulty dedicating time to the writing process, with trainees often being relegated to laboratory tasks in their training years, resulting in a lack of practice in academic writing. Notably, past studies have shown that grant attainment rates of underrepresented individuals are lower than their majority counterparts. Here, we sought to consider a mechanism targeted to underrepresented individuals, although applicable to everyone, to help overcome traditional barriers to writing in STEMM. The authors have hosted a writing accountability group (WAG) that uniquely provides a format focused on physical activity and different forms of writing to strengthen both career development and award/funding attainment. Our objectives were to evaluate this unique format, thus creating a resource for individuals and institutions to learn about WAGs and expand upon the framework to formulate their own WAG. To do this, we performed a small pilot study (n = 21) to investigate attitudes towards the WAG. We present the results of a survey conducted among underrepresented WAG participants, which spanned different career stages and was highly diverse demographically. Our results show that following attendance of our WAG, individuals did not note a significant change in scales pertaining to John Henryism (high-effort coping), resilience, sense of belonging, or grit. However, significant increases were noted in the self-perceived ability to handle stress, confidence in applying for awards, appreciation for mentoring, and satisfaction of WAGs. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that our unique WAG format can have some positive results as a career and writing development opportunity and may be able to support underrepresented individuals in attaining funding at higher education institutions.

Grants

Mentorship

STEMM

Underrepresented faculty

Writing accountability groups

Details

Title: Subtitle: A pilot study on our non-traditional, varied writing accountability group for historically excluded and underrepresented persons in STEMM
Creators: Kit Neikirk - Vanderbilt University
Taylor Barongan - Vanderbilt University
Bryanna Shao - Vanderbilt University
Elsie C. Spencer
Kinutha Kabugi - Vanderbilt University
Zachary Conley - Vanderbilt University
Larry Vang - Vanderbilt University
Mein Vue - Vanderbilt University
Nancy Vang - Vanderbilt University
Edgar Garza-Lopez - Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Amber Crabtree - Vanderbilt University
Stefanie Alexander - Vanderbilt University
Heather K. Beasley - Vanderbilt University
Andrea G. Marshall - Vanderbilt University
Mason Killion - Vanderbilt University
Dominique Stephens - Fisk University
Beverly Owens - Department of Chemistry, Cleveland Early College High School, Shelby, NC, USA
Denise Martinez - University of Iowa
Caroline B. Palavicino-Maggio - Harvard Medical School
Felysha Jenkins - Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Chia Vang - Vanderbilt University
Derrick J. Morton - University of Southern California
Haysetta Shuler - Winston-Salem State University
Sandra A. Murray - University of Pittsburgh
Steven Damo - Fisk University
Zer Vue - Vanderbilt University
Antentor Hinton Jr
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Heliyon, Vol.9(12), e22335
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22335
PMID: 38144282
PMCID: PMC10746396
NLM abbreviation: Heliyon
ISSN: 2405-8440
eISSN: 2405-8440
Publisher: Elsevier
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000002, name: National Institutes of Health; DOI: 10.13039/100000861, name: Burroughs Wellcome Fund; DOI: 10.13039/100014989, name: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; DOI: 10.13039/100021144, name: United Negro College Fund; DOI: 10.13039/501100011605, name: National Science Foundation
Language: English
Date published: 12/01/2023
Academic Unit: Family and Community Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984532211302771

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