Black Women in STEM Graduate Programs: The Advisor Selection Process and the Perception of the Advisor/Advisee Relationship

An advisor is often the most central and influential person influencing Black women's trajectory throughout graduate school. This study explored how and why Black women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs selected their advisors and their perceptions of the advisor/advisee relationship. Black Feminist Thought (BFT) was used to explore Black women's experiences at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) as it provides an in-depth understanding from the perspective of Black women and highlights often-ignored power dynamics. Data were collected using three unique semistructured interviews over a year and a half with each participant. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with emergent coding. Findings suggest students selected their advisors for various reasons: compatibility, lab availability, research interest, funding, and faculty interest in working with a student. Notably, participants preferred advisors who provided a hands-on advising style over a hands-off advising style. In addition, students who developed a positive relationship with their advisor performed better academically and made better progress within their program compared to students who viewed their relationship as less compatible. This study's findings may help inform advisors, at PWIs, on how better to assist Black women advisees, thereby improving the degree completion rates and graduate program success for Black women in STEM.