The Stem Career Pipeline System: Optimizing STEM Outreach Through the Identification of Key Development Stages from Past Success Indicators

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach programs are one of the many tools currently utilized to grow the appreciation of STEM in young minds. The hope behind these outreach efforts is to ensure a future workforce of Scientist and Engineers. A great bolstering of the ranks i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Tillinghast, Ralph Carter
Format Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Published ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2020
Subjects
Career Change
Career Choice
Career Development
Career Pathways
Case Studies
Child Development
College Students
Educational administration
Educational leadership
Grade 5
High School Students
Literature Reviews
Longitudinal Studies
Mathematics education
Middle School Students
Organization Theory
Science education
Student Interests
Systems science
Teaching Methods
Undergraduate Students
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Summary:Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach programs are one of the many tools currently utilized to grow the appreciation of STEM in young minds. The hope behind these outreach efforts is to ensure a future workforce of Scientist and Engineers. A great bolstering of the ranks is needed due to the continuous decline in the number of students choosing to take on these important disciplines. This work lays out a series of research efforts which apply Systems Engineering tools and philosophies to enhance and optimize the STEM outreach system for K-12 students. Based on these investigations and their findings, a deeper understating of how students’ progress along the STEM career pipeline is achieved. Further, findings are presented in this work which are based on efforts to use existing Science and Engineering professionals’ reflections on past career choices to gain this insight. From these reflections an increased understanding of students mindsets shifts towards STEM is presented. Findings include patterns of career selection, including evidence of rapid career adoption at lower grades. From this work the development of the STEM career pipeline system is established and recommendations are provided to aid organizations in providing STEM outreach, thus optimizing the overall STEM Outreach eco-systems and the STEM career pipeline.
ISBN:9798569979721