Study Aims to Increase Support for Disabled Students in STEM

The National Science Foundation has awarded postdoctoral researcher Stephanie Berg more than $300,000 to study science identity – the ability to recognize oneself and be recognized by others as a scientist – particularly among disabled students.

"This study is really trying to make sense of some of these experiences of people so that, hopefully, we can identify strategies and ways to help people down the line who are going through graduate school," the biology researcher said. "I'm disabled, but I had a Ph.D. adviser who was very accepting of the challenges I've had.

"That's not everyone's experience."

Disability is one of the world's largest minority groups, with 1 in 4 Americans identifying as disabled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disabled people are underrepresented in STEM fields, and literature surrounding disability in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers is scarce, particularly concerning how disabled students navigate the scientific world.

"There is not yet a strong theoretical understanding across different studies or even related subdisciplines of what science identity is or what it means to engage in identity negotiation," said Mariel Pfeifer, assistant professor of biology and sponsoring researcher for Berg's grant.

"There's some strong research that shows that disabled people bring a lot of creativity and innovation into the workforce. In STEM fields, the absence of disabled individuals means that we are missing out on valuable opportunities for creative problem-solving that could lead to the next big scientific discovery."

Berg hopes to remedy that lack of research about science identity and disability by studying existing literature and speaking with disabled graduate students across the nation over the next two years.

"We would like to explore and identify some of these strategies that folks are using to navigate their graduate experience in the natural sciences and supports that have really helped them cultivate their identity within science and as a scientist," she said.

"I want this work to empower the graduate students who are needing to navigate these systems, as well as helping faculty mentors, departments and advisers figure out, 'What are supports I can use to help my students if they have a disability?'"

A mobility-impaired student may need ramps, elevators and clear pathways to access buildings, but the barriers don't stop at the door. Students with wheelchairs or mobility devices may not be able to access laboratory equipment or countertops that are set out of reach.

Students with nonphysical disabilities or disabilities that are not easily identified – such as mental health conditions, autism and others – may also need different conditions to thrive in their studies.

Using a wheelchair, for example, is not the problem, Berg said.

"It's (that) these spaces are literally not designed with you in mind," she said. "When you don't have spaces designed with you in mind and it prohibits you or prevents you from doing the work, you have to take up extra time and energy to figure out how to do your work.

"That takes away time from your work and it takes away time from you being able to develop your identity as a scientist."

Disability – in its various forms – is also a minority group that most people will eventually enter with age, Berg said. Identifying ways to make STEM fields more approachable for disabled students removes barriers for everyone.

"There are a number of things that can happen to a person that can have them become disabled," she said. "When we have spaces that are accommodating for folks with disabilities, these accommodations help everyone."

By making STEM fields more encouraging for all students, Pfeifer said she hopes to encourage disabled students to see themselves as potential scientists.

"When students see that there aren't disabled faculty or disabled scientists, they might not be able to see themselves in that career in the future," the Ole Miss professor said.

"And so that is also a piece of it. It's not just about the innovation; it's also about mentoring the next generation of scientists"

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation's Postdoctoral Fellowship award no. 2411470.

Top: Postdoctoral researcher Stephanie Berg (left) is using a National Science Foundation fellowship to study science identity in students with disabilities. Her work is sponsored by Mariel Pfeifer, assistant professor of biology.  Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services