3:30–4:30 pm Maria Goeppert-Mayer Lecture Hall
Understanding the Community Cultural Wealth of Physics Graduate Students and Implications for Graduate Programs
Geraldine Cochran, Ohio State University
There is a growing body of literature investigating experiences, policies, and practices in graduate physics programs. It was my desire to contribute to this body of literature through an equity-oriented investigation of the experiences of students participating in physics bridge programs. For this qualitative study, 8 participants in physics bridge programs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. The conceptual framework guiding this study and used for analysis was based on Yosso’s model of Community Cultural Wealth. In this presentation, I will share the findings for this study, the model of member checking used to improve the validity of findings and support action based on findings, and the implications of one particular form of capital, familial capital, for physics departments that seek to improve inclusion within their graduate program.