IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/reihed/v66y2025i3d10.1007_s11162-025-09841-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bridging the Divide: Exploring Equity Gaps in Undergraduate Research Participation Among Black and African American and Hispanic and Latinx Students

Author

Listed:
  • Tien-Ling Hu

    (Indiana University Bloomington
    Office of Institutional Research, Information Technology, William & Mary)

  • Victor M. H. Borden

    (Indiana University Bloomington)

Abstract

This study delves into disparities in undergraduate research participation among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx students using large-scale, multi-institutional data. The study’s focus is guided by Intersectionality Theory and Quantitative Critical Theory, examining how race, social identities, academic majors, and institutional characteristics intersect for racially minoritized students in their engagement with undergraduate research. Additionally, the study explores how culturally engaging environments, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), play a role in the participation of historically underserved student populations in undergraduate research. The findings reveal significant disparities, indicating lower undergraduate research participation rates for first-generation Black/African and Hispanic/Latinx students. Notably, the findings suggest that enrolling at an HBCU is strongly associated with higher undergraduate research participation among Black/African and Hispanic/Latinx students. Specifically, enrolling at an HBCU appears to be correlated with reducing the effects of all other factors except enrollment in STEM majors. Conversely, enrolling at HSIs negatively correlates with participation for both Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx students. The study underscores the critical need to address disparities in undergraduate research participation, providing insights into institutions striving to create equitable opportunities, especially for students from minoritized backgrounds.

