LinkedIn is a great professional social medium, both for overt networking, but also for the serendipitous exposure to articles on just about everything. There I found links to an interesting article on "The Need for Belonging in Math and Science" that describes research very close to the heart of the DNP CEU mission. The article is directed more toward perspectives of minority groups in STEM and "negative stereotype threat," but everyone can question their role, future and fit in their professional community in the dawn of a career, especially around advanced course exams or the phase transition between student and independent researcher. Looking back on conversations I have had with several dozen bright, promising and sometimes freakishly sharp physics peers who have since left for greener pastures in various industries, it rings true.
The bottom line of the article is this: our sense of belonging matters. Early connections and acceptance are powerful influences on the trajectory of any career, including STEM careers. Likewise, a lack of connection or acceptance shapes our decisions in finding careers. Programs like Conference Experiences for Undergraduates are a step in the right direction, providing an early introduction to the broader experience of sharing our work and learning from colleagues. I've always felt like the poster sessions were a sociologists dream petri dish. Personal dynamics are as much at work as the physics content, maybe more so.
I am curious as to what impressions the CEU students are taking away from Newport News, as they look back. Do they feel any differently about what they want to do when they graduate? Better? Worse? Do they feel any differently about their research supervisors or their own work?
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