Collaborative Research: BPC-AE: STARS: Catalyzing Action-Oriented Academic Communities for Broadening Participation in Computing

It is critical to address the longstanding issue of underrepresentation of women, Black, and Hispanic students in computing degree programs to provide an equitable foundation for all to participate in our society and the global economy as controllers and creators of technology, and to advance the preparation of a diverse, innovative, and competitive tech workforce. Building on the prior success of the STARS Computing Corps Alliance for Broadening Participation in Computing, the goal of the STARS Catalyst project is to: 1) increase the number of women, Black, and Hispanic students that persist in computing degree programs, and 2) advance the careers of students and faculty from groups that have been historically underrepresented in computing. Through research and evaluation around STARS Catalyst activities, this project will advance knowledge about practices designed to increase persistence and support career advancement in computing for college computing students and faculty, particularly for those from underrepresented and intersectional groups in computing. The STARS Catalyst Alliance is a collaborative effort across Temple University, North Carolina State, Kent State, Florida State University, Morgan State, and University of North Carolina Charlotte. The STARS Computing Corps Alliance for Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) engages computing faculty and students at colleges, universities, and community colleges in a community of practice with a shared commitment to take action to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in computing. STARS Computing Corps conferences, communities, and networks create significant institutional and human resources that can expand BPC research to a larger audience of researchers, educators, administrators, CS departments, and K-20 students, and can dramatically increase the number of people taking action in BPC efforts. Prior results show that the STARS Computing Corps alliance increases intentions to persist in computing among STARS students and faculty, with enhanced outcomes for Black students and faculty. This project will significantly extend the STARS alliance to expand upon those impacts, by 1) including new partners that expand the reach of STARS and that emphasize participation of Black and Hispanic students and faculty, particularly from emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions and community colleges, 2) creating new program elements that test new and propagate evidence-based BPC practices within computing departments, and 3) leveraging partnerships to support identity-focused affinity groups, and 4) developing STARS Alumni groups employed in industry positions to promote transition to and retention within the tech workforce. Extensions to the STARS Leadership Corps program, STARS Launch program, and the STARS Celebration conference will serve to develop and propagate evidence-based approaches aimed at improving the teaching and learning of computing for Black and Hispanic students and build evidence of their effectiveness, and the RESPECT research conference will continue to advance peer-reviewed BPC scholarship. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.