Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.65465/DMVL5896

Publication Title

Journal of Black Excellence in Engineering, Science, & Technology

Volume

III(Special)

Pages

79-98

Abstract

Nationally and globally, STEM serves as a gatekeeper to the labor market and higher education opportunities. Many Black girls find themselves locked out of the gate. Historically and contemporarily, Black girls are seldom viewed as capable or worthy of educational investment and face unique and ongoing challenges in K-12 STEM learning spaces due to their gender and racial identities. Research suggests that informal STEM learning spaces can serve as a counter to Black girls’ experiences in K-12 schools and help enhance Black girls’ self-efficacy and STEM career interests. This study explores the impact of a four-week informal STEM program, employing a socially transformative curriculum (STC) model, on Black girls’ self-efficacy and interest in STEM careers. For this study, we conducted a quantitative analysis of pre-post survey data from 73 Black girls in grades 3-11 who participated in Girls STEM Institute summer institute and qualitative analysis of focus group interviews from a subset of scholars. Scholars completed the Career Interest Questionnaire. We found that informal STEM learning spaces can help to redress the negative experiences of Black girls in traditional K-12 spaces and increase their career confidence and recognition of the social value and meaningfulness of STEM careers. The findings from this study can inform the development of educational and career-based programs that not only disrupt ongoing disparities in STEM education but also motivate and increase Black girls’ interest in pursuing STEM careers and degrees, helping to foster a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce.

Rights

© 2026 The Authors.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY-4.0). 

ORCID

0000-0001-8560-779X (Smith-Mutegi)

Original Publication Citation

Morton, C., Smith Mutegi, D., Maric, D., Adlakha, V., & Jackson, R. (2026). Girls STEM institute: Impacting Black girls self-efficacy and interest in STEM careers. Journal of Black Excellence in Engineering, Science, & Technology, III(Special), 79-98. https://doi.org/10.65465/DMVL5896

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