Integrating Theory and Practice to Increase Scientific Workforce Diversity: A Framework for Career Development in Graduate Research Training

TLDR

Few theory‑based interventions exist to increase URM graduate students in biological and behavioral sciences, and TEAM‑Science seeks to raise URM PhD enrollment, completion, and academic career pursuit. The authors propose a social‑cognitive career theory framework to guide graduate research training and describe its development, evaluation plan, and early implementation. TEAM‑Science operationalizes the framework through five core components: mentor training, eight essential competencies, senior‑faculty career coaching, individualized development plans, and a SWOT personal analysis. The framework is expected to enhance URM trainees’ career outcomes and improve the effectiveness of mentored research programs.

Abstract

Few, if any, educational interventions intended to increase underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in biological and behavioral sciences are informed by theory and research on career persistence. Training and Education to Advance Minority Scholars in Science (TEAM-Science) is a program funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with the twin goals of increasing the number of URM students entering and completing a PhD in BBS and increasing the number of these students who pursue academic careers. A framework for career development in graduate research training is proposed using social cognitive career theory. Based on this framework, TEAM-Science has five core components: 1) mentor training for the research advisor, 2) eight consensus-derived fundamental competencies required for a successful academic career, 3) career coaching by a senior faculty member, 4) an individualized career development plan that aligns students’ activities with the eight fundamental competencies, and 5) a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats personal career analysis. This paper describes the theoretical framework used to guide development of these components, the research and evaluation plan, and early experience implementing the program. We discuss the potential of this framework to increase desired career outcomes for URM graduate trainees in mentored research programs and, thereby, strengthen the effectiveness of such interventions on participants’ career behaviors.