Turnover Intentions in the STEM Fields: The Role of Departmental Factors
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Turnover Intentions in the STEM Fields: The Role of Departmental Factors Krista Lynn Minnotte 1
& Daphne E. Pedersen
1
# Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract
The underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) remains a persistent feature of academia, with turnover being a contributing factor. The departmental context is likely implicated in the decision to stay or leave, as it is one of the key defining features of faculty members’ work experiences. Using the job-demands resources theoretical approach, this study examines how four facets of university departments – department climate, department chair support, perceived injustice, and scholarly isolation – are related to turnover intentions among STEM tenure-system faculty, along with whether these relationships differ by gender. Data are from STEM tenure-system faculty at a mid-sized university located in the upper Midwest (N = 117 faculty members). The findings indicate each facet of the department is related to STEM faculty members’ turnover intentions, regardless of gender. Taken together, these findings suggest that improving the department atmosphere may enhance retention of men and women STEM faculty members alike. Keywords Turnover intentions . Faculty . Department . Women faculty . STEM fields
Dr. Krista Lynn Minnotte is Professor of Sociology at the University of North Dakota. Her research centers on examining the interrelationships among gender, work, and family. Dr. Minnotte is particularly interested in the intersection of cultural and structural elements in understanding how people navigate paid work and family. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Work and Family Researchers Network and as Co-Editor of The Social Science Journal. Dr. Daphne E. Pedersen is Professor and Department Chair of Sociology at the University of North Dakota. Her research interests include gender, the sociology of health, work and well-being. Dr. Pedersen’s research focuses on various populations, including dual-career couples, working parents, college students, and STEM faculty. She is particularly interested in stress processes, and how different aspects of people’s lives intersect to shape health and wellness. Dr. Pedersen currently serves as Co-Editor of The Social Science Journal, and is the immediate Past-President of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society.
* Krista Lynn Minnotte [email protected]
1
Department of Sociology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
Innovative Higher Education
The persistent underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM fields remains a vital concern among policy makers and scholars (e.g., Blackburn, 2017). Women’s representation in STEM faculty positions is central to increasing the competitive edge of the US globally by contributing to a vibrant STEM workforce (Goulden, Mason, & Frasch, 2011; Xie, Fang, & Shauman, 2015). This is because STEM women faculty often serve as role models to undergraduate and graduate
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