A wide range of actors--from government agencies to business groups to higher education institutions--have highlighted the need to increase the size and the diversity of the scientiic workforce. It is important, therefore, for research to examine factors that may affect the experiences and trajectories of nascent scientists, especially those factors that may push those nascent scientists away from an education and career in the science.

This project aimed to understand how religion influences the experiences and trajectories of graduate students in five natural and social science disciplines, whether positively or negatively. A survey was fielded on a sample of 4,000 students, receiving almost 1,400 responses. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 65 students who took the survey to provide greater context to the gathered statistics.

The quantitative and qualitative data produced from this project have highlighted a number of patterns and dynamics that should be of interest to science educators, graduate programs, and the larger scientific community. Overall, the majority of science students, like the majority of academic scientists, do not identify with a religion or see themselves as religious. However, a significant minority--about 20% of students--are at least moderately if not very religious. Women and Black science graduate students are more likely to be religious relative to men and White students, which is particularly relevant given efforts to attract and retain more individuals from these social groups within science.

One study from this project found that graduate students who feel like they need to conceal their religious identity score lower on measures of their strength of identification with science. This finding is in line with similar research on identity interference resulting from gender and racial or ethnic identities among science students. Such findings suggest that these students may be at higher risk of persisting in science.

Qualitative interviews expanded upon this finding by showing that many religious students feel a sense of stigma associated with being religious within the scientific community. An overarching culture of "assumed atheism" within academic science makes it difficult for students who identify with a religion or who hold religious beliefs to feel welcome or build community, while also sometimes creating an environment where direct or indirect hostile comments towards students? religious identities or beliefs can be seen as acceptable.

The interviews also highlighted more subtle social tensions resulting from students' religious beliefs. Some students, for instance, abstain from alcohol and other substances due to their religious beliefs. This can create barriers to social and professional development if formal and informal events within their graduate programs frequently involve or even center around alcohol.

The survey data also showed that religious students are more likely to already have children and be in long-term partnerships. This again creates social and professional tensions when it is assumed that students do not have such family commitments. Moreover, religious students, independent of whether they have children or are in a partnership already, place more importance on their family lives. This influences the types of careers these students say they are likely to pursue, as research-intensive academic positions are seen--whether correctly or not--as antithetical to a family life.

All of the data and analyses from this project provide insights into a previously unappreciated social and psychological dimension within the training of new scientists. More broadly, the findings of this project raise questions about the nature of diversity within science and how one form of diversity relates to other forms.

Last Modified: 10/04/2021
Modified by: Christopher P Scheitle