Suggested Citation

  • Tien-Ling Hu & Victor M. H. Borden, 2025. "Bridging the Divide: Exploring Equity Gaps in Undergraduate Research Participation Among Black and African American and Hispanic and Latinx Students," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 66(3), pages 1-44, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:66:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11162-025-09841-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11162-025-09841-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11162-025-09841-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11162-025-09841-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bates, Douglas & Mächler, Martin & Bolker, Ben & Walker, Steve, 2015. "Fitting Linear Mixed-Effects Models Using lme4," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 67(i01).
    2. Heather Thiry & Sandra L. Laursen & Anne-Barrie Hunter, 2011. "What Experiences Help Students Become Scientists? A Comparative Study of Research and other Sources of Personal and Professional Gains for STEM Undergraduates," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(4), pages 357-388, July.
    3. Jessica C. Harris & Lori D. Patton, 2019. "Un/Doing Intersectionality through Higher Education Research," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 90(3), pages 347-372, May.
    4. Karen W. Bauer & Joan S. Bennett, 2003. "Alumni Perceptions Used to Assess Undergraduate Research Experience," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 74(2), pages 210-230, March.
    5. Hirotugu Akaike, 1987. "Factor analysis and AIC," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 52(3), pages 317-332, September.
    6. Sophie Pierszalowski & Jana Bouwma-Gearhart & Lindsay Marlow, 2021. "A Systematic Review of Barriers to Accessing Undergraduate Research for STEM Students: Problematizing Under-Researched Factors for Students of Color," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-43, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tien-Ling Hu & Dubravka Svetina Valdivia, 2024. "Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Quality Experience in Undergraduate Research Using Item Response Theory," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 65(8), pages 1965-1991, December.
    2. Katelyn M Cooper & Logan E Gin & Barierane Akeeh & Carolyn E Clark & Joshua S Hunter & Travis B Roderick & Deanna B Elliott & Luis A Gutierrez & Rebecca M Mello & Leilani D Pfeiffer & Rachel A Scott &, 2019. "Factors that predict life sciences student persistence in undergraduate research experiences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-30, August.
    3. Monica Morell & Ji Seung Yang, 2019. "A Review of Multilevel Modeling Using Mplus," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 44(2), pages 241-247, April.
    4. Nicholas DiRienzo & J Chadwick Johnson & Anna Dornhaus, 2019. "Juvenile social experience generates differences in behavioral variation but not averages," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(2), pages 455-464.
    5. JANSSENS, Jochen & DE CORTE, Annelies & SÖRENSEN, Kenneth, 2016. "Water distribution network design optimisation with respect to reliability," Working Papers 2016007, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    6. Teruaki Kido & Yuko Yotsumoto & Masamichi J. Hayashi, 2025. "Hierarchical representations of relative numerical magnitudes in the human frontoparietal cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Raymond Hernandez & Elizabeth A. Pyatak & Cheryl L. P. Vigen & Haomiao Jin & Stefan Schneider & Donna Spruijt-Metz & Shawn C. Roll, 2021. "Understanding Worker Well-Being Relative to High-Workload and Recovery Activities across a Whole Day: Pilot Testing an Ecological Momentary Assessment Technique," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-17, October.
    8. Christopher Hassall & Michael Nisbet & Evan Norcliffe & He Wang, 2024. "The Potential Health Benefits of Urban Tree Planting Suggested through Immersive Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, February.
    9. Jiwon Lee & Midam An & Yongku Kim & Jung-In Seo, 2021. "Optimal Allocation for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-10, September.
    10. Jie Zhao & Ji Chen & Damien Beillouin & Hans Lambers & Yadong Yang & Pete Smith & Zhaohai Zeng & Jørgen E. Olesen & Huadong Zang, 2022. "Global systematic review with meta-analysis reveals yield advantage of legume-based rotations and its drivers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    11. Benjamin G Schultz & Catherine J Stevens & Peter E Keller & Barbara Tillmann, 2013. "A Sequence Identification Measurement Model to Investigate the Implicit Learning of Metrical Temporal Patterns," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-1, September.
    12. Elisabeth Beckmann & Lukas Olbrich & Joseph Sakshaug, 2024. "Multivariate assessment of interviewer-related errors in a cross-national economic survey (Lukas Olbrich, Elisabeth Beckmann, Joseph W. Sakshaug)," Working Papers 253, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    13. Daniela Andreini & Diego Rinallo & Giuseppe Pedeliento & Mara Bergamaschi, 2017. "Brands and Religion in the Secularized Marketplace and Workplace: Insights from the Case of an Italian Hospital Renamed After a Roman Catholic Pope," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 529-550, March.
    14. F J Heather & D Z Childs & A M Darnaude & J L Blanchard, 2018. "Using an integral projection model to assess the effect of temperature on the growth of gilthead seabream Sparus aurata," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, May.
    15. Valentina Krenz & Arjen Alink & Tobias Sommer & Benno Roozendaal & Lars Schwabe, 2023. "Time-dependent memory transformation in hippocampus and neocortex is semantic in nature," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    16. Hamilton, Lynn & Mathews, Leah Greden & Grant, Richard & Wolf, Marianne McGarry, 2013. "The Value of Undergraduate Research: A Pilot Study of Agribusiness Alumni Perceptions," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149846, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Morán-Ordóñez, Alejandra & Ameztegui, Aitor & De Cáceres, Miquel & de-Miguel, Sergio & Lefèvre, François & Brotons, Lluís & Coll, Lluís, 2020. "Future trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services in Mediterranean forests under global change scenarios," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    18. Andreas Wienke & Anne M. Herskind & Kaare Christensen & Axel Skytthe & Anatoli I. Yashin, 2002. "The influence of smoking and BMI on heritability in susceptibility to coronary heart disease," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2002-003, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    19. Jack McDonnell & Thomas McKenna & Kathryn A. Yurkonis & Deirdre Hennessy & Rafael Andrade Moral & Caroline Brophy, 2023. "A Mixed Model for Assessing the Effect of Numerous Plant Species Interactions on Grassland Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Relationships," Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics, Springer;The International Biometric Society;American Statistical Association, vol. 28(1), pages 1-19, March.
    20. Ana Pinto & Tong Yin & Marion Reichenbach & Raghavendra Bhatta & Pradeep Kumar Malik & Eva Schlecht & Sven König, 2020. "Enteric Methane Emissions of Dairy Cattle Considering Breed Composition, Pasture Management, Housing Conditions and Feeding Characteristics along a Rural-Urban Gradient in a Rising Megacity," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:66:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11162-025-09841-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.