A recent ‘Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering’ report has found Hispanic-serving Institutions —colleges and universities with a Hispanic student population of more than 25% — play a large role in increasing representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
According to data in the 2019 report, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) ranks third in the nation when it comes to graduating the most Hispanic or Latino students in science and engineering fields.
“Given our students’ commitment to learning, and the dedication of UCR faculty and academic staff to their success, I’m not surprised that UCR ranks high for Hispanic and Latino/a STEM graduates,” said Kathryn Uhrich, dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), in a statement.
The college offers a number of programs providing underrepresented students with support and resources, including learning communities, the First Year Success Series, the Science Ambassador Program, and the STEM Pathway Program.
“At CNAS, our classes, laboratories, research experiences, and student success programs are designed to help students thrive,” said Dean Uhrich, a distinguished polymer chemist, who began her tenure as dean of CNAS on January 1, 2016.
The 2019 ‘Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering‘ report includes a data table showing UCR conferred 4,656 bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering to Hispanic students between 2012-16. Only Florida International University and the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, had more Hispanic graduates in STEM fields. UCR was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution in 2008.
More than 45% of Hispanic students who earned bachelor’s degrees in STEM majors graduated from Hispanic-serving institutions in 2016, and 37% who earned doctorates between 2013 and 2017 attended one, according to the report.
In August 2020, the Florida International University (FIU) STEM Transformation Institute received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award for its work assisting students from underrepresented groups enter STEM fields. According to FIU, programs developed by the institute have led to a significant increase in four-year graduation rates for STEM majors at FIU, and retention of STEM majors has increased from 78 percent to 90 percent in the past four years.
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