Chapter 14 Future Faculty/Research Scientist Mentoring Program: Proven Coping Strategies for Successful Matriculation of African Americans in Computing Science Doctoral Programs

Abstract

Though STEM-related jobs have become a critical sector in the United States economy, there remains a severe employment shortage of eligible workers in these fields (Beyer, Rynes, Perrault, Hay, & Haller, 2003; National Science Foundation, 2009). The shortage of workers who possess the necessary skills to fulfill this growing sector of the economy are at a level last reached the middle of the 20th century (ACT, 2006; Jackson et al., in press). Even so, approximately 1.6 million supplementary workers with degrees in the computing sciences will be required to satisfy workforce demands according to the U. S. Department of Labor (Beyer et al., 2003; Hecker, 2001). Social misfortunes have played a significant role in the disproportioned participation rates of ethnic minorities in STEM fields. Although it could be argued that the field of computing sciences has moved to the forefront of STEM within this information-based global economy, very few African Americans productively contribute to the field (Carver, 1994; Gilbert, Jackson, George, Charleston, & Daniels, 2007).

Citation

Charleston, L.J. and Jackson, J.F.L. (2011), "Chapter 14 Future Faculty/Research Scientist Mentoring Program: Proven Coping Strategies for Successful Matriculation of African Americans in Computing Science Doctoral Programs", Frierson, H.T. and Tate, W.F. (Ed.) Beyond Stock Stories and Folktales: African Americans' Paths to STEM Fields (Diversity in Higher Education, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 287-305. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3644(2011)0000011018