Editorial: Advancing Equity in STEM-Insights from 'Exploring STEM Environments that Broaden Participation'

Tyrslai Williams^1*Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy^1*Renã A.S Robinson²

• ¹Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States
• ²Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States

The persistent underrepresenta.on of marginalized groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathema.cs (STEM) fields remains a pressing concern, highligh.ng systemic inequi.es that impede innova.on and the broad cul.va.on of our human poten.al and capital. "Exploring STEM Environments that Broaden Par.cipa.on," in Fron.ers in Educa.on, addresses this challenge by examining the barriers at key academic junctures that dispropor.onately impact historically marginalized groups. This collec.on features evidence-based prac.ces and innova.ve approaches. Accordingly, this provides ac.onable insights for dismantling systemic barriers and cul.va.ng rich learning environments that support the success of all.The significance of this work cannot be overstated. The issue of broadening par.cipa.on to make us of the full breadth of the United States ci.zenry in the STEM workforce is not merely an issue of social jus.ce but also one of innova.on and economic vitality. A robust talent pool brings varied perspec.ves, fostering crea.vity and driving solu.ons to complex, global challenges. Consequently, ensuring full par.cipa.on in STEM educa.on and careers requires strategies that tackle both overt and subtle barriers. The ar.cles featured in this collec.on provide comprehensive examina.ons of these strategies. Moreover, these present clear pathways forward for educators, researchers, and ins.tu.onal leaders.Within the collec.on, the pivotal role of mentoring in enhancing student self-efficacy is explored in several ar.cle. More specifically, authors inves.gated the impacts of mentoring during cri.cal junctures like the academic transi.ons and in unique contexts. Mentoring is widely recognized as a powerful interven.on that can significantly influence students' academic trajectories and professional aspira.ons. Davis and Wilson-Kennedy (2024) exemplify this in their explora.on of holis.c mentoring ecosystems, demonstra.ng how structured, comprehensive mentorship can mi.gate adverse external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, par.cularly for low-income STEM students. Their work highlights the vital role that robust support systems can play in fostering resilience and persistence among college students, especially for those naviga.ng complex paradigms.Similarly, Oyelaran (2023) calls a]en.on to the significance of early research experiences and mentoring, especially for improving the persistence of underrepresented racial minority science majors. Peer mentors can provide meaning interac.ons that help students build the self-efficacy necessary to persist through challenging coursework and compe..ve environments. These findings collec.vely suggest that structured mentoring is instrumental to helping students navigate STEM educa.on and careers. Moreover, these studies reinforce that effec.ve mentoring goes beyond academic advising; it involves psychosocial elements, i.e., nurturing self-belief, providing role modeling, and fostering a sense of belonging within the STEM community.Beyond mentorship, the collec.on explores the transforma.on of STEM learning environments to nurture scien.fic crea.vity to s.mulate STEM iden.ty and engagement. Echegoyen-Sanz et al. ( 2024) argue that integra.ng crea.vity-focused educa.onal strategies can revitalize students' interest in STEM by connec.ng conceptual learning to real-world applica.ons, encouraging divergent thinking, and promo.ng metacogni.ve skill development. Their findings reveal that cul.va.ng crea.vity is a vital, yet underu.lized, tool for building inclusive and mo.va.ng STEM environments that prepare students to meet the challenges of the future. Mori (2024) extends this conversa.on by examining collabora.ve educa.onal outreach strategies between high schools and universi.es in Japan. This work demonstrates how outreach efforts can create pathways that reduce barriers to STEM engagement. Herein, outreach coordinators serve as bridges that connect academic ins.tu.ons with target communi.es. This approach expands access to poten.ally underserved communi.es and fosters access at cri.cal educa.onal junctures. Addi.onally, this work posi.ons scien.fic crea.vity as a core competency and leverage academic partnerships to build opportuni.es for expanding this crea.vity. Consequently, it illustrates how strategically designed STEM learning environments can expand opportuni.es for all students to be successful.The collec.on also presents innova.ve STEM engagement approaches. Delogu et al. (2023) explores the impact of culturally responsive learning experiences on undergraduate students. This work shows how course-based research experiences can increase engagement and understanding for STEM undergraduates. By embedding research directly into coursework, the study demonstrates an approach to expand access to research experience. Access to research experiences is a common barrier to par.cipa.on, especially for students balancing academics with compe.ng responsibili.es. This approach highlights a strategy for expanding access to meaningful STEM engagement. 2023) advocate for centering posi.ve youth development approaches from sports in STEM educa.on, encouraging environments to validate and leverage students' diverse backgrounds, minimize performance anxiety in math through con.nuous exposure, and skill development to enhance iden.ty. By incorpora.ng environments that engage role models and peers, STEM iden.ty is fostered. Their work argues that recognizing and respec.ng these diverse iden..es, engaging role models and peers, the sport model can profoundly impact women students' academic success and their sustained iden.ty in STEM. Together, these studies explore innova.ve approaches to STEM engagement through reac.ve strategies that remodel tradi.onal learning environments and leverage flexible, modern learning environments to broaden access, increase par.cipa.on, and support sustained interest in STEM.Intersec.onality emerges as another area of focus within the collec.on. Intersec.onality examines how overlapping iden..es, such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc., can influence experiences and opportuni.es within STEM (McCurdy, 2025). Perez-Felkner et al. (2024) discuss ins.tu.onal strategies aimed at "warming the chilly climate" for women in STEM, advoca.ng for macrostructural changes that address systemic biases. Their analysis highlights macrostructural strategies designed to dismantle systemic biases and alter ins.tu.onal cultures that perpetuate inequi.es. Such comprehensive changes are cri.cal in reversing historical pa]erns of exclusion and marginaliza.on, facilita.ng environments where all students can thrive. Zucker et al. (2024) examine the impact of culturally relevant informal STEM learning experiences on STEM family engagement, demonstra.ng how virtual and in-person STEM experiences can contribute to family self-efficacy in exploring STEM with children. Their findings emphasize the importance of delivering STEM programming in culturally responsive environments. It also advocates for modes of engagement that support families in developing confidence and capacity to par.cipate in STEM learning together. Understanding intersec.onality and iden.ty in STEM is not only about acknowledging differences. It is about transforming systems to ensure engagement for all learners. By focusing on the varied lived experiences of students and their families, the studies in this collec.on call for inten.onal efforts that recognize iden.ty as a cri.cal perspec.ve for developing inclusive STEM environments.As higher educa.on in the United States, and beyond, con.nues to evolve, it is impera.ve that empirical insights inform ongoing efforts to create high-impact learning ecosystems where all students have the opportunity to excel. These contribu.ons, featuring original research, reviews, perspec.ves, and commentaries, provide evidence for best prac.ce. These works suggest ac.ons for cul.va.ng robust educa.onal ecosystems that empower students from all backgrounds to succeed and contribute to STEM innova.on and progress. This special issue offers evidence for strategies and prac.ces within STEM educa.on. It is a .mely resource ac.vely broadening STEM par.cipa.on.