Navigating Pathways to STEM Careers: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators in Interview Processes from the Perspectives of Autistic Students, Career Counselors, and STEM Employers

Researchers at Cornell University are conducting a mixed methods study of the barriers and facilitators in the pathway from postsecondary STEM undergraduate education to STEM employment for Autistic undergraduate students. A critical step in the transition from undergraduate education to employment is the interview process. This research will focus on identifying the systemic and institutional barriers and facilitators in interview processes, from the perspectives of Autistic students, college career counselors, and STEM employers.

Discovering ways of improving the transition between college education and STEM careers for Autistic students will inform the development of solutions that create opportunities for autistic students to pursue STEM careers. The STEM workforce is enriched by the inclusion of people with disabilities, including people with autism who bring unique perspectives to STEM problem-solving and discovery.

Using a participatory action research approach, each step of the research is guided and informed by a community research team comprised of autistic college students, career counselors, and STEM employers. This mixed method study aims to: 1) explore and understand the experiences of Autistic college students in their pursuit of STEM interview preparation related to employment; 2) analyze the impact of various strategies and experiences on the preparedness of Autistic college students for STEM interviews and assess the prevalence of barriers they encounter, with particular emphasis on differences across marginalized backgrounds; 3) evaluate the perceived readiness of college career counselors in assisting Autistic college students, particularly those with intersecting marginalized identities, in their STEM career pursuits; and 4) explore and understand the barriers observed by employers when engaging in pre-employment interviews with Autistic individuals.

The results will be beneficial for identifying solutions and resources needed by STEM employers and higher education that will improve interview processes and systems for autistic students.

This award has been made in response to the NSF solicitation “Workplace Equity for Persons with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education” (NSF 23-593). This project is funded by the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences’ Office of Multidisciplinary Activities and the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program (LSAMP).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